Pablo Picasso "Boy with a Dog" (1905), pastel and gouache-
The warm, crimson blood oozing out of the wound woke the boy instantly. The last thing he remembered before hitting the ground was the sound of scampering feet exiting the dark and narrow pathway. Using the last bit of strength inside of him, the boy pushed upon the cold earth and raised his body to a sitting position. Wet and littered with graffiti, the wall beside him served as his only companion and form of support. Raising his hand towards the gash, the boy encountered the main source of pain he now felt. He couldn’t help but wince as he touched the rough skin on his forehead, which was now decorated with streaks of dried blood. Bracing for the cold, the boy pulled on the shirt that covered his frail frame. He began moving towards the main road and light ahead of him, leaving behind a pool of blood darkened by the white snow beneath it.
◊
The warm, wet tongue of the seemingly old mutt forced the boy to open his eyes and leave his restless sleep. The persistent animal continued to nuzzle her wet nose against the neck of the sleeping youngster. The boy knew it was a plea for some sort of food and as his eyes adjusted to the light of the morning his mouth watered and his stomach begged for a meal as well. However, like the night before and the many nights before that, the pleas went unanswered once again.
With a groan, the boy pushed the four-legged animal off of his bone-thin body. This action alone shook the hand-crafted cardboard hut, which protected the boy and his dog from the harsh winter snow accumulating outside. The dog led her friend out into the small space between the two tall four-story buildings. To the boy’s left was the loud noise of the activities in the city he called home. The white snow that had begun to blanket the streets did not seem to defer the men and women who were still running various errands and hustling off to work.
Squinting from the harsh rays of the sun, the boy spotted the myriad amount of other huts that sheltered boys just like him. The pieces of cardboard advertised food chains and shipping companies and rested against walls in alleys across the entire city. Like the boy’s shelter, the floors of most of these huts were covered by a blanket or pieces of clothing found on the street, in trash cans, or stolen from local stores. Nothing was new or clean and the houses barely protected the boys from the rain, snow, or cold.
The boy pulled on the over-sized shirt that covered his small body. He couldn’t remember the last time he had changed the filthy garment, but since coming to live in the city the boy had gotten used to the feeling of being unclean. Suddenly, the boy’s knee buckled slightly. He looked down at the dog that was now by his side. The dog’s nudge reminded the boy of the tasks that needed to be done that day. There was a fairly new construction site a few blocks away and the boy hoped he could take some of the excess materials to add to his home. The middle of winter was when the city was always the coldest and a few pieces of wood or sheet metal would greatly improve the boy’s shack. However, the boy’s main chore of the day was finding some form of food for the dog and himself. He could walk to the city’s center and beg for change from the men and women who would feel pity and sympathy at the mere sight of him or he could search in various trash cans and dumpsters outside of homes or restaurants. With this decision still on his mind, the boy and his dog set off and began walking the cold city blocks side by side.
The boy wasn’t looking for a companion when he first met the dog a few years earlier. He had returned to his home one night and had noticed a grey lump moving slightly on the hut’s floor. He had stopped in his tracks, unaware of what waited for him three feet ahead. Summoning up as much courage as he could manage, the boy inspected the intruder that had invaded his home. Expecting something far more frightening, he was surprised to see an unsanitary, yet harmless, animal sleeping soundly atop of the filthy blue blanket that lined the shack’s floor. The dog had woken up upon the boy’s arrival and after staring at each other for a moment, the boy reached his hand out to the dog and offered a peace offering of scrap meat he had found on the streets earlier. From that day on the boy and dog barely left each other’s side, each providing the other warmth, companionship, and protection.
After completing the five block trek to the construction site, the boy and dog were saddened to see that many of the other boys that inhabited the city had already scavenged any worthy material. Snow had begun to lightly accumulate outside and the boy and dog reluctantly traced their steps back to their alley in hopes of coming across some food along the way.
