It was slowly becoming harder than Simon had expected. The feeling of returning to an empty house had never bothered him before. He liked the privacy, the silence, the solitude.

He loved the fact that he had no one to argue with, no one to leave dirty dishes in the sink or force him to choose between love and work.

But loneliness had to hit harder eventually, taking his breath away every time he saw that no one was waiting at the door.

That's where the idea of adopting a dog came from.

A relationship is too much of a commitment, too much stress and unnecessary arguments. And he doesn't need that. And a dog? The perfect solution. A friend, a companion, a family member. He'll wag his tail and bark when Simon comes back. He'll never make him choose.

"Good morning, my name is Simon Riley" he said, leaning his elbow on the registration counter.

Is it excitement? Or maybe nerves? He's not sure but his heart is pounding in his chest as he looks at you, waiting for something, anything.

“I called a few days ago about the adoption, they told me to come today” he added, giving you his well-known charming smile.

That’s it. A new family member will be joining him soon and he’ll have a pretty volunteer to help him.

Can this day get any better?