Take a Stroll [open to all]

[falconx]

The brown haired girl glared at her guitar book. This stupid strum pattern was driving her insane! Roxy was sitting on the couch with her book on the area next to her. Her red and black guitar sat perched on her hip. Really, they should post warning tags in music stores before people buy these things! Reaching out with her hand she slapped the book closed then deposited it on the table three feet in front of her. Standing up she held the guitar and then placed it back in its case, being sure to snap the lid shut tight. Then she walked out of the living room leaving the guitar case right next to the couch.

Quickly she grabbed her coat and her car keys and stepped out the door. On an after thought she put the car keys back on the key rack. It looked like a nice day for a walk in the park. The park wasn't to far from her house. Stepping out the door with her jacket around her waist she started walking. Slim black bootcut jeans covered the girls long legs. A red t-shirt hung loosely around the girl. She picked up the pace a little so she'd have plenty of time at the park.

Finally she reached the park. Large trees by the side of some well worn paths cast their shade over her. Summer was here and in full blast, the girl thought, fanning herself. Choosing no direction in particular she continued walking. She was new and hoping to meet people. She always loved making new friends.

[scaraloaf]

Summer was here: compete with the warm summer sun and the non-existant breeze. The tree tops still tall and proud, unwavering in the heat. It was alright for some.

Sabrina could feel the tiny hairs on her arms singeing under the suns rays as she walked, her body swathed in loose clothing, consisting of knee length deniem shorts and a white tank top. Her blonde hair cascaded over her shoulders, hanging loosely around her shoulders. She bleww her fringe, fanning herself with her fan. Glancing down at the Golden Retriever by her side, she spoke to him, a small smile playing across her lips.
"Well Levi, here we are. You wanted to come here."

Sabrina looked around the park. Surprisingly, not many people were out. She guessed it was because it was too hot: people didn't come out when it was too hot. She looked down at her faithful companion by her side.
"They don't know what they are missing, do they boy?" The blonde girl looked around again before she started walking, her hazel eyes squinting against the bright sunlight as she held her dog's lead in her hand.
"I wonder who we'll run into today Levi," she said to her dog, secretly hoping to meet someone from her new neighbourhood.

[/blockquote]

[falconx]

The hazel-eyed girl sat down on a bench. A large tree towering over her, thankfully this bench was in the shade. The girl eyed the other benches in the park, it seemed like most of them were warm from being exposed to the sun. She sighed, today was not a good day to wear black jeans. Turning her head she watched a few select people walk around the park. The people that stayed home had the right idea, this heat was killing her. Leaning back her head she rested it on the edge of the bench behind her. Dark brown curls fell down around the edge and over it, like some kind of dark waterfall. Sitting up straighter she decided to continue to try and find some people to talk to.

It was getting harder to put each foot in front of the other when she saw a girl with a Golden Retriever. A grin claimed her face, she absolutely loved animals. She was facing the back of the girl so she broke in a swift jog, calling out to her as she went. "Hey!" Finally she reached the girls side and repeated what she had said, "Hi there" Roxy smiled warmly at the girl.

[scaraloaf]

"Well Levi, are you ready to run?" Sabrina asked her Golden Retriever. Levi looked up at her, his tail whipping excitedly from side to side. He barked loudly, the sound echoing. The blonde girl laughed at him, a smile lighting up her delicate features.

Levi turned his head, looking at something. He noticed a girl aproaching them, calling out to Sabrina. Levi jumped up, grabbing his owners attention.
"Levi? What's the matter?" she asked, confused as to his sudden movements. As if to answer her question, the Golden Retriever turned his head in the direction of the fast approaching girl. Sabrina followed Levi's gaze as the girl stopped net to her.
"Oh, hi. I'm sorry, did you say something?" she asked, wondering if she had perhaps dropped something.