Passing alley after alley the companions were giving up all hope that they would be eating any time soon. Miraculously, however, their luck took a turn for the better. About a block away from their home the two passed a darkened street that would normally be unnoticed by common pedestrians. In fact, the boy was already beyond the alleyway when he noticed the absence of his best friend. Having been together for years, the boy was accustomed to the dog always being next to him so much so that when the dog wasn’t around the boy suddenly felt incomplete. Turning around, the boy saw the dog staring into the darkened space between the two buildings. Cautiously he approached the dog and followed her glance towards the back of the alley.
Although he could barely see two feet inside the pathway the aroma hit the boy like a ton of bricks. The savory smell of some form of roast rapidly filled the air around the boy and his dog and instantly made their mouths water in delight. It propelled the two friends into a trance, and they began moving towards the source of the smell as if their feet barely touched the ground. They had been without food for so long that simply the smell of a freshly cooked roast was enough to eliminate the feeling of hunger which had been festering inside of them both for as long as they could remember.
The roast was resting amongst the newly fallen snow and seemed to be illuminated in a circle of light among the darkness. The boy couldn’t believe his luck. After years of surviving off of family leftovers thrown in various trash containers and bits of food stolen off of unsuspecting plates, the thought of a whole meal was too hard to imagine. Staring at the roast for what seemed like days, the boy and dog could not resist their hunger pains any longer. In an instant, the boy reached down and lifted the meal in his hands ready to run back to his cardboard shack and relieve years of starvation. Suddenly, in the same instant the boy stopped in his tracks.
At the entrance of the alleyway the sound of snow crunching beneath heavy footsteps startled the boy and his dog. He did not have to turn around to know exactly who had arrived. The boys who live in the city were all a part of an unspoken hierarchy. Being one of the smallest, the boy and his dog were inevitably a part of the lowest ranks. Above them were the boys who had the most elaborate make-shift homes normally located under a bridge or overpass and the top of the hierarchy consisted of the older boys living on the streets. These boys ruled the city; they traveled in packs and made it a point to evoke their power at every opportunity and on every other boy in their way.
The boy quickly searched for a place to hide the roast from the teenagers in hopes that his finding would not be as quickly taken away as it was found. His eyes darted back and forth from each wall littered with graffiti. Not finding any better option, the boy lifted his shirt and started to hide the roast underneath. As soon as he made the motion to move the food, one of the older boys grabbed his shoulder with a forced that sent the meat flying onto the ground with a loud thud. The boy was forced around and was met by a smirking face that stood inches above his own head. Immediately the boy shut his eyes and braced for the blow that was sure to come. Suddenly, he could hear the other teenagers screaming nonsense at their friend who held the boy in his grasp. The boy opened his eyes wide enough to see his dog attempting to fight the teenagers away and protect the youngster. The boy could see the teenagers running away from the alleyway, surprised by the dog’s actions. He realized that this was his chance to free himself from the teenager’s grip. The boy wildly began flinging his arms in every direction. He hit, scratched and pushed the teenager who held him capture. It was then that he sensed the dog by his side, as she was helping the boy in his struggles to get free.
Abruptly, the boy was released from his detainment and clumsily stumbled backward. He saw the teenager running away as he tripped over the barking companion beside him. As the dog began running after the teenager, the boy fell upon the wet wall beside him, his head immediately split open by the force of the blow.
The warm, crimson blood oozing out of the wound woke the boy instantly. The last thing he remembered before hitting the ground was the sound of scampering feet exiting the dark and narrow pathway. Using the last bit of strength inside of him, the boy pushed upon the cold earth and raised his body to a sitting position. Wet and littered with graffiti, the wall beside him served as his only companion and form of support. Raising his hand towards the gash, the boy encountered the main source of pain he now felt. He couldn’t help but wince as he touched the rough skin on his forehead, which was now decorated with streaks of dried blood. Bracing for the cold, the boy pulled on the shirt that covered his frail frame. He began moving towards the main road and the light ahead of him, leaving behinds a pool of blood darkened by the white snow beneath it.
