I was walking to work, already late, already grumpy, when a golden retriever tied outside a café spotted me. No hesitation just full tail-wag mode, tongue out, eyes sparkling. I stopped for maybe three seconds to scratch behind his ears, and in that moment, the owner came out, coffee in hand. He...

My basket was heavy, my patience was thin, and the line was moving slower than glaciers. The man in front of me — older, with a shock of white hair — noticed me shifting the basket from arm to arm. He said nothing, just nudged his cart back and pointed at it with a small...

It was raining in that annoying sideways way, the kind where umbrellas are basically useless. Everyone at the bus stop looked miserable, collars pulled up, eyes on the ground. Then a kid maybe seven started balancing on the curb, arms out like an acrobat. He slipped, caught himself, and grinned...