The Third Encounter

Look at him, he’s beautiful. This is the third time I’ve passed him this week. Someone once told me: “If you encounter someone three times, its fate’s way of telling you that something needs to happen.”   
I first saw him while on my routine jog through the park. It was fall--the crisp smell of earth filled my nose as my feet crunched the leaves in my path. I’ve always loved fall, the way the chilled air bites at my cheeks, making them warm with a blush, giving me a sense of adrenaline as I run. A shout of nearby children drew my attention to the playground and that’s when he caught my eye.
I’ve never seen him before, and I knew he had to be new. No way I could have missed his long dark hair and the way it shined, or the the presence he held; confidence radiating from his perfect posture as he ran. I was so enthralled that I trampled over a knot in the ground and nearly fell into him. Catching myself I stared at him as he came closer, looking down at me. He had the deepest brown eyes I’ve ever seen, and they seemed to smile right along with his perfect row of straight teeth. He was smiling back at me, and all I could do was mumble an apology as I clumsily shuffled away, too embarrassed to wait for his reaction.
I thought about that encounter over and over, until fate had us meeting again. I’d finally convinced myself to stop thinking about him. “There’s a one-in-a-million chance that you’ll see him again.” I told myself. “You had your chance and you screwed up. It’s not meant to happen.”
But sure enough, when I ran to the small pet shop at the corner of my street to pick up some basic supplies for Sam, my golden retriever, I saw him again. My eyes did a double take, not sure if it was really him that I was seeing. “I've been thinking about him all week. Maybe I just want it to be him so desperately that my mind is making him up.” I tried to reason as I looked back over to him. He was hunched over, intently inspecting a bag of food on a lower shelf. All I could make out was his profile but I knew, it was him, the same energy I felt the first time we met crackled to life again.
“You are not going to back out again.” I told myself as I made my way over to him.
I was just about to say hello when a woman rounded the corner coming to stand behind him, creating a barrier between us. I just couldn't do it. I left the store not even bothering to get what I had originally come for.

That was several months ago, and now I stare, gaping at the pet store window where I can’ t believe my eyes. There he is. Sitting behind the glass, under a sign that reads Dogs for sale
“This is your moment,” I say walking up the store’s door, it’s bell sounding like fate’s glorious congratulations as I walk in to sign the adoption papers.