— “Can I pet them?”

The man smiled—this time, widely—and nodded.

— “If you come slowly, no sudden moves.”

The little girl knelt beside the smallest of the dogs. It trembled slightly but didn’t back away. Mara extended her palm with the candy, and after a few seconds, the dog touched her hand with its nose, timidly accepting the sweet.

People came closer, letting children pet the dogs, who, sensing there was no danger, began to relax.

A boy brought a bowl of water from the fountain, and a woman took out some pretzel pieces from her bag.

— “I’m glad I met you!” said the man. “My name is Victor.”

— “I’m Mara! And that’s my daddy, and that’s my mommy!” the girl shouted, introducing her parents.

Soon, the people in the park—who had previously been afraid—gathered around Victor, offering food, water, and asking about the dogs. His story had touched them deeply.

From that day on, every Sunday, Victor came to the park with his dogs, and Mara, her friends, and others waited for him eagerly. The dogs became the stars of the place, and anyone who saw them for the first time would hear the kids say:

— “At first, they looked strange, but now they’re ours! They’re the best-behaved dogs in the park!”

And Mara still kept a candy in her pocket—for the dog that was the first to learn how to trust.