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Chapters (65)
  1. Cover
  2. Dedication
  3. 1
  4. 2
  5. 3
  6. 4
  7. 5
  8. 6
  9. 7
  10. 8
  11. 9
  12. 10
  13. 11
  14. 12
  15. 13
  16. 14
  17. 15
  18. 16
  19. 17
  20. 18
  21. 19
  22. 20
  23. 21
  24. 22
  25. 23
  26. 24
  27. 25
  28. 26
  29. 27
  30. 28
  31. 29
  32. 30
  33. 31
  34. 32
  35. 33
  36. 34
  37. 35
  38. 36
  39. 37
  40. 38
  41. 39
  42. 40
  43. 41
  44. 42
  45. 43
  46. 44
  47. 45
  48. 46
  49. 47
  50. 48
  51. 49
  52. 50
  53. 51
  54. 52
  55. 53
  56. 54
  57. 55
  58. 56
  59. 57
  60. 58
  61. Acknowledgments
  62. About the Author
  63. Books by Bobbie Pyron
  64. Back Ads
  65. About the Publisher

the woman at the front desk says

into Baby’s ear

as he sits on her lap,

head peeking over the top of the desk,

watching people

and dogs

and cats

come and go.

There is a very big cat who is also special enough

to not be in a cage.

He sleeps in a sunny window,

and lets people pet him

even though Baby can tell

he doesn’t like it.

This cat comes and goes as he pleases.

This cat does not think,

however,

that Baby is special

at all.

Baby remembers the cat named Lucky

who lived with his person

in the park.

Now that was one special cat.

The man named Brandon,

the man who has taught Baby

Sit

Stay

Down

Heel

Come

Off

says being special enough

to be in the front office

around all kinds of people

is part of his training as

Jewel’s helper.

Baby has been around many different people,

sounds, smells,

while he and Jewel lived in the park

and on the streets

and once,

under a bridge.

All dogs who live outside with their people

know they must be good dogs, special dogs

to stay together.

The door opens.

The smell of winter rushes in.

A man and a small boy smile

when they see Baby at the front desk.

“Who’s this special boy?”

the man asks, holding out his hand

for Baby to sniff.

“This is Baby,” the woman holding him says.

“I want him!” The little boy bounces up

and down

up

and down

on his toes.

Baby sees how hungry the man’s

and the boy’s eyes are.

How their hands reach for him.

Baby shrinks back against the chest of the woman

holding him.

“He’s not up for adoption yet,” she says.

“We hope we can reunite him with his owner

soon.”

Soon.

The woman takes Baby off her lap,

sits him on another chair,

slides open a drawer and

pulls out a piece of paper.

Baby watches

full of worry as

she hands it to the man and the boy

reaching for Baby.

“But just in case,” she says. “Fill this out.”

51

The Power of Story

It’s chicken soup and grilled cheese sandwich night at the Sixth Street Community Kitchen. It’s funny how normal it feels to eat here now. Everybody says hello, the volunteer servers know us by name. Even Daddy doesn’t seem to mind as much as he used to.

Just then, Rick, the guy who works at the front door, comes over to our table. “I heard what you’re doing for Jewel.”

“You did? How?” I ask.

“Everybody on the street’s talking about it. Never had something like this happen before.”

He reaches into his pocket and presses a twenty-dollar bill into my hand. “This is from me for Jewel.”