“Well here I am, sitting in a metal bin at the pet store. Just lay'n here watching, watching all of the other cool toys get picked. It hurts, it hurts real bad, why do I have to be an ugly toy? I think I am anyway. Come on, they're dogs, they're not suppose to have taste in toys. As long as they have something to chew on they should be happy. Oh well,I'll never be loved.....or chewed. Well I guess I'll just lay here.”

“ Mooooooooom! Can you come here for a second?” said Kelie (kee-lee).

“ Sure. I'll be there in just a minute.” her mom hollered back.

“ Good that'll buy us about a minute,” said Kelie's best friend Amanda, “ Are you ready Kelie?”

“ I think so, but how do you know if she'll say yes?”

“ As long as you have those reason cards I gave you, she won't be able to say no!”

“ Yeah but she is an adult. They normally have more will power than us kids.” Kelie said.

“ Hummmmm, you're right, oh well sit!” Amanda had put one hand on Kelie's shoulder and pushed her down gently.

“I feel all buisnessy with the chair and the note cards. I feel like I'm gonna give a speech or something.” Kelie said.

“Well in a way you are,” Amanda said. “ Quick here she comes. Amanda leaped into a chair next to Kelie, straightened her back and locked her hands together.

“ What did you want?” Kelie looked down at the note cards, but her answer wasn't there. Not yet.

“ Mom, I'm just going to come out with it. Can I get a dog?” Her eyes were bright and she had a big smile on her face.

“ Oh honey,” her mother sighed. “ We've had this discussion before, I don't think you can take care of it well enough.” said her mom.

“ But, but,” again she looked down at her note cards.

“ But I said that when I was young and couldn't take care of it. But now I'm older and I can take care of it.”

“ You said the same thing about........” her mother counted the months, “ Three months ago, I think.”

“ But that's my point exactly.”

“ There is no point.” said her mom.

“ Mrs. Torlo, I would be more than happy to help Kelie take care of the dog....... if she can get one that is.” Amanda said.

“ Well that's a very generous offer. But if she does get a dog, it will be her responsibility.”

“Oh yes it will be her responsibility, all the way, but I meant help by petting it and playing with it.” Amanda replied.

“ Mom am I allowed to get a dog?” once again she gave her the puppy dog eyes and the same big smile.

“Fine, but this dog will be your dog. You have to take care of it. That includes feeding it, bathing it, walking it and all of that. We will buy the necessaries. Food sometimes treats, but if you want to buy it anything else you have to use your own money.” mom explained.

“ You drive a hard bargain but okay. Just kidding that's totally fair.” Kelie said.

“ Okay we'll go tomorrow, around 9:00 in the morning.”

“ Yes! Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you. You won't be disappointed. I promise. Oh wait, mom can Amanda come with us?”

“ Yeah, I'll check with my mom. Can I call her?” asked Amanda. The girls, brown haired and blue eyed, looked at Kelie's mom.

“ Sure, the phones on the charger. Why don't you go get her bed ready for tonight. Be sure to be watching for you mom with you clothes. And if you need me I will be in the living room folding the laundry.” Said Mrs. Torlo

“ I'm going to go get ready for bed, you can come too if you want or you can wait for your mom.” asked Kelie as she walked away.

“ Thanks but I think I will wait for my mom.” Amanda replied.

The next morning, the girls were up before they should have been. They didn't set an alarm the night before, they woke up on their own.

“ What do you think I should wear?” asked Kelie.

“ I don't know, something comfy I guess. We are only going to the pet store.”

“ I know, I'll put my sweat pants on, you know the ones with the sport 54 on the butt. Then I'll wear the long shirt that goes with it. The one that goes down to my hips.”

“ Oooo good choice. Comfy and fashionable.” Amanda told her.

“ Girls are you ready to go?” asked Mrs. Torlo.

“ Almost, let us do our hair, teeth and make-up.” Kelie hollered back.

“ Okay hurry!”

“ Kaaaaaaaaay!” they both yelled.

On their way to the “pet store”, they were playing a Taylor Swift CD. The shelter was right around the corner, and Kelie was bobbing with joy in her seat until she saw where she was at.

