'Your Story' Department store display dog finds a 'fur-ever' home

Dec. 24—Introduction

It's usually quiet around here.

Sometimes, I hear voices, but I can't make out what they're saying.

It can be lonely.

But once a year, there is excitement.

Lights come on, people are moving about and there's a lot of laughter.

I know what this means.

It's something called Christmas, but I'm not quite sure what that is.

All I know is I get to come out of this dark room and sit in a window where people walk by and stare at me.

I always try to look my best in my red and green scarf.

I hear a man yell, "Hey, grab that dog from storage. The department store holiday window display can't go up without its dog."

I guess that's me.

I don't know my name. All I know is that I'm called "dog."

I'm carried out into a different room and I'm surrounded by other figures that will go in the display.

They look as excited as I am to bring joy to those who see us.

Abruptly, I hear a woman say, "The boss wants a new dog this year. Apparently, this one is looking a little too shabby. I don't know. It looks fine to me, but take it back to the storage room."

I thought, "Oh, no! What have I done wrong? I don't want to go back into that dark room. I have a job to do."

A man carries me back and places me by a small window, turns off the lights and closes the door behind him.

I'm all alone now.

But I can see out the window.

It's dark and I can't make anything out except for a twinkling light high in the sky.

I don't know what it is, but I keep looking at it.

I think about when I was in that display and how I would see smiling faces walking by.

Some would stop and point, and their eyes would get wide when they looked at everything.

Sometimes I'd see what looks like me — other dogs, I think — walking down the sidewalk. Their tails would wag and they looked so happy. What must that be like?

Staring at that twinkling light, I wish I didn't have to be locked away in this room.

I wish someone would want me.

Just then, the light gets brighter and I blink. How is that possible?

And then, I wag my tail.

Wait! I'm alive. ...

Chapter 1

By Theresa McCreary

Hey, what happened?

The twinkling light in the sky must have heard my wish. As I looked outside, the star continued to twinkle as if it was letting me know everything would be alright.

I began to turn around in circles, and since there was just enough light, I could see my reflection in an old mirror discarded from a previous holiday display. I have floppy brown ears and the rest of me is a mixture of dark brown, tan and white. This must be what "cute" looks like, as I would hear people pointing at me through the Christmas display laughing and saying, "How cute is that doggie in the window?"

I don't want to miss out on all those smiling faces. I loved being in the window watching people stroll by and pausing to enjoy the display and waving hello.

As happy as I was seeing everyone through the window, how nice would it be to be outside with someone special? Do I dare to hope that one of those smiling faces could possibly want me and be a part of their family?

I must get out of this room to find out about this magical time called Christmas. I am a good dog and could make someone very happy. But how do I get out of this room?

Just then, I heard the man that placed me back in the storage room open the door to retrieve some lights, and I saw my opportunity.

As he was trying to untangle the lights, I quickly ran out of the storage room.

I made it, but now what? I hid behind some old wooden Christmas village houses deciding my next move. I was still getting used to my puppy legs, and for some reason, my tail was in constant wagging mode. A few times, I was sure that tail would give me away.

Everyone seemed so busy, running from one place to another and talking about Christmas. They were talking about how they get together with family. I would love to be a part of a family. This was my chance. If I wanted to experience Christmas and find a family, I needed to get outside.

I walked past the room with the holiday display window, being very careful not to be seen. I stopped and glanced in and saw the other figures, with whom I spent many years entertaining the visitors outside for the Christmas holiday. I promised I would come back and see them and tell them about my Christmas adventure.

I saw a large revolving door leading to the street. People would step in and around it would go. I would have to wait for the right time.

There was a little boy with his mom heading toward the door. I followed them.

Just as they stepped toward the door, I ran behind them. The boy smiled and rubbed the top of my head and asked me where I was going.

That felt so good.

Once outside, there were so many people walking in every direction that I lost sight of the boy and his mom. I stood by the building, and for the first time, felt the cool air and took in the smells of the food vendors located in the park across the street.

Good thing I have my red and green scarf. It will keep me warm on this adventure.

Now, where do I go from here? I know. I'll follow the star. ...

Chapter 2

By Sue Buck

I started walking slowly, being careful not to get stepped on by the bustling crowd.

I wasn't sure which way to go, but I could smell the delicious aromas coming from the food vendors in the park across the street. It was about that time that I heard a rumble from my tummy and realized I was hungry, so I chose to explore the park.

When I entered the park area, I began to look around. The beautiful sights were everywhere.

I had only ever seen artificial Christmas trees that were in the store where I used to sit, but, wow, there were real trees here in the park with shiny tinsel and decorations and sparkling lights everywhere I turned.

The crowds were all dressed in festive holiday clothes, which included lots of red and green colors.

I looked at my scarf, which had those same colors, and wondered what this all meant.

Somehow I knew that this all had to do with the Christmas spirit, and I was sure that it was something I wanted to be a part of.