Moments later, the dog arrived after chasing off the teenage boys. The savory smell of the roast was still filling the air as she entered the dark pathway. Her stomach rumbled at the thought of biting into fresh cooked meat that she had long forgotten the taste of. However, as the dog walked toward the awaiting roast, she stopped short of the meal and turned towards her only companion. Avoiding the collection of blood, the dog laid down beside the boy and attempted to keep his cold, stiff body protected from the falling snow. The dog whimpered as she began to lick the blood off of her friend’s forehead. In a matter of hours, the blizzard covered them both, leaving the food untouched by their side.
◊
The warm, wet tongue of the seemingly old mutt forced the boy to open his eyes and leave his restless sleep. The persistent animal continued to nuzzle her wet nose against the neck of the sleeping youngster. The boy knew it was a plea for some sort of food and as his eyes adjusted to the light of the morning his mouth watered and his stomach begged for a meal as well. However, like the night before and the many nights before that, the pleas went unanswered once again.
With a groan, the boy pushed the four-legged animal off of his bone-thin body. This action alone shook the hand-crafted cardboard hut, which protected the boy and his dog from the harsh winter snow accumulating outside. The dog led her friend out into the small space between the two tall four-story buildings. To the boy’s left was the loud noise of the activities in the city he called home. The white snow that had begun to blanket the streets did not seem to defer the men and women who were still running various errands and hustling off to work.
Squinting from the harsh rays of the sun, the boy spotted the myriad amount of other huts that sheltered boys just like him. The pieces of cardboard advertised food chains and shipping companies and rested against walls in alleys across the entire city. Like the boy’s shelter, the floors of most of these huts were covered by a blanket or pieces of clothing found on the street, in trash cans, or stolen from local stores. Nothing was new or clean and the houses barely protected the boys from the rain, snow, or cold.
The boy pulled on the over-sized shirt that covered his small body. He couldn’t remember the last time he had changed the filthy garment, but since coming to live in the city the boy had gotten used to the feeling of being unclean. Suddenly, the boy’s knee buckled slightly. He looked down at the dog that was now by his side. The dog’s nudge reminded the boy of the tasks that needed to be done that day. There was a fairly new construction site a few blocks away and the boy hoped he could take some of the excess materials to add to his home. The middle of winter was when the city was always the coldest and a few pieces of wood or sheet metal would greatly improve the boy’s shack. However, the boy’s main chore of the day was finding some form of food for the dog and himself. He could walk to the city’s center and beg for change from the men and women who would feel pity and sympathy at the mere sight of him or he could search in various trash cans and dumpsters outside of homes or restaurants. With this decision still on his mind, the boy and his dog set off and began walking the cold city blocks side by side.
The boy wasn’t looking for a companion when he first met the dog a few years earlier. He had returned to his home one night and had noticed a grey lump moving slightly on the hut’s floor. He had stopped in his tracks, unaware of what waited for him three feet ahead. Summoning up as much courage as he could manage, the boy inspected the intruder that had invaded his home. Expecting something far more frightening, he was surprised to see an unsanitary, yet harmless, animal sleeping soundly atop of the filthy blue blanket that lined the shack’s floor. The dog had woken up upon the boy’s arrival and after staring at each other for a moment, the boy reached his hand out to the dog and offered a peace offering of scrap meat he had found on the streets earlier. From that day on the boy and dog barely left each other’s side, each providing the other warmth, companionship, and protection.
After completing the five block trek to the construction site, the boy and dog were saddened to see that many of the other boys that inhabited the city had already scavenged any worthy material. Snow had begun to lightly accumulate outside and the boy and dog reluctantly traced their steps back to their alley in hopes of coming across some food along the way.
Passing alley after alley the companions were giving up all hope that they would be eating any time soon. Miraculously, however, their luck took a turn for the better. About a block away from their home the two passed a darkened street that would normally be unnoticed by common pedestrians. In fact, the boy was already beyond the alleyway when he noticed the absence of his best friend. Having been together for years, the boy was accustomed to the dog always being next to him so much so that when the dog wasn’t around the boy suddenly felt incomplete. Turning around, the boy saw the dog staring into the darkened space between the two buildings. Cautiously he approached the dog and followed her glance towards the back of the alley.
