When You're Happy Like a Fool, Let It Take You Over

“Toby get off,” I moaned rolling over in bed as my 2 year old Border Collie jumped all over me. I reached over and grabbed my phone from the bedside dresser to check the time, it was 9:30am and I had severely slept in. I was just glad it was a Friday when I didn’t have a class.

“Oh you want to go for a walk?” I ruffled him up around the neck were the excitement grew and he pounced off the bed and ran out of the room. I winced when I heard a voice and knew that Toby had indeed woken up my roommates.

Being my last year of university it was highly stressful but going out for a walk each morning was the best way to just relax.

I got up and started my normal morning routine, heading into the bathroom first to have a shower. I loved to start there and let the water run over my body. I was feeling battered and bruised from all the college basketball I played and my muscles were thanking me for this moment to relax.

I opened the door to see my little Toby sitting with his lead dangling from his mouth waiting for me as I stepped out of the bathroom.
“Yeah hang on boy, let me get dressed,” I petted his head.

"Going for another run are we?" Declan smiled from the kitchen bench as I walked out of my room dressed in my school tracksuit.
"I don't know about running but I am taking him for a walk," I pointed to the scruffy boy sitting by the door.
"Good because Amanda is not impressed."
"Yeah I am sorry about that, he's just excited."
"Tell her that, she tried to blame me for not shutting the door," he pointed helplessly.
"You guys already fight like a married couple," I laughed before grabbing my beanie and heading out.

I opened the car door and Toby pounced from the passenger seat and began running in circles trying to chase his tail.
“Come here boy,” I clipped him on his lead and we began our walk through the park.

Toby hated walking on his lead and he pulled and tugged all the time. He knew there was a massive dog park her could be running around in at the end of the pathway. Then he caught a glimpse of a massive dog across the park and he just had to say hello.

The lead was ripped from my grasp and Toby made a b-line straight for the other dog. It looked to be some kind of mastiff so I raced after him not knowing what the other dog was like.

“Sorry about that,” I puffed grabbing Toby’s collar trying to pull him back.
“No it ok,” he responded in a thick Russian accent.

I froze hearing it, everyone in the city of Pittsburgh knew that accent.

My eyes slowly traveled the length of his body. He was wearing light blue shoes oddly matched with black track pants, a fluro blue jacket and a Pittsburgh Penguins cap. I finally reached his face and there he was.
“Evgeni Malkin, call me Geno,” he stuck his hand out.
“Geno,” I was a little unsure about calling him that to his face but if he insisted, “I am Charlotte everyone calls me Charlie, nice to meet you.”

“Who is this?” he knelt down next to my much smaller dog than his and looked up at me while petting my friendly pooch.
“This is Toby,” I knelt down next to my boy and slung my arm around his back pulling him closer to me.

Evgeni’s dog wander its way over to me and I patted his big head, “Name?” he started sniffing my ear and laid a sloppy kiss to my cheek.
“Aww no,” I pulled my hand inside my sleeve and wiped it away frantically.
Evgeni started laughing at me with his deep Russian boom before introducing his dog, “this is Jeffrey.”
“Hey Jeffrey,” I ruffled up his neck like I did with Toby and he tried to lick me again.

Toby was getting restless and started trying to jump on Evgeni, I might have let that behaviour slip with me but not someone else.
“No Toby, don’t,” I was stern with him and made him sit down.
“It’s ok, dog park?” Evgeni pointed down to the other end of the path, “I take Jeffrey there.”
“That’s where I was going,” I smiled.
“Good now Jeffrey has friend,” he smiled back before we headed off down the winding path to the large fenced off area.

Evgeni opened the gate for me and I let Toby off his leash as we got inside. Toby sat in front of me tongue hanging out waiting for me to throw his tennis ball.
“Do you want this?” I grabbed the tennis ball from my jacket pocket and held it out in front of me where Toby jumped to his feet in a ready stance to run when I threw the ball.

“He fast,” Geno stated taking Jeffrey’s leash off.
“Yeah, he is a good running buddy,” Toby was already back and stood in front of me dropping the ball again for me to throw.
“Jeffrey too lazy to run,” the big mastiff began sniffing the bench where I was sitting waiting for Toby to come back.

We sat getting acquainted while the dogs played together, he was very humble guy no where near as egotisical as you would have thought.

“Does Jeffrey do the obstacles?” I pointed to the big dog standing up on the bridge.
“No Jeffrey too dumb, he just walks, does Toby?”
“Yeah, but Jeffrey could learn too,” I got up and headed over to the dogs, “watch this.”
“TOBY! JEFFREY!” I called them both and they came running towards me.

I took the ball from Toby and started running towards the obstacle course. They were both hot on my heels, Toby a little faster than big Jeffrey. They ran up and over the bridge as I waited at the markers. Toby went through the markers without an issue but Jeffrey got stuck and began walking but he eventually made it and sat down with a satisfied look on his face.

“Good boy,” I ruffled his neck as Evgeni started clapping from the bench with a huge smile on his face, “see he is a smart dog.”
“Secret, maybe you help me teach him?”
“Of course I can.”

