little skin

i have adopted a stray dog. it looked so awful when i first came here, to yuanli, taiwan. her skin was red and oozing, hair falling out. i got some medicines from a vet, and put them in canned food. she is better now, though still not great. i am unable to bathe her because she is scared, even though she wags her tail and looks overjoyed anytime i appear. she is adorable.

i pluck fat ticks off her and feed her once a day. i am aware that when i leave, she will suffer. but i cannot simply watch her die.

she will not cross metal grates or grills over water drainage ditches. this is a mysetry to sara and i, that points to some trauma in her past. she follows us happily when we walk at night, but she won't cross those grates. she shows other signs of her previous life: when i bring out food, and she rouses from her dead-dog state around noon, she stands like a good dog, trying to contain her excitement. her previous owners must have taught her. where is their conscience?

little skin (xiao pi) has taught me about dogs loveability.