`Emily is a quiet child, who keeps to herself. She has a vivid imagination. She rarely shares her thoughts and dreams with anyone including her family. Who consider Emily to be shy and awkward and silent. When they ask a question Emily will nod or shake her head, if pressed for a better response she will answer, “No, Mom or no, Dad. She ignores her sibling’s questions all together.

Emily spends her time reading books that she borrows from the library. And when she’s reading a book, she is so immersed in the stories that she reads that she will often take on the persona of the main character or the character that reminds Emily of herself.

Her parents understand that Emily is a shy and lonely child who lives in her imagination and in the books she reads. Her siblings just think she is weird and awkward and either ignore her or complain about her. “Mom, she is being weird again. Come look at her.” Says Carol, one of Emily’s older sister’s “Mom, come here.”

When Emily’s mother goes into the kitchen, she looks all around and doesn’t see Emily. “Emily, Emily, where are you? Are you hiding?” And then from under the kitchen table, Emily’s mother hears what for all the world sounds like barking. “What’s that noise?”

“Mom, that’s Emily she’s under the table, barking.”

“What?” And then Emily’s mother looks under the kitchen table and sure enough, there’s Emily under the table in her pajamas. “Emily come out from under there right now.” Then she hears another bark. “Now, Emily.”

Emily slowly emerges from under the kitchen table. But she’s on all fours. She’s wearing her flannel winter pajamas. But attached to the back of the pajamas is a tail of some sort. Emily’s mother tries to suppress a smile, but just can’t. She just never knows what this child will do. It was always something harmless. But her older children were so different from this one. This child is the wild child, creative, imaginative, always pretending she is something other than herself.

“Emily, what are you up to today?”

“Nothing Mom I was just pretending to be a dog.”

“Oh, is that so? For any reason in particular?”

“Well, I was reading a book about dogs. And I just got to thinking about how great dogs are and how much I love them. And mom more than anything I really want to get a dog.”

“A dog Emily, oh I don’t know about that. We will have to talk to your father about that. I’ll ask him about it when he gets home from work. If he says no, then that will be the end of the discussion. You understand, that, right? If Dad says no, then it’s no. He never changes his mind.”

“OK, Mom. If Dad says no, then no more discussion.”

Emily isn’t worried about her father saying no at all. Because one time when her Daddy was talking to her he told her that more than anything when he was growing up, he wanted to have a dog. But, he couldn’t because he grew up in an orphanage and they didn’t allow dogs there. So, Emily was absolutely positive that he would love to have a dog.

Emily watches out the front kitchen window for her father to come home. Her mother is standing at the stove and preparing dinner. Tonight, it’s stew. Emily just loves stew especially when her mother made a crust to put on the top of the pot and then cooked it in the oven. It smells delicious. She keeps saying, “Mom, why is dad getting home so late?”

“Emily he’s not late your just anxious. Whatever you do, don’t start nagging your father the moment he walks through the door. Sometimes he’s in a bad mood when he gets home. He works hard and then he has a long drive home. So just say hello, and leave the rest up to me. Do you understand?”

“Yeah, I understand, don’t bug him. I won’t. I’ll just say hello and then go upstairs to my room.”

“Good, do that. Oh, here comes your father now. Remember what I said.”

As Emily’s father came through the door, she yelled out loudly, “Hi Daddy, how are you?”

Emily’s father looked over at his wife and said, “Ok, what’s up?”

Emily’s mother gave her “the look” and Emily said, “see you later dad” And she flew up the steps.

“Ok, what’s going on?”

“First you have to promise not to go off the deep end. “

“Ok, I’m listening.”

“Emily wants to get a dog.”

“A dog. Why?”

“I guess she gets lonely. And she said that one time you told her that when you were growing up you really wished you could get a dog.”

“Well, I guess I did say that a time or two. Let me think about it overnight and I‘ll let you know tomorrow morning.”

The next morning Emily is back under the table barking at everyone that came through the doorway into the kitchen. Finally, Emily’s older sister Jacqueline comes into her mother and father’s room and said,” Mom, Emily’s acting weird again, barking from under the kitchen table at everyone that comes into the kitchen. Mom, why is she so weird?”
“Jacqueline, do not call your sister a name. Families stick together. They do not call each other hurtful names. Do you understand? You should know better by now. Do you understand now?”

“Ok Mom, but could you at least talk to her and tell her not to bark at my friends when they come over this afternoon?”

