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- Story Listed as: Fiction For Kids
- Theme: Family & Friends
- Subject: Pets / Animal Friends
- Published: 03/25/2018
Puppy Love
Born 1947, M, from Oceanside, CA, United StatesPuppy Love
Britney loved Fred. He was so soft and cute with his brown and black fur and eyes that looked at you so inquisitively. But Britney also felt sad. That’s because if she wanted to play with Fred, she knew ahead of time her eyes would start to itch, and she’d sometimes sneeze. I guess she was lucky Fred belonged to David, the boy who lived next door to her.
You see, David’s mother had died recently, so his father had bought Fred for David so he could have something to help keep his mind off having lost his mother.
The first time Britney saw Fred (who was a type of small terrier with blackish fur on his back and brown on his face, legs and belly) was when David was in his back yard playing with the new puppy.
“Oh, you got a puppy!” exclaimed Britney. “What’s its name?”
“His name is Fred,” replied David. “Would you like to pet him?” This was before Britney knew she was allergic.
“Yes, I would,” she replied and then stepped through the opening in the hedge that separated the two back yards.
As soon as she reached Fred, she bent down to pet him. Fred seemed to like it. He immediately rolled onto his back and let Britney rub his belly. “Can I hold him?” she asked David.
“Sure!” he replied.
So Britney picked up Fred, cuddling him in her arms. “Oh, you’re such a cute little puppy!” she said as she rubbed her nose against the fur on his back. This was the first time she realized there might be a problem. Her eyes began to itch and her nose started to run. This had never happened to her before with any other animal. But allergies are sometimes like that. They can sneak up on you. That’s when Poor Britney sneezed!
The sneeze caused her to accidentally let go of Fred, who landed safely on all four of his paws, but then began to run toward the opening in the hedge.
“No, Fred!” David shouted. “Come back!” He ran after the puppy. Afraid the dog might get lost or hurt, Britney too ran after Fred. But David reached him first and picked him up, cuddling the puppy to his chest. Then turning to Britney, he said, “I don’t think you should hold Fred anymore.”
Disappointed, Britney glanced at the poor dog cuddled against David’s chest and realized he probably was right.
But then a question came to her. “School is going to start soon,” she said to David. “Who will be taking care of Fred while you’re in school?”
David told her, “My Aunt Jenny is coming to live with us. She’ll be taking care of Fred for me while I’m in school.”
But it didn’t go quite as smoothly as David thought it would.
It turned out that Aunt Jenny was also allergic to Fred, but not anywhere near as bad as Britney. Mostly she kept Fred on the back sun porch with the doors closed to the dining room so she could work on her computer without Fred bothering her. Then every once in a while, she’d gather his leash and take Fred for a walk so he could do his doggy thing.
This was about the time Britney also found out from another friend of hers that if she wore the same type of latex gloves that doctors and dentists wear, and covered her mouth and nose with a slip on mask, she might be able to play with Fred without having her nose and eyes act up. It worked!
Britney was able to come over to David’s house and hold Fred without having her eyes feel scratchy, or her nose begin to run. This even made Aunt Jenny happy.
Then just before school started, Britney and her mother went to see the doctor to make sure all her vaccinations were up to date. While there, she told him about Fred. That’s when he suggested that if she wanted, he could give her a vaccination and some medicine that would allow her to be around Fred without having to use the gloves and mask.
Although she knew the needle would sting, she had her mother tell the doctor it was okay to go ahead. So he gave Britney the shot, which he said she’d have to repeat in six months if she was going to continue to hang around the dog. Happily she agreed, because that meant she could play with Fred all she wanted.
Then when Christmas arrived, Santa brought Britney her own Fred . . . so to speak. It was a stuffed toy dog, which just happened to look exactly like David’s Fred. It quickly became her favorite toy.
Oh, by the way, if you’re wondering what she decided to call her stuffed toy dog, and you’re thinking Fred, you’re only partially right. She called her toy dog “Fred The Second.”
It remained her favorite bedtime companion for years and years.
