Desperate, Derrick took to the sidewalk, pleading with strangers passing by. Raindrops clung to his threadbare jacket, and his voice cracked from repeating his story. Most people stepped around him without meeting his gaze. The few who paused offered sympathy, not money. Time was a luxury he lacked.
As dusk settled, Derrick trudged back to the vet’s parking lot, shoulders slumped. He stared at Rusty through the clinic window. The dog’s chest rose in shallow puffs, a stark reminder that each breath might be his last. Suddenly, Derrick spotted a “Help Wanted” flyer blowing down the street.