Puppy Dog Tales, Page 2

  First Birthday Wish

  It was one of those nice cool days that frequently mark the first week of November. Rascal was vaguely aware of the sound of his adopted mother opening his kennel.

  “Good morning Rascal,” he heard the familiar pleasant voice. It instantly woke him up and he wagged his tail excitedly. The instant the door was opened he jumped into her arms and showered her with his kisses.

  His mom laughed, “Oh thank you, that’s enough for now.”

  She put the little Jack Russell terrier down. He followed her to the kitchen where she gave him a bowl of dog food to eat. Today was a special day for Rascal. It was Saturday. Every week on Saturday, since as far back as Rascal could remember, they went to the dog park where he would play with all of his friends.

  On the drive there, Rascal sat in the passenger seat with his head out of the window, so that he could lick the wind and smell the autumn air. When they got to the park he ran to the gate, and then waited for his mom to open it so that he could run inside to meet up with his friends who were by the fountain having a drink of water.

  “Hey Rascal,” said Nixon the white and black bulldog. Water and drool dripped off the sides of his mouth.

  “Rascal, you made it,” said Myra. She was a beautiful brown Yorkie who always smelled of baby powder and wore bows in her hair. Myra was the princess of the playground and like a little sister to Rascal.

  “Hi Nixon, hi Miss Myra.” Rascal replied. Then suddenly he was knocked over to the ground.

  “Tag, you’re it!” shouted Duke. He was a big blue Pit Bull. Even though he was bigger than Rascal, they were best friends in the dog park. Rascal started chasing Duke and then Nixon joined in too.

  After a few minutes Nixon got tired and went to get his belly rubbed. Rascal started to catch up with Duke despite his dodging around trees and ducking under benches. They circled a mother and daughter who had just came in with a poodle and then around another bench. Rascal cut Duke off at the other end and pounced on him.

  “Ah hah, got ya!” Rascal yelped. Myra barked with excitement and did circles like she was chasing her tail. Bruno looked over from his shady spot under the tree and laughed. The friends sat next to Bruno who was now playing with a leaf.

  “Hey it’s your birthday tomorrow, right Rascal?” Myra asked.

  “Yes, it is. I’ll be one year in human years.” He replied.

  “You know, you get a doggy wish on your birthday and if you keep it to yourself, it will come true.” Bruno said spitting out the leaf.

  “What are you going to wish for,” Myra asked, “how about a fancy pink and white dog house with a porch?”

  “That’s girly,” Duke remarked and Myra looked away and put her nose in the air.

  “How about a huge bone that you can chew on forever or a new Kong filled with peanut butter?”

  “That sounds good.” Rascal replied, “but I don’t know. If I’m going to wish for something I want it to be really good. Like the ‘ultimate gift’ good.” They all sat and thought in silence for a while and then Rascal’s mom called to him that it was time to go.

  He said good-bye to his friends and took his seat in the car.

  On the way home he saw something strange on the side of the road. He barked.

  As if his mom knew what he was saying, she pulled over and got out of the car. It looked like a poodle but covered in dirt. Rascal watched as his mom inspected the dog and scooped it up in her arms and put it on the backseat. Rascal looked at it in the back, lifeless and smelling of blood and dirt.

  They went strait to the emergency animal hospital and Rascal waited patiently while his mom talked to the nurse at the front desk. Then some men came and took the dog away. It lay on the rolling bed without even picking up its head to acknowledge anyone. After a few more minutes they went home. That night in his kennel, Rascal prayed that the little dog would be saved and since he wanted a brother or a sister he wished the dog could come home to live with them. Rascal soon fell asleep after making his birthday wish.

  The next day his mom surprised him with a birthday cupcake and some new toys.

  Although he was happy that he was finally one year old, he couldn’t stop thinking about the dog from the day before. A few days passed and his mom got a call from the animal hospital. They said the dog was going to be ok and was recovering nicely. They told her it was a female Bichon Frise and not a poodle after all and if no one came to claim her, they would put her up for adoption. Rascal listened intensely as his mom said that she would adopt the dog if the owner never came forward.

  A week later, Rascal sat in the back yard still chewing on the big birthday bone he got when his mom came home from work. He heard the front door open and close and a few seconds later the sliding door opened and out ran the white dog that he had last seen being wheeled off on the rolling bed at the animal hospital. Rascal ran up to welcome her.

  “Her name is Sasha and she’s about one year old too. I hope you don’t mind having a sister.” His mom said smiling at the two dogs. She bent down and they both gave her a kiss on the cheek. Rascal was so happy to have a sister and that his birthday wish had come true.