One day, as Lisa was walking home from school, she passed by a pet store. It was the same one she had walked past hundreds of times.
This time, as she walked past the window, she just had to go inside, and when she did, she saw the most beautiful black dog she had ever seen in her entire life. It had a red ribbon in its hair behind its ears. She was as black as coal.
Lisa just had to run home and tell her mom that she had found the gift she wanted for her 6th birthday next week.
Lisa ran as fast as her legs could carry her. She ran through the front door as quickly as she could, slammed the door behind her, and told her mom that she had just seen the most beautiful dog she had ever seen in her life.
She asked, “Mom, do you think I could get the dog for my birthday?”
“I don’t know,” her mom replied.
“It depends on what your father says about it.” Mom was in the house making dinner.
Lisa went into the living room and turned on the TV. Her favorite show was on. While she was watching her TV show, her mom said:
“If you want any chance of your father letting you get a dog, you need to finish your homework before he gets home.”
“Okay, mom!” Lisa got up, turned off the TV, took her school books out of her backpack, and began doing her homework. She could hear her dad getting out of the car in the driveway.
He went to the mailbox and found his newspaper. Then he came into the house and put the newspaper on the coffee table. He went into the kitchen where Lisa’s mom was and said, “How come Lisa is already doing her homework? She usually waits until after dinner.”
Mom said, “Well, I think she just wants to get it done, and she wants to ask you a question that I can’t tell you about.”
Dad said, “Okay, then I’ll go and talk to her.”
So, he went out of the kitchen and into the living room where Lisa was busy doing her homework.
Then Lisa asked, “Dad, do you think I can get a pet next week for my birthday?”
“Funny you mention it, the neighbor just put up a sign in the yard that says, free kittens to a good home. Maybe you’d like a kitten for your birthday?”
“No, dad! I want a dog for my birthday!”
Dad said, “But dogs cost a lot of money. Where did you get the idea of a dog?”
Lisa said, “From the dog I saw today at the pet store down by the schoolyard.”
“Your mom and I need to talk about it first, but for now my answer is no, because you can’t even keep your room clean sometimes. It’s hard to believe you’re grown up enough to take on the responsibility of a dog. You need to show me that you can handle the responsibility so that it doesn’