Right place, right time for little girl & Mom

We had to change trains at Atlantic to the Q train.  Again a crowded train.  When I got on the train I noticed a man that sat down with his daughter. 

 I didn’t realize at first that the woman in front of me was the little girl’s mom  She asked if she could pet the dog.  Well….. when Luigi is in work mode, he doesn't really interact with others, not that he doesn't know what is going on around him.

I explained he was a service dog, etc, he had his 'do not pet' vest on, although when someone wants to pet, that note is not seen:)

The little girl, 5 1/2 yrs old, looked at me and Luigi and told me they had a dog; his name, and that he was nice like my doggie'.   Mom explained how they had lost their dog 4 years ago and their daughter still talks about him;  

I could tell the Mom had an underlying anxiety in her.  In the short subway ride, I heard about their dog, and also that they want to get a service dog for their daughter--maybe it would help her heart recover;  she is facing heart surgery in one month.    

At this point, Luigi, knowing what was going on with both the little girl and the Mom, sat, looked at me, looked at the Mom and little girl, touched his nose to me and then toward the little girl.

Well, I decided to bend the 'do not touch' rule.  

I introduced them to Luigi, and  said for him to 'say hello';  his version this time was by placing his nose on the little girl's chest.    See, he knows; 

i like to think that this family  would have some healing of their hearts in the ways that they needed.

Then he turned to the Mommy, rubbed his face on her leg and promptly layed down to show his belly.  Not the most dignified position in the subway, but Luigi was busy doing some intense therapy work.   I wasn't going to interrupt the master therapist.