Some of the folks that I saw were families with little children, and once in a while, I saw other dogs.

Some of the dogs also were dressed in fancy holiday sweaters or had bows around their necks.

Everyone looked so happy and joyous while wishing each other a good day. This seemed so much better than sitting in a store window.

I thought about the other figures that I shared many years with in that window, and wished they could be out here with me.

I saw the families petting and talking to their dogs and calling them by name.

I suddenly realized that I didn't have a name, and that everyone called me "Dog."

Oh, how I wished I belonged to a family.

I remembered how good it felt when that little boy rubbed behind my ears as I was leaving the store. I continued on my adventure.

I wandered over to a group of people who were gathered around together. They were all singing.

The sound was quite pleasing to my ears.

Some of the carolers were jingling some bells, which also sounded very lovely.

One of the carolers saw me watching them and placed a string of bells around my neck, and then gave me a nice pat on my head.

I was beginning to feel like I just might fit in somewhere.

I wandered around a bit more and sat down to rest by a park bench.

A nice lady was sitting on the bench eating a hot dog and started talking to me.

"Hi, dog," she said. "Are you hungry?"

My tail started wagging, a hundred wags a minute, so she broke off a piece of her sandwich and gave it to me.

"Here," she said. "Have a piece of my hot dog."

I gobbled it down and it tasted yummy, but I wondered about the name of it. The woman called it a "hot dog," and I am known as "Dog" ... how odd.

The lady gave me a rub behind my ears and scurried off to join the rest of the bustling crowd. I wished she would have taken me with her.

I looked around some more, and wondered what to do next or where I could go.

I spotted a fountain in the park and realized that the food had made me thirsty. I wandered over to the fountain and took a drink.

As I was drinking, I heard a voice that sounded vaguely familiar.

"Hey," the voice said. "Aren't you the little dog that I let out of the store a while ago?" ...

Chapter 3

By Charlie Moyer

I lifted my right paw as if to shake hands with the little boy.

Indeed, I was the dog that he and his mom helped escape as they were departing the store a while ago.

I smiled as best I could, and that expression was returned. He bent over and extended his right hand. I could feel the warmth through his woven mitten as he gently held my extended limb — a feeling that found its way to my insides. I knew this was an opportunity that I wasn't going to let get away. That touch on the head as I was leaving the store was only the first sign.

Now, I needed to let this boy and his mom know that I had loads of affection stored up inside that I was willing and eager to share. I just needed a chance. I could tell by his expression that the feeling was mutual.

He turned and looked up at his mom. There was little doubt by her expression that she knew what was coming.

"Mom, we talked many times about getting a dog," he said, sounding almost like a plea.

"Yes, we have, David, but you know that this dog belongs to the people at the store," she replied.

"Yes, mother, but all this dog ever did was sit in the window at Christmastime and stare out while others enjoyed the holidays. He was never really loved, and they can easily get another one. Would you want to spend 11 months of every year in a closet?"

He knew he had a valid argument.

He also knew his mom's mild resistance was getting weaker.

Mom knew that David's point was logical. Also, I could see that my wagging tail along with my smile was working on her emotions.

The desire to please her son, the holiday season and a cute little puppy were a combination that was just too much for her to overcome.

"OK," she said, "we'll try this, but I'm not sure we are doing the right thing. We will check the paper every day, and if the store lists a lost or stolen dog, he must be returned, do you understand that?"

Her stern look said she was serious. I know that David understood, as I did, and we would just hope that day would never arrive.

Knowing how many other display items, many of them animals, that were stashed in my former home, I can't believe they would even miss me.

David quickly gathered me up in his arms and they strolled down the busy sidewalk, dodging the numerous shoppers.

I know it had to be difficult to handle me as my tail was going at a speed beyond calculation.

My heart likewise was running at an extreme pace. I could tell that David's was thumping as he held me very close to be sure I was not getting away.

He didn't have to be concerned. I know that he and I had just received the best Christmas present ever. ...

Chapter 4

By Cathy Cicero

David's house was nice and warm and smelled like freshly baked cookies.

They gave me a bath and a nice, soft bed. It even had a blanket.

My scarf has been replaced with a bright red collar, and it has a tag with David's phone number and address. I really have a home.

"What should we call him?" David asked his mother.

She smiled and replied, "Think about it, and you'll find the best name for him."

After thinking a bit, David grinned when he said, "How about Buddy?"

His mother smiled and said, "Buddy sounds wonderful."

I heard David's mom talking on the phone today. She was telling someone that it's so nice to see David smile and hear him laugh again. I wonder why he stopped smiling and laughing?

His house has a lot of pictures on the walls. They all look so happy — smiling faces at a Mill Rats game; David, his mom and someone else at a wedding; so much love and happiness.

The picture that caught my eye is the one with David sitting on a man's lap.

They're both smiling and they have the same eyes.

Christy's heart warmed whenever she saw her son and his new best friend.

