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- Story Listed as: Fiction For Kids
- Theme: Family & Friends
- Subject: Childhood / Youth
- Published: 11/26/2015
I REMEMBER NICK.
Born 1943, M, from San Jose, United StatesI REMEMBER NICK.
My sister Becky and I ran to the front door when we heard the car drive up. We knew that Mom and Dad were home from visiting friends. But what we didn’t know they were bringing home a new family member. Dad opened up the front door. What a surprise!
There he was, Nick, all ears and four big paws, the new member of our family. He was only two months old, but you could see he was going to be a big dog. We all knew that his mother was a Blue Tick, but nobody ever knew what breed his daddy may have been.
His mom had died on a neighbor’s farm and he was now alone in the world. He didn’t know who loved him, or yet, whom he could love. Becky and I knew right away that we would show Nick we loved him the minute Mom and Dad brought him to us.
At first, Nick didn’t know what to think. While Dad held him, Nick peeked over at us through half closed eyes. We could see by the look on his face that he was scared and confused by the two little girls jumping up and down and giggling in front of him.
Finally, Becky walked up to Dad and asked to hold Nick. She held out her arms. Like magic, Nick stopped squirming around in Dad’s arms and looked as if he was smiling at Becky. With a tiny grin and a warning to be very careful, Dad gave Nick to her.
It was right there that we saw the true gift of love. Nick and Becky would become the best of friends. Becky was holding Nick so lovingly that I decided to wait awhile before I said my hello to our new puppy.
When I held Nick for the first time I knew that he would always be part of our family. He was so lovable and I was so happy, that I found myself crying tears of joy.
I was twelve years old, and Becky was seven.
The next two years on our farm was almost all fun for Becky, Nick and I. When I finished my chores for the day, Becky and I would ask Nick if he wanted to go down to the creek and play. The three of us would swim and play all afternoon. When it started getting dark, we would go back to the farmhouse. Mom and Dad would be sitting on the porch waiting for us.
When Becky and I were in school, Nick would help our Dad with farm chores. Sometimes he would chase the rabbits out of Mom’s garden, or he would keep the foxes away from the chickens. Mom and Dad thought that it was funny the way Nick would help out.
Every Thursday night Becky and I would go to Bible study. When Pastor Bob would come to a part in the Bible about how we should love each other and always be happy, I would think of Nick waiting for us outside, and smile. Sometimes Pastor Bob would look over at Becky and me and see my smile and wink at us because he knew that we loved our parents and of course we loved Nick too.
Nick knew that after Bible class Mom would take us for ice cream cones. Nick loved the strawberry ice cream that we would put into a cup for him.
One time when we came home, Dad said that it was a good thing that we came back when we did. He had heard a weather report on our radio that a big storm was suddenly coming toward our farm. We needed to make sure all the animals were in their pens. We started putting all the smaller animals into the barn. We knew that the pigs would be all right outside. They loved the heavy rains that came with the storms.
After we got through making sure all the animals were okay, we went in the house to do our homework. While we were studying, Becky asked me if I had closed the corral door so the horses could not run away. I told her that I thought she had closed it.
Just then, the storm came. Instead of a little rain and wind to start with, the storm came in like a big bang. The wind was blowing so hard that it knocked down Mom’s favorite potted plant that was sitting on the back porch. I rushed out the back door to try to stop the plant from getting all broken up in the wind.
I reached out to pick up the plant when I heard Becky scream. She had gone out to the corral to close the gate. As she ran toward the corral, a big blast of wind came and knocked her down. When she tried to get up, a second big wind rolled her over and over. She was screaming and crying now.
The wind was blowing so hard that it ripped up the boards that covered an old well. Dad had just started boarding up the well two days before the storm came. After he put down the boards to seal the well, he was going to pour cement over it. He said that would be the best way to cover it up. We talked about putting a bar-b-que grill there.
Now Becky was in trouble. The wind pushed her, rolling her on the ground, toward the open well hole. I tried to run and help her but the wind kept pushing me back. Closer and closer Becky rolled toward the well.
Mom and Dad were in the house getting ready for the storm in case it broke any windows or cut off the electricity. They couldn’t hear Becky or I because of the noise the wind was making. Nick heard us though. He came running out and looked around to see what was happening. He saw Becky on the ground, heading for the well. He ran to her.
Just as Becky started to roll over one more time he grabbed her. She was only two feet away from the hole. Nick held on to her belt with his teeth. He pulled and pulled, but Becky was too heavy for him to hold on to much longer. By now, I was able to reach the two of them. Nick and I pulled Becky away from the hole and then ran as fast as we could to the house.
Becky sat on the sofa, crying. She wasn’t hurt, only scared. Mom and Dad sat with her. They were trying to make her feel safe again. Nick was there too. He looked happy that Becky was okay.
After a while Becky was laughing and hugging Nick again. We sat there and listened to the storm together, Mom, Dad, Becky, Nick, and I. The storm was scary, but we were not afraid now. Thanks to Nick, we were going to be together for a long time.
Now, years later when Becky and I see each other we still talk about that terrible night and we remember Nick.