[/blockquote]

[falconx]

Roxy watched in confusion as the Golden Retriever started jumping up on his owner. She watched curiously as the girl finally turned around and noticed her. Didn't she hear me? Roxy thought to herself. Not that it makes a difference she shrugged. Roxy smiled as the other girl asked what she had said. "I just came over to say hi" She said with a small laugh. Crouching down she offered her hand to the golden retriever to let him sniff it. "He's a gorgeous dog, where'd you get him?" Standing back up she looked at the girl. It was rather rude to have just met someone and give all the attention to their dog. Of course Roxy wasn't trying to be rude, she just loved animals, a little to much is what her parents told her. Hazel eyes sparked with interest as she asked the girl about her dog. She hadn't seen any dogs at the park today, which was really a shame, she loved to watch the dogs play in the park. Momentarily Roxy wished she could go down to the humane society and adopt a dog. But she couldn't. The house she lived in wasn't big enough. Perhaps she could get a cat?

[scaraloaf]

Sabrina nodded. She extended her hand.
"Nice to meet you. I'm Sabrina." Sabrina then looked down at her faithful companion. "And this is Levi. He's a service dog. He functions as my ears when I need him to. A bit like a seeing eye dog." the Golden Retriever raised her paw towards the newcomer as Sue grinned proudly. "That means hello," she translated, looking back at the girl with mild curiosity. she could see the girls jaw moving.

"I'm sorry, I couldn't see your lips. I'm deaf. Could you repeat that for me please?" she asked, waiting for the girl to respond. She noticed the girl had a keen interest in Levi. Sabrina felt her heart filling with pride: she adored Levi. He was a special dog with many talents. She had always knew he was the one when she picked him out at the center in Ohio before she left. She didn't know what she would do without him. Not now.

"You're an anmal lover then?" she asked conversationally, still observing the girl as she fussed over Levi. She looked very comfortable: as though she had grown up living with animals. Sabrina wondered where she lived and if she rode. Maybe she went to the local stables that she had started going to as well? Who knew.

[/size]

[falconx]

Roxy smiled at Sabrina. Extending her hand also and clasping Sabrina's hand in a firm handshake. "Nice to meet you to" She said politely. "I'm Roxanne" She stated grimacing. "But I'd prefer if you'd call me Roxy" Pulling back her hair with both of her hands to remove it from the nape of her neck. Reaching into the pocket of her jeans she pulled out a pony-tail holder, binding her hair in the elastic band, as she listened to Sabrina talk about her dog. "Cool" A huge grin tugged at the corners of Roxy's mouth. To think you could train a dog to help some one who couldn't do something! "I used to want to train seeing eye dogs" Crouching back down she patted Levi on his silky golden head.

As Sabrina spoke she looked back up. She grinned sheepishly "Sorry, I was just asking where you got him." She supplied her earlier question. A happy spark ignited in her hazel eyes. The girl had asked if she was an animal lover! They were talking on her favorite subject! She nodded enthusiastically "Major animal lover, you?"

[scaraloaf]

Sabrina managed to catch Roxy's statement about wanting to train dogs. Sabrina smiled. She couldn't remember ever being able to hear, but apparently she did. Her parents had never imagined their daughter being the one who would need a dog to function as her ears. Yet here she was, eighteen years of age with a hearing dog.
"It's hard work but I guess it's rewarding," the blonde stated, giving a shy smile. "What made you want to do that?"

Sabrina watched as Roxy turned to face her, repeating her question. Sabrina launched into a simplified version of events.
"I got him before I left Ohio. He was abused and they thought he wouldn't make a very good service dog. He sure proved them wrong didn't he?" she added, extending her own hand to pat Levi's fur. "I can't imagine life without him now. He has made things just that little bit easier for me."

Sabrina noticed Roxy's face positively light up at her question. I take it thats a yes she thought, amusement playing across the delicate features of her face.
"I'm a pretty big animal lover too," she answered. "Dogs, cats, rabbits - horses - you name it. I love them. I actually have my own horse too. He's a softie. As soft at they come," she continued, her mind flicking back to her precious Palomino Quarter Horse currently boarding at Pinewood Stables. She missed him; it had been a few days since she had had the chance to see him. Sabrina made a mental note to take a trip up their later to see him.

[falconx]

Roxy stood back up as Sabrina commented on her wanting to train dogs. She nodded as she said it was hard work. She was aware that is was hard, she had done a lot of research on the subject every since she had got interested in it. "Yeah." Roxy agreed nodding her head. "I wanted to mix my love of animals and my desire to help people. It seemed like a good option" She answered smiling.