“Yes, Jacqueline I can do that. Dad and I have decided that we are going to get Emily a dog to keep her company. And that should keep her busy. But keep in mind Jacqueline that the most creative and intelligent people are usually a little different than other people. And also, Emily is still a little girl. So, don’t expect her to act as you do. You are ten years older than her. “

“Ok, but I’m not taking care of any dog. So, Emily will have to understand it is her dog and she is responsible for it.”

“No one said it was your responsibility Jacqueline, calm down.”

“Alright, Mother, if you say so.”

Later that day after Emily comes home from school her mother calls her into the kitchen. “Emily please come downstairs for a moment please.”

Emily screams out as loud as she could, “Ok, Mom I’ll be right down.”

Then Emily flies down the steps two at a time and runs into the kitchen. “What did he say, Mom? What did he say?”

“Calm down Emily. He said yes.”

“Really, really I can’t believe it. It’s a miracle. He never says yes about anything.”

“Well, he said yes today, and on Saturday morning we are going to go to the Animal Shelter and pick out a dog for you.”

Emily runs over to her mother and practically throws herself at her mother with such force that the two of them almost topple down. “Emily, for crying out loud are you trying to kill the two of us.”

“Sorry Mom, I’m just so happy. I can’t believe it. This is the best thing that ever happened to me in my whole life. It’s a miracle.”

“Well, I don’t know about a miracle but just remember this dog is going to be your total responsibility. You have to take him for walks, clean up his messes, play with him. He will be your dog. Do you understand?”

“Yes, Mom, I do and I will take care of him. I promise.”

Emily is so excited about getting a dog that she couldn’t fall asleep until three o’clock in the morning. Her mother has to wake her up at ten o’clock the next day. “Emily, I thought you would be up at the crack of dawn. Get up your father is waiting for you.”

“Oh, no. I’ll be right down. Tell dad to wait for me, Mom.”

“Emily, he’s not going to leave without you.”

Emily throws on her clothes and all but flew down the steps. “I’m here Dad, I’m here. Let’s go.”

“Alright, Emily, calm down already.”

Emily asks her father ten times if they’re almost there yet. He finally says, Emily if you say that one more time we’re going to go home.”

“Sorry, I’m just excited I’ll be quiet.”

As they pull into the parking lot at the shelter Emily can hear a lot of dogs barking excitedly. “We’re here, we’re here daddy. Stop, stop.”

“I have stopped Emily, calm down or we’re not going in there.”

“Ok, I’m calm, I’m calm. Let’s go. “

As they enter the shelter the barking gets louder and louder. Emily’s father steps up to the counter he says, “Hello, my name is Harry Rice. I called yesterday about finding a dog for my daughter.”

“Of course, Mr. Rice I remember I was the one who talked to you. And is this the lucky young lady who’s getting a new best friend?’

“Yes, yes I am how did you know?”

Because your dad called yesterday and talked to me about it. Let’s go have a look shall we.”

As they step through the second set of doors the noise is deafening. There’s a line of kennels each one holding a different dog. They start walking past all the dogs.

“Wait, where are you going, I wanted to pick out a dog.”
“Well, we are going to look at the puppies. You want a puppy, don’t you?”

“No, no I want a grown-up dog. I want to meet the dog that has been here the longest, the one that really wants a family and needs one now, not later. That’s the dog I want.”

“Emily, are you sure you don’t want a puppy?”

“Yes, Daddy I want a grown-up dog.”
“Alright, then let’s go meet your new dog young lady.   They walk to the far end of the kennels and at the back of the kennel is a dog that looks so sad, so forlorn that Emily starts crying. “Oh, Daddy that’s my dog that’s him. Oh, I love him let’s get him out of that cage now.”

The shelter attendant looks at Emily’s father and says, “Really, that’s wonderful. This dog’s name is Rudy and he’s been here for almost eight months. His family had to give him up when they had to move to another state because the father lost his job. He’s my favorite dog in here. I just know he will be happy with you Emily. Let’s see if I can coax him out of the cage. She opens the gate and calls him, “Rudy, come on out. This is Emily and she’s going to be your new best friend.”

Emily sits down on the floor outside the cage and whispers “Rudy, Rudy, Rudy.” He looks up with sad eyes and when he sees Emily on the other side of the cage, he slowly moves closer to the door. And when he gets close enough to Emily, she puts her arms around his neck and hugs him tightly. “Hi Rudy, hi Rudy, I love you. Let’s go home, Rudy.”

Emily’s father looks down at his little girl and says “Well it looks like this is our new dog. Come on Rudy, let’s go home.”

And Emily yells out, “thank you, daddy, thank you so much. I promise I will take care of him for the rest of his life.

And she did. She loved that dog with all her heart for the rest of his days. They became each other’s best friends.

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