Although he could barely see two feet inside the pathway the aroma hit the boy like a ton of bricks. The savory smell of some form of roast rapidly filled the air around the boy and his dog and instantly made their mouths water in delight. It propelled the two friends into a trance, and they began moving towards the source of the smell as if their feet barely touched the ground. They had been without food for so long that simply the smell of a freshly cooked roast was enough to eliminate the feeling of hunger which had been festering inside of them both for as long as they could remember.
The roast was resting amongst the newly fallen snow and seemed to be illuminated in a circle of light among the darkness. The boy couldn’t believe his luck. After years of surviving off of family leftovers thrown in various trash containers and bits of food stolen off of unsuspecting plates, the thought of a whole meal was too hard to imagine. Staring at the roast for what seemed like days, the boy and dog could not resist their hunger pains any longer. In an instant, the boy reached down and lifted the meal in his hands ready to run back to his cardboard shack and relieve years of starvation. Suddenly, in the same instant the boy stopped in his tracks.
At the entrance of the alleyway the sound of snow crunching beneath heavy footsteps startled the boy and his dog. He did not have to turn around to know exactly who had arrived. The boys who live in the city were all a part of an unspoken hierarchy. Being one of the smallest, the boy and his dog were inevitably a part of the lowest ranks. Above them were the boys who had the most elaborate make-shift homes normally located under a bridge or overpass and the top of the hierarchy consisted of the older boys living on the streets. These boys ruled the city; they traveled in packs and made it a point to evoke their power at every opportunity and on every other boy in their way.
The boy quickly searched for a place to hide the roast from the teenagers in hopes that his finding would not be as quickly taken away as it was found. His eyes darted back and forth from each wall littered with graffiti. Not finding any better option, the boy lifted his shirt and started to hide the roast underneath. As soon as he made the motion to move the food, one of the older boys grabbed his shoulder with a forced that sent the meat flying onto the ground with a loud thud. The boy was forced around and was met by a smirking face that stood inches above his own head. Immediately the boy shut his eyes and braced for the blow that was sure to come. Suddenly, he could hear the other teenagers screaming nonsense at their friend who held the boy in his grasp. The boy opened his eyes wide enough to see his dog attempting to fight the teenagers away and protect the youngster. The boy could see the teenagers running away from the alleyway, surprised by the dog’s actions. He realized that this was his chance to free himself from the teenager’s grip. The boy wildly began flinging his arms in every direction. He hit, scratched and pushed the teenager who held him capture. It was then that he sensed the dog by his side, as she was helping the boy in his struggles to get free.
Abruptly, the boy was released from his detainment and clumsily stumbled backward. He saw the teenager running away as he tripped over the barking companion beside him. As the dog began running after the teenager, the boy fell upon the wet wall beside him, his head immediately split open by the force of the blow.
The warm, crimson blood oozing out of the wound woke the boy instantly. The last thing he remembered before hitting the ground was the sound of scampering feet exiting the dark and narrow pathway. Using the last bit of strength inside of him, the boy pushed upon the cold earth and raised his body to a sitting position. Wet and littered with graffiti, the wall beside him served as his only companion and form of support. Raising his hand towards the gash, the boy encountered the main source of pain he now felt. He couldn’t help but wince as he touched the rough skin on his forehead, which was now decorated with streaks of dried blood. Bracing for the cold, the boy pulled on the shirt that covered his frail frame. He began moving towards the main road and the light ahead of him, leaving behinds a pool of blood darkened by the white snow beneath it.
Moments later, the dog arrived after chasing off the teenage boys. The savory smell of the roast was still filling the air as she entered the dark pathway. Her stomach rumbled at the thought of biting into fresh cooked meat that she had long forgotten the taste of. However, as the dog walked toward the awaiting roast, she stopped short of the meal and turned towards her only companion. Avoiding the collection of blood, the dog laid down beside the boy and attempted to keep his cold, stiff body protected from the falling snow. The dog whimpered as she began to lick the blood off of her friend’s forehead. In a matter of hours, the blizzard covered them both, leaving the food untouched by their side.
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