The Dog Waited Outside the Bakery

22 May 2026
All rights reserved by the author

Every evening before closing time, a street dog appeared outside a small bakery.
It never barked or moved too close.
It simply sat near the entrance patiently while the final customers left.
The owner always noticed it.
Some nights he brought out a small piece of bread. Other nights only a gentle glance before locking the door.
Still, the dog returned every evening with the same quiet trust.
There was no certainty in the routine.
Yet there was familiarity.
And familiarity itself had become enough reason to come back.
People are often similar.
We return toward places, voices, and moments that once gave us warmth — even in small ways.
Not because they changed our lives dramatically.
But because they made life feel softer for a little while.
Tonight, there is something quiet to remember.
Sometimes, what keeps us going is not grand hope.
Sometimes, it is simply knowing there is still a little kindness waiting somewhere at the end of the day.

Rajat Chandra Sarmah
Guwahati, Assam, India
Instagram: @rajatchandrasarmah
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