Puppy Love(Tom Di Roma)
Puppy Love
Britney loved Fred. He was so soft and cute with his brown and black fur and eyes that looked at you so inquisitively. But Britney also felt sad. That’s because if she wanted to play with Fred, she knew ahead of time her eyes would start to itch, and she’d sometimes sneeze. I guess she was lucky Fred belonged to David, the boy who lived next door to her.
You see, David’s mother had died recently, so his father had bought Fred for David so he could have something to help keep his mind off having lost his mother.
The first time Britney saw Fred (who was a type of small terrier with blackish fur on his back and brown on his face, legs and belly) was when David was in his back yard playing with the new puppy.
“Oh, you got a puppy!” exclaimed Britney. “What’s its name?”
“His name is Fred,” replied David. “Would you like to pet him?” This was before Britney knew she was allergic.
“Yes, I would,” she replied and then stepped through the opening in the hedge that separated the two back yards.
As soon as she reached Fred, she bent down to pet him. Fred seemed to like it. He immediately rolled onto his back and let Britney rub his belly. “Can I hold him?” she asked David.
“Sure!” he replied.
So Britney picked up Fred, cuddling him in her arms. “Oh, you’re such a cute little puppy!” she said as she rubbed her nose against the fur on his back. This was the first time she realized there might be a problem. Her eyes began to itch and her nose started to run. This had never happened to her before with any other animal. But allergies are sometimes like that. They can sneak up on you. That’s when Poor Britney sneezed!
The sneeze caused her to accidentally let go of Fred, who landed safely on all four of his paws, but then began to run toward the opening in the hedge.
“No, Fred!” David shouted. “Come back!” He ran after the puppy. Afraid the dog might get lost or hurt, Britney too ran after Fred. But David reached him first and picked him up, cuddling the puppy to his chest. Then turning to Britney, he said, “I don’t think you should hold Fred anymore.”
Disappointed, Britney glanced at the poor dog cuddled against David’s chest and realized he probably was right.
But then a question came to her. “School is going to start soon,” she said to David. “Who will be taking care of Fred while you’re in school?”
David told her, “My Aunt Jenny is coming to live with us. She’ll be taking care of Fred for me while I’m in school.”
But it didn’t go quite as smoothly as David thought it would.
It turned out that Aunt Jenny was also allergic to Fred, but not anywhere near as bad as Britney. Mostly she kept Fred on the back sun porch with the doors closed to the dining room so she could work on her computer without Fred bothering her. Then every once in a while, she’d gather his leash and take Fred for a walk so he could do his doggy thing.
This was about the time Britney also found out from another friend of hers that if she wore the same type of latex gloves that doctors and dentists wear, and covered her mouth and nose with a slip on mask, she might be able to play with Fred without having her nose and eyes act up. It worked!
Britney was able to come over to David’s house and hold Fred without having her eyes feel scratchy, or her nose begin to run. This even made Aunt Jenny happy.
Then just before school started, Britney and her mother went to see the doctor to make sure all her vaccinations were up to date. While there, she told him about Fred. That’s when he suggested that if she wanted, he could give her a vaccination and some medicine that would allow her to be around Fred without having to use the gloves and mask.
Although she knew the needle would sting, she had her mother tell the doctor it was okay to go ahead. So he gave Britney the shot, which he said she’d have to repeat in six months if she was going to continue to hang around the dog. Happily she agreed, because that meant she could play with Fred all she wanted.
Then when Christmas arrived, Santa brought Britney her own Fred . . . so to speak. It was a stuffed toy dog, which just happened to look exactly like David’s Fred. It quickly became her favorite toy.
Oh, by the way, if you’re wondering what she decided to call her stuffed toy dog, and you’re thinking Fred, you’re only partially right. She called her toy dog “Fred The Second.”
It remained her favorite bedtime companion for years and years.
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Kevin Hughes
05/02/2018Tom, so many of your stories are "playful" and filled with heart. I don't think you have written any story that doesn't deserve several stars and most get four or five of them. This one struck home, because I used to love Cats. My favorite was called Friendly the cat. When he died - I developed an allergy to cats. My kids bought me a stuffed furry monkey that fit in my hand- and I named him: Curios George the Second. Your story brought that home. Smiles, Kevin
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