Ohio? Roxy hadn't ever heard of a place for you to get service dogs in Ohio. When Sabrina said she'd been abused she finally understood. "So did you train him your self or with some help?" She asked interested. She nodded her head at Sabrina's last statement. Most people after getting animals couldn't image their life without them later down the road. "Thats what they're trained to do" She said nodding.

Hazel eyes observed as amusement flickered over the blonde girls face. Roxy knew she got overly excited about animals, she shrugged inwardly. No reason to feel bad about it. She smiled as the other girl said she was an animal lover to. They seemed to have lots in common. Perhaps they could become good friends? Laughing as Sabrina listed some of the animals she liked, "Yeah I like the majority of all animals, not so big on rats and mice though but I do love gerbils and hamsters." She grinned and continued "Really what breed of horse? I have a black arabian, who knows he's a stallion." she joked.

[scaraloaf]

Sabrina felt a sudden wave of admiration hit her at Roxy's words. The simple thought of someone combining their love for animals with the intention of helping people was very touching. She knew there was good in this world: She had just stumbled upon it.
"It sure does. It's nice to know there are still people with good intentions out there," she answered softly, allowing her gaze to roam over Roxy with the Golden Retriever. A powerful wave of love hit her full force as her gaze lingered upon her faithful companion. She was glad she had chosen him over all of the other possible hearing dogs at the time.

Sabrina shook her head vigorously, her blonde locks flying about her shoulders.
"No I didn't train him. The place I got him from did. They specialised in training service dogs," she answered, squatting down beside the girl, extending her own had to stroke Levi's golden fur. "I have taught him a few tricks though. Nothing brilliant but it's good to do. Gives us more of a bond," she admitted, a trace of a smile evident upon her face.

Sabrina would never had guessed that the girl she had just met actually had her own horse too. An Arabian huh? she thought, impressed.

[/i] Good choice.[/i]
"I have a Palomino Quarter Horse. He's adorable." she answered. She remembered the first time she had seen him: his white mane and tail flowing gaily in the wind, complementing his golden coat, coverig his rippling muscles. It was love at first sight.[/size][/blockquote]

[falconx]

She laughed softly. "A lot of people still have good intentions." She smiled. Her eyes watching the service dog. He was just sitting there patiently. Turning back to his owner she spoke again, slowly, more thoughtfully, "People with good intentions just often don't get heard over everything else." A little deeper than she normally talked but it was certainly true. I mean have you seen the news lately? Often all you hear about are the terrible things happening in the world! No good things, terrible things.

Roxy nodded her head. Basically a facility that trains dogs and sometimes helps those who get their dogs so they can learn how the dog can help them. It was a really neat concept. Roxy herself had never seen a place like that. One of her wishes was to get a job there and hopefully learn how to do it. "That makes sense, he trusts you" Some people don't believe it but if you teach a dog something it usually means he has some trust in you and it usually builds a better bond between you and the animal.

A smile little Roxy's face again. "My dad you used to breed, raise, and race Quarter Horses" Quarter Horses were truly beautiful animals. She almost had got one instead of an Arabian. Of course she wouldn't trade Dash for the world she thought to herself with a smile. "What's his name?" She asked while petting the dog that was at Sabrina's feet.

[scaraloaf]

Sabrina was impressed. Roxy seemed to know an awful lot about animals. That was someone she liked.
"Thats awesome," she said, in awe of the girl standing before her. "That must have been cool. Have you been around horses your whole life?" Sabrina loved her own Quarter horse, Shooting Sparks, or Sparky as he was known to everyone in the family. Dispite being four-legged and about three times the height of a normal family pet, the Palomino Quarter Horse had been accepted as a member of the Thomas family, no questions asked.

"His show name is Shooting Sparks, but everone calls him Sparky," she replied, squatting down beside Roxy, giving a discreet sign for Levi to lay down. She smiled as the Golden Retriever lay on his side, waving his legs in the air. The blonde girl giggled at her dogs antics. Where would she be without her beloved dog? That didn't bear being thought about.

"So, what's your horses name? Does he board anywhere locally? I'd like to meet him some time," she asked conversationally. She hadn't really seen many Arabians. Although one of the most biggest breeds, she had never seen many during her years. Sure, she had seen pictures and she could probably tell if the horse was indeed an Arabian, but she had never actually seen one properly in the flesh. Sabrina's mind began to wander as she sighed wistfully. She needed to get out more.