She really hadn't seen him smile and laugh this much in a long time. This was a rough year for Christy and her family.

David's father lost his battle with cancer, and then she lost her job when the restaurant closed.

Now, it was just the two of them.

The addition of a dog added some excitement to their little home.

As they decorated the house for Christmas, the little dog slept contently nearby.

They hung the stockings, and had one for Buddy, too.

The lights from the tree cast a warm glow in the living room, and the three of them snuggled on the couch to watch "The Santa Clause," David's favorite Christmas movie.

As David and Buddy dozed off while watching the movie, Christy thought about how thankful she is for her son and for her family and friends.

It was a rough year, but as David's father always told her, "Don't worry, everything will be OK," and for once in a long, long time, she felt that everything would be OK.

She woke up to David exclaiming, "Look Mom! It's snowing!"

After breakfast, David asked if he could take Buddy out to play in the snow.

Christy smiled as she said, "Dress warmly, and don't be out too long. We have a lot to do today."

She poured a cup of coffee, and as she sat down to read the morning paper, her cellphone rang.

She didn't recognize the number as she answered the phone.

"Yes, this is Christy, who is this?

"I do remember you. You're opening a new restaurant and you want to hire me as the head chef? I am definitely interested.

"Yes, we can meet after Christmas and iron out the details. Thank you so much, and Merry Christmas to you, too."

It was a Christmas miracle.

She wiped the tears from her eyes, and remembered the words that David's father always told her: "Don't worry, everything will be OK," and she knew in her heart that it truly would be OK.

Now she would be able to support both herself and David, and work at something she truly loved.

She smiled as she watched David and Buddy making a snowman in the yard.

It was a good idea to adopt a dog.

Everyone — her parents, his teachers and his Scout leader — noticed the changes in David.

Christy freshened her coffee, and as she opened the paper, her heart sank.

She got a sick feeling in her stomach as she read the following lost and found ad in the paper:

"Lost: One small dog with floppy brown ears, and a dark brown, tan and white coat. Also wearing a red-and-green scarf. Last seen near Albertson's Department Store. Reward. Call 814-555-8197." ...

Chapter 5

While David and I put the finishing touches on our snowman, we did not know that Christy was now crying tears of sadness instead of the happy tears of a few moments before.

Christy wondered how she would break the news to David that Albertson's Department Store was looking for Buddy.

They had lost so much already this year — David's father and the security of steady employment.

David was finally coming out of his shell and enjoying the holidays thanks to Buddy.

She then recalled that, on the day they took Buddy home, she told David that the dog must be returned should the store ever search for him.

After a few moments, Christy decided that she would try to soften the news by telling David that he could use the reward money to buy a few extra toys that they otherwise could not afford this Christmas.

A few minutes later, David and I came in from playing in the snow.

David hung up his wet coat, hat and gloves and I curled up in my warm bed.

I watched as Christy made David a cup of hot cocoa, took a deep breath, and started talking to David in what I could tell was a serious tone.

Tears immediately started falling from David's eyes.

Christy reminded him about their agreement and tried to ease his heartbreak by offering him the chance to use the reward however he would like.

David responded, "If I could keep Buddy, I would tell the store to use the reward to give toys to other kids who don't have much. Please, Mom, please see if we can keep Buddy."

I started feeling very sad thinking about returning to the store's window display for a few weeks and then back to the dark storage room until next Christmas.

I could tell that David was truly sincere about not getting toys and wanting to keep me.

I felt in my heart that I had become a part of their family in just a short time.

I believe that Christy knew, too, because she dialed the number listed in the newspaper and began explaining the situation to the Albertson's employee.

When she hung up, she told David that the man would call her back after talking to the store manager.

For the next hour, David laid on the floor with his arm around me and eventually cried himself to sleep.

The ringing of Christy's phone woke us.

After a brief conversation, we could hear Christy thanking the caller several times and then promising to be somewhere.

I ran with David to the kitchen to find Christy crying.

"What's the matter, Mom?" David asked.

"There is nothing wrong, sweetie. I just got great news! The manager at Albertson's has decided to give you a wonderful Christmas gift by letting you keep Buddy. Also, they felt that your suggestion to use the reward money to help other children showed the true spirit of Christmas and they are going to do just that," Christy replied.

David threw his arms around Christy in a big bear hug.

"There is one more thing," Christy said. "Since Buddy has been a part of Albertson's Christmas display for so many years and has provided happy memories for so many people, they have asked you and Buddy to ride on their float in the Albertson's Christmas parade this weekend. This way, Buddy will still be a part of the town's holiday celebration."

David's squeals of joy made me happy and excited, too.

"You are the best Christmas present and the best buddy ever!" David told me while wrapping his arms around me tightly.

I could tell that this was great news, and I gave David a kiss on the cheek.

I then heard Christy whisper, "You were right, honey. Everything is going to be OK."

I am so glad I followed the star — it led me to my forever home.