“ What are we doing here?” she asked.

“ Getting you a dog silly.” said her mom.

“ But why here?”

“ Well this is my thought, why not take a broken animals heart and mend it together with love it never had and a new home? Now come on.”

“ Okay, I hope there is a cute one here.”

As they walked in, all they saw was poor dogs Then she saw the one who chews on me. Barking their loud bark, and panting the sweat away they looked at each other and knew that she wanted that dog more than anything. He looked the saddest of them all, they all looked sad and she wanted to give them a better life, but she could only get one. She told her mom she wanted the one that looked hopeless. So she named him right away. Patches. The guy who worked at the pet shelter took him from from his den. Patches must have liked her because he went right to her. They signed the adoptive papers and left.

In the car, shivering, staring and crying, Patches was sitting in Kelie's lap, very frightened.

“ Mom are we going to the pet store? I think that Patches is going to need some treats and some company from a toooooooyyy.” Kelie said in a bribed tone.

“ Sure we can it's right around the corner.”

She turned into the pet store parking lot and the girls jumped out of the car and ran toward the store. Mrs. Torlo didn't approve of that. Patches was on a leash and following right behind them. He seemed to have gotten his spirit back when he found Kelie.

Once they were in patches stopped and looked around. It had been a good while since Patches had seen the pet store. The girls stopped too to feel the cool air and to catch their breath. Patches had a very good nose on him and went right for the treats. The girls and Kelie's mom grabbed the ones that Patches had been sniffing.


“Next, to the toys.” said Amanda.

“ Come on Patches. “ said Kelie.

They were over by the toys when Patches smelled some rubber chew toys. He wagged his tail in pleasure and gave a little whine. He picked out the one that he wanted and carried it to Kelie. ( he was a very smart dog). He gave her leg a brush.

“What's this, boy do you want this toy. You don't want that one. It's really ugly, Amanda look at this.” At that point I thought that I would be chosen. But that comment wasn't needed, I was not ugly. I don't think I am. I've never seen myself before. And if I was ugly it would be the factories fault.

“ Wow that thing is hideous, why would you want that toy?”

“ I don't,but Patches does.”

“Wow. I blame the makers for even producing that toy and the factories for agreeing to ship it out everywhere. But if he wants it he should get it.”

“ That's true. Okay, Patches, here you go.” Twinkling, smiling, and thanking her..... his eyes said it all. Patches tail was like a pendulum. Back and forth, back and forth. Patches took the toy from Kelie's hands. Chewing on the toy, Patches mouth was dripping with puppy drool. And before he even completely owning it. The dog biscuit bag must have had a hole in it because there was a dog biscuit laying on the floor. Patches pranced over and ate the dog treat.

The girls were looking at something in the store. Patches's leash was in Amanda's hand when oops!.....another dog walked by. Patches ran toward the dog and the leash ripped out of her hand.

“ Patches! Come back boy!”

Out of the small isle and into the big one. Kelie had just gotten this dog and she was afraid for it. Sure enough comes a little kid with the cart running full speed. Patches,the young dog, ran into the isle, tail down and letting out yelps. Had he been hurt? Kelie and Amanda ran over to check on him.

“ Is he hurt?” asked Amanda.

“ No. He's just scared.” Kelie replied. The poor dog was shaking in Kelie's arms. The young boy stopped the cart and turned around. He apologized for running, he made sure the dog was okay before he left. Eyes big, patches carefully stepped out of Kelie's arms. The girls, Patches 's new world, were thankful he wasn't hurt.

Finally they were done in the pet store. They bought him a collar, the ugly chew toy (me), dog treats, dog food, food and water bowls, and a bed. That should have been enough to get him started. They arrived home and Patches was placed in the living room. He looked and smelled around. Patches felt like he was at his old home again. Kelie's mom gave her a lecture again about how Patches was her dog and stuff.

Here I am sitting in Patches 's dog bed. Waiting to be chewed by on by one of the new puppies. I was and are loved, and I always will be. I am........strong. I held out through all of those lonely times in the pet store. I am strong because ..... because....because I am mostly plastic and rubber. Yes I am still standing and yes I remember the story like it was yesterday. Us toys...are smart.