I looked at the clock and it was almost 10:30am.
“Hey we normally go get a drink at the café. Want to come?” I felt a little nervous but so far he had been nice so I was hopeful.
“Coffee?” he asked grabbing Jeffrey’s lead from his pocket.
“Yeah coffee,” I smiled patting my thigh for Toby to come.

Jeffrey followed and Evgeni clipped him on his lead before we walked downtown Sewickley to the café I always went to.

We sat outside, out of the way from others so the dogs wouldn’t be a hassle. I asked Evgeni what he would like and he gave me the money for his drink so I could leave him with the dogs.

I came back with the table number and handed him his change as I sat down.
“You Pirates fan?” he pointed to my jacket.
“Actually… I work for them, internship.”
“Really?” his eyes widened with excitement.
“Yes really?” I laughed.

Our coffees came out and we thanked the waiter who set down a bowl of water for the dogs too.

“I not seen you here before,” he looked over at me with questioning eyes.
“Yeah I just moved out here, finally had the money to get away from my parents.”
"What you do?"
"I go to Uni but I have been helping out with some training over the summer with the some of the pirates players."
"Wow, you must be good at job."
"Yeah I am alright at it," I shrugged. I never really liked to talk about work because people either hated hearing about from jealousy or they just didn't care. But atleast he looked a little excited for me.

We continued talking about work, which for me was a nice topic because honestly I loved my job and so did he.

“Woah, it’s almost lunch time,” I was shocked at how time had flown by.
“Have somewhere to be?” Evgeni asked.

I stopped and tilted my head to side, a smile covering my face as I remembered I had nothing to do, “No I don’t, it’s my birthday, just a lazy day.”
“Happy birthday,” he smiled, “Lunch, I pay. My birthday treat for you.”

I tried to insist to pay but he wouldn’t budge, “it’s cheap, I want to buy for you,” he pushed my wallet away. Damn it he was good.

I sighed feeling defeated; I didn’t like to back down from anything, especially when it involved other people doing stuff for me but I couldn't resist.
“Okay but I am buying a sandwich for Toby and Jeffrey... What? I love my dog,” I defended myself as he gave me an obscure look.

As we stood in line waiting to order lunch he kept glancing over at me with his eyes and huge smile on his face making me smile, “stop it.”
“Not do anything, just look at pretty girl.”
“Shhh,” I covered my face as I could feel myself going bright red at his comment.

We walked back out to our table and sat down when Evgeni’s eyes fixated on something. He got up taking the dogs empty water bowl with him obviously to fill it up. He soon returned with a full water bowl and placed it down for the dogs before petting them both on the head.

The suns warmth was nice enough that we could both rid ourselves of our jackets which then I remembered the shirt I was wearing.

“Hockey fan?” he smiled pointing to my shirt.
“Huh? Oh yes,” I admitted shyly as I instantly regretted wearing the shirt, even worse it was a ‘Malkin 71’ shirt, “I am definitely a penguins fan, have been since I was a kid.”

Our food soon arrived and we thanked the waiter who once again took the coffee cups and replaced them with a glass each and a bottle of water.

I set the dogs up with their sandwich each and they chowed them down before we could even start eating ourselves.

“So you penguins fan? Who favourite player?”a hopeful grin spread across his face.
“Oh you and James Neal are the best,” I wasn’t nervous to talk to him anymore.
“Nealsy best, what about Sid?”
“He is good, but you’re better,” he looked at me to explain, “all your trophies are pretty cool.”
“Sid have trophies too,” he argued back.
“You’re Russian, russian’s are better,” it was all I could come up with and honestly a little true.
“Sound good,” he laughed.

We continued talking and laughing as we got a few looks from people walking by but we just brushed them off, our business was our business.

“I should get going soon,” I looked at my phone and it was nearing on 1:00pm.
“Me too, plane catch for Detroit game.”
“I have to walk back to my car at the park,” I didn’t want to walk back on my own and was thankful that Evgeni picked up on it.
“I walk with you, home that way,” he pointed in the direction we came from.

I was a little more than happy with the company I had on my trek back. When we arrived at the park my lonely red 78 Chevy pickup was still sitting on the verge.

“Thanks for lunch.”
“No its ok, no one alone on birthday,” he shook his head.

I lent up and kissed his cheek sweetly, red blush rushing up his neck before I smiled and opened the door for Toby.

“Wait,” Evgeni jogged up to me standing at the door, “I go Detroit tonight, back tomorrow night, walk dogs Monday morning?” he gulped struggling with his words.
“I have class at 10:30am, can you come at 9:00am?” I asked gritting my teeth thinking it would be a long shot.
“Yes, need coffee though,” he laughed.
“Ok I bring coffee,” I agreed about to get in the car.
“Charlie,” he stopped grabbing his phone from his pocket, “your number?”

I took his phone putting my number under ‘Charlie and Toby’ before handing it back. He looked at it and smiled, “I text you, then you have mine,” he explained.
"Ok see you Monday?" I double checked.
"Monday," he nodded and smiled