Nick is gone now, but as Becky likes to say, “Nick was the best friend in the world. He was the best dog a kid could have.”
THE END
I REMEMBER NICK.(Louis M. Serra)
I REMEMBER NICK.
My sister Becky and I ran to the front door when we heard the car drive up. We knew that Mom and Dad were home from visiting friends. But what we didn’t know they were bringing home a new family member. Dad opened up the front door. What a surprise!
There he was, Nick, all ears and four big paws, the new member of our family. He was only two months old, but you could see he was going to be a big dog. We all knew that his mother was a Blue Tick, but nobody ever knew what breed his daddy may have been.
His mom had died on a neighbor’s farm and he was now alone in the world. He didn’t know who loved him, or yet, whom he could love. Becky and I knew right away that we would show Nick we loved him the minute Mom and Dad brought him to us.
At first, Nick didn’t know what to think. While Dad held him, Nick peeked over at us through half closed eyes. We could see by the look on his face that he was scared and confused by the two little girls jumping up and down and giggling in front of him.
Finally, Becky walked up to Dad and asked to hold Nick. She held out her arms. Like magic, Nick stopped squirming around in Dad’s arms and looked as if he was smiling at Becky. With a tiny grin and a warning to be very careful, Dad gave Nick to her.
It was right there that we saw the true gift of love. Nick and Becky would become the best of friends. Becky was holding Nick so lovingly that I decided to wait awhile before I said my hello to our new puppy.
When I held Nick for the first time I knew that he would always be part of our family. He was so lovable and I was so happy, that I found myself crying tears of joy.
I was twelve years old, and Becky was seven.
The next two years on our farm was almost all fun for Becky, Nick and I. When I finished my chores for the day, Becky and I would ask Nick if he wanted to go down to the creek and play. The three of us would swim and play all afternoon. When it started getting dark, we would go back to the farmhouse. Mom and Dad would be sitting on the porch waiting for us.
When Becky and I were in school, Nick would help our Dad with farm chores. Sometimes he would chase the rabbits out of Mom’s garden, or he would keep the foxes away from the chickens. Mom and Dad thought that it was funny the way Nick would help out.
Every Thursday night Becky and I would go to Bible study. When Pastor Bob would come to a part in the Bible about how we should love each other and always be happy, I would think of Nick waiting for us outside, and smile. Sometimes Pastor Bob would look over at Becky and me and see my smile and wink at us because he knew that we loved our parents and of course we loved Nick too.
Nick knew that after Bible class Mom would take us for ice cream cones. Nick loved the strawberry ice cream that we would put into a cup for him.
One time when we came home, Dad said that it was a good thing that we came back when we did. He had heard a weather report on our radio that a big storm was suddenly coming toward our farm. We needed to make sure all the animals were in their pens. We started putting all the smaller animals into the barn. We knew that the pigs would be all right outside. They loved the heavy rains that came with the storms.
After we got through making sure all the animals were okay, we went in the house to do our homework. While we were studying, Becky asked me if I had closed the corral door so the horses could not run away. I told her that I thought she had closed it.
Just then, the storm came. Instead of a little rain and wind to start with, the storm came in like a big bang. The wind was blowing so hard that it knocked down Mom’s favorite potted plant that was sitting on the back porch. I rushed out the back door to try to stop the plant from getting all broken up in the wind.
I reached out to pick up the plant when I heard Becky scream. She had gone out to the corral to close the gate. As she ran toward the corral, a big blast of wind came and knocked her down. When she tried to get up, a second big wind rolled her over and over. She was screaming and crying now.
The wind was blowing so hard that it ripped up the boards that covered an old well. Dad had just started boarding up the well two days before the storm came. After he put down the boards to seal the well, he was going to pour cement over it. He said that would be the best way to cover it up. We talked about putting a bar-b-que grill there.
Now Becky was in trouble. The wind pushed her, rolling her on the ground, toward the open well hole. I tried to run and help her but the wind kept pushing me back. Closer and closer Becky rolled toward the well.
Mom and Dad were in the house getting ready for the storm in case it broke any windows or cut off the electricity. They couldn’t hear Becky or I because of the noise the wind was making. Nick heard us though. He came running out and looked around to see what was happening. He saw Becky on the ground, heading for the well. He ran to her.
Just as Becky started to roll over one more time he grabbed her. She was only two feet away from the hole. Nick held on to her belt with his teeth. He pulled and pulled, but Becky was too heavy for him to hold on to much longer. By now, I was able to reach the two of them. Nick and I pulled Becky away from the hole and then ran as fast as we could to the house.
Becky sat on the sofa, crying. She wasn’t hurt, only scared. Mom and Dad sat with her. They were trying to make her feel safe again. Nick was there too. He looked happy that Becky was okay.
After a while Becky was laughing and hugging Nick again. We sat there and listened to the storm together, Mom, Dad, Becky, Nick, and I. The storm was scary, but we were not afraid now. Thanks to Nick, we were going to be together for a long time.
Now, years later when Becky and I see each other we still talk about that terrible night and we remember Nick.
Nick is gone now, but as Becky likes to say, “Nick was the best friend in the world. He was the best dog a kid could have.”
THE END
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