By Edgar Castan
People ask me why I take my dog everywhere. You see, my dog, Maya, is a ten-year-old sweet and friendly pit bull girl who has been with me for her entire life. She rides with me in the back of my car, sometimes in the passenger seat, while I work my food delivery job during lunch time, nights, and weekends. She likes to put her head out the window and take short sniffs. She never sticks her entire head out. I believe she is introverted but never too shy to meet new people. I try to imagine what it is that her nose is smelling. A squirrel? A dog’s butt? A grilled steak? I like to tell people that she keeps me company. She is my partner and my family and I need to protect her from a loved one at home who has threatened to let her loose in the street if I don’t send her money to feed her heroin addiction. I bring her to protect her.