New Friends.

New Friends

Tommy’s family had just moved to a new home. He hadn’t made any friends yet, except with the old lady next door. Her dog had jumped over into their garden a few times and scared his sister, Poppy. Dad had gone around to ask the neighbour to stop the dog from going into their garden.

He hadn’t complained when he got there and met elderly Mrs. Green, who hadn’t been too well lately. They had introduced each other; Dad had fetched her some shopping and it had come up in conversation that she hadn’t been able to walk her dog because of her recent illness. Dad had told her that his son Tommy loved dogs and asked if she would like Tommy to walk the dog. And she had been delighted. A week on Tommy had walked the dog daily. He still hadn’t found any friends yet. Perhaps when school started back.

Tommy went next door and collected old Mrs. Green dog, Butch, for the usual walk. He took Butch into the park and walked him around and was heading back home. Next minute Butch had spotted another dog, woofed and danced about, slipped his collar and ran off across the park to the other dog.

               “Come back Butch.” Tommy yelled, and ran after him.

               “Hey you two, stop it.” The boy with the other dog shouted. The dogs were barking at each other.

“Sorry, he slipped his. collar off.” Tommy said, as he caught up with them

“No problem.” The boy smiled.

“Is that your dog?” Tommy asked, smiling back, and. just knowing that he had found a friend at last. He was friendly, about the same age and loved dogs.

“Yes, he’s called Barker. I called him that when my Mum and Dad gave him to me. I’m Bobby.”

“I’m Tommy. I’d like my own dog. I love dogs but my sister’s scared of them. So I can’t have one of my own. She was bitten by one a few months ago and gets so frightened when one just walks down the street. This is my neighbours dog, Butch. I walk him for her. She can’t take him very far herself. And if she lets him into her garden, he runs off. People have brought him back for her. Sometimes he comes over into our garden.”

As Tommy said all that, wondering if he was babbling too much, he tried to put Butch’s collar back on, and Butch ran off.

“Come back Butch. Hey come back here.”

Butch streaked back across the park and out of the gate.

“Oh no. I’ve got to catch him. Old Mrs. Green would be ever so upset if he went missing or got run over.”

“I’ll come and help look for him.”

Tommy Bobby and Barker ran after Butch. They talked about dogs and about Tommy’s sister getting bitten and remaining afraid of dogs.

“Barker’s nice and friendly. He’s never bitten anyone. She could stroke him, get used to him. Then she wouldn’t be so afraid. Where has Butch gone?”

They had reached the footway. The dog was nowhere in sight.

“He went that way.”

The boys ran on, calling Butch.

“You said he ran off if he was let out in the garden. Does he bring himself back some times?” Bobby asked, as they searched about, calling for Butch.

“I think Mrs. Green said he had. She definitely said people had brought him back to her.”

“We could ask people if they have seen him.”

“Good idea. Someone must know him. I shall feel awful if I have to go back and say I’ve lost Butch.

And she won’t trust me with him anymore if he does turn up again.”

The boys looked down lanes, over into some one’s garden when they heard a dog bark. It wasn’t Butch. Tommy was getting so worried.

“He could have gone back home.” Bobby suggested.

“I had wondered. I don’t want to go back to see and then get Mrs. Green all worried, if Butch isn’t there.”

“We look a little further on. He could have gone into the pet shop.”

They went in, looking around. No sign of Butch.

“We’ve lost a dog. Just wondered if he might have come in here.” Tommy told the lady running the shop.

“What does it look like. It’s not Butch is it?”

“Yes, it is! I walk him for Mrs. Green. He slipped his collar off.”

The lady laughed.

“There is a very good reason that dog is called Butch. He has come in here occasionally, but usually he goes to the butchers, a couple of doors down.”

“Oh, thank you. We’ll go and see.”

They went down to the butchers, no sign of Butch in the shop.

“Excuse me, have you seen a dog, called Butch. He ran off and we can’t find him.”

“He’s in the back, having a little treat. I keep telling my husband that he shouldn’t encourage Butch. Mrs. Green called him Butch because he dragged her in here a few times, before she had decided on a name for him. George, there are some boys here, looking for Butch.”

A man opened the back door, checked that there were no customers in the shop and brought Butch out.

“Thank goodness,” Tommy sighed with relief. He put Butch’s collar on, checking it was tight enough.

“Sorry if I worried you. He usually just takes himself home, once he’s had his little treat.” The man who was called George said.

“I’ll take him home now. Thanks.” Tommy said.

“We could give the other dog a treat.” George said.

His wife shook her head in disbelief. George fetched a bone for each dog. The boys thanked him and dragged the dogs out of the butcher’s shop. The dogs walked along together, with no fighting or barking.

“They seem to have made friends.” Tommy said.

“So have we. Where do you live?”

“Number three Chestnut Avenue. I’m glad we’ve made friends.” Tommy told him.

“So am I. And I live at Number six Chestnut Avenue.” Bobby said.

They both chuckled. That was handy, new friends and living so close to each other.

“I though there was a Mrs. Green not far away, when you said about her.” Bobby said.

When they reach Tommy’s house, his sister was in the garden.

“Hey Poppy, we had an idea that might help you get over your fear of dogs.” Tommy called.

Poppy looked worried.

“This is my new friend Bobby. His dog is very friendly. It’s never bit anyone. We wondered if you just looked at him, perhaps touched him, well you could keep doing that until you felt more comfortable with him.”

Poppy looked very uncertain.

“He’s ever so friendly. My little sister use to squeeze him, as if he was a toy, and she would pull his tail too. He never bit her or even growled at her. She’s a bit older now and getting to understand how to treat him.”

Bobby’s words seemed to reassure Poppy, and she reached over the wall and held her hand out, then hesitantly, touched Barker. Then she stroked him briefly.

“Well done Poppy. Do you want to touch Butch too?”

“Not today. Maybe another day.” Poppy said.

“Well you’ve made a good start.”

“Yes, you have, and I only live a few doors down. You could touch Barker every day, until you get more confident. Well done.” Bobby said.

“I’d better take Butch back home.”

Bobby and Tommy and the two dogs strolled over to Mrs. Greens, then Bobby pointed to his home and they agreed to meet up the next day, for dog walking and perhaps bring a ball to play with.

“Hello Mrs. Green. We’re back.”

“Oh good. I realized after you had gone that I hadn’t tightened his collar up properly. I took it off while I showered him. He was getting a bit smelly. I was buckling his collar up and he pulled away, shaking himself. You’ve got a bone Butch!”

“Er, yes, he dashed into the butchers, and they said he liked visiting them, for his treat. They gave my new friend Tommy’s dog a bone too.”

“Actually, I called him Butch, because he tugged me in there a few times. I’m glad you have a new friend. Where does he live?”

“Just two doors down. He has his own dog, and Barker and Butch are good friends now.”

“How nice dear. So you have a new friend, and so have you Butch. Thank you very much Tommy.”

“Your welcome Mrs. Green. Bye.”