The Good We Give

Sir is a tan dog with white paws, a pink nose and, on certain days, a deep suspicion of one perfectly ordinary patch of hallway floor.

Most days, he crosses it easily. Sometimes he stops to stare, barks, tiptoes closer, and complains because he wants so badly to reach the room beyond it. Eventually comes the scramble across, as if the floor has turned to lava.

His owner, Kai, a Flint resident, describes him as a “goofy little guy.” There is concern when Sir’s confidence falters, but there is also plenty of affection and laughter in the telling.

We met the pair at Pup & Paint at Kew’s Korner in Flint, with Strawberry Moon Artistry hosting the event. Their story began with an act of care that would bring both of them something they needed.

It was mid-February. Kai was heading home after a long shift at Kroger when he noticed a truck stopped in the middle of the road. The truck’s owner was outside in the slushy snow with a small brown dog.

The man had found the dog wandering and trying to lick salt and ice from the road. Sir was starving and extremely thin, with an injury and frostbite. He needed food and medical care. He was happy to see a friendly face.

The truck’s owner said someone needed to take him to a vet. He was on his way to work, while Kai had just finished his shift and had more time to help. One person had found the dog; another would get him to care.

When Sir was brought to the car, he was ready to climb into the back seat.

The encounter came at a tender time. It had been about two-and-a-half months since the loss of someone very dear to Kai. He had stopped to ask about a dog, and now there was someone to care for.

Almost from the moment Sir entered the car, Kai remembers feeling that he would remain committed to him. They went to the vet, then to PetSmart for food, a collar, a leash and a cage.

The commitment began with practical things. The companionship grew into everyday life, and Sir gave Kai plenty of stories to tell.

When he was younger, Sir developed a peculiar habit during car rides. He would lift his rear end and rest his feet against the back of the seat. In the rearview mirror, Kai could see little more than his dog’s backside and tail.

“I never really understood that phase of his life,” Kai wrote.

Some of Sir’s favorite moments now seem to come from getting out of the house and spending time around other dogs at Pup & Paint. Kai notices a difference afterward: Sir gets some energy out and seems more mellow throughout the week. He’s proud of how Sir behaves, even when he isn’t perfect.

That affection comes through in all the stories. There is pride in a good outing, concern over a loss of confidence and delight in a dog who can turn a few feet of hallway into a small adventure. Sir is known and loved in the details.

“I needed him in that moment of my life and he needed me,” Kai said.

The companionship and laughter that followed began with a decision to stop and help. While carrying a loss of his own, Kai offered care where it was needed. That act opened the door to a relationship that brought something needed into his life, too.

There is hope in that for all of us. We rarely know what a moment of kindness will set in motion. Sometimes, in helping another through a difficult moment, we find a connection that helps us through our own.

Even on the days when goodness feels hard to find, we can be the reason something good begins.