The dog was on Natasha's porch! Well, he was starting to like me, Natasha thought slyly. Something sprang into her mind. This is a street dog. He doesn't have a home, and I really like him. I'll ask Momma if . . . Natasha shook her head. She knew it wasn't a possibility. I forgot that Momma hates dogs. Her heart felt like lead as she turned to the front door. The dog nuzzled against her, and, as her heart lightened, she decided to be very stubborn about this. She whispered,"Don't worry, boy, I'll try to make her see it my way." She took a deep breath, opened the door, and walked to the kitchen where Momma was making supper. " Momma?" Natasha asked as she walked through the door. "Yes?" Momma said without looking up. " Do you think we could have a dog?" Natasha looked at her mother with pleading eyes. "Honey, no. You know how I feel about dogs," Momma said sternly. "But, Momma--" "Don't 'but Momma' me. The answer is no." Natasha sighed. "Could you just think about it?" Momma pursed her lips "We'll see," she said as she turned around to finish supper. As Natasha ran out the door to be with the dog, she couldn't help but smile. I might be able to keep the dog, she thought happily. She turned to the dog and told him, "If I'm going to keep you, you have to have a name." She might be able to keep him. She hoped so. She knew it would not be easy to convince her mother to keep the dog. "Oops, we were thinking about names for you, weren't we, boy?" The dog barked. "How about . . . Morris? No, that doesn't sound right. Sandy? No, that sounds too much like a girl's name, doesn't it boy?" He whined. "Well, I'll keep thinking about it, okay?" The dog barked in agreement. A couple of weeks passed by, and every day the dog was on her porch. He cocked his head at her, ears flopping, eyes begging. Every day she gave him some meat, for he was 'jest skin an' bones' as Gloria said. He came for breakfast ans dinner for two weeks, then he disappeared. Natasha was devastated. "Momma, why did the dog leave?" "Oh, I guess he didn't like it much here," she said MUCH too cheerfully. "But--why would he do that? He was happy here." "Natasha, when you asked me if you could keep the dog, what did you think I'd say?"
"I -- I didn't know, Momma, okay? That's why I asked you!" Natasha spun around and raced through the door. "That went well," Poppa said. Momma shot him a look. Meanwhile, Natasha was sitting outside, tears running down her face. "They don't understand," she whispered. She felt a need to get away from her parents for a while. If they saw her crying, she would get sent to her room. She stood up and walked slowly to the place in the park that she had first seen the dog. She walked on the sidewalks, calling, "Here, boy! Come here, boy!" She only heard children giggling and parents talking and dogs barking in the distance. She strained to hear anything that might tell her where the dog was. She heard a muffled whimper. "Is that you, boy?" Another whimper. "Oh, it is you! I found you! I found you!" Natasha exclaimed with tears in her eyes.
May 29, 2007
May 3, 2007
Our New Puppy
This is me with our new puppy, Buddy. Isn' t he ADORABLE!
He's a cocker spaniel. He's the baby of our old dog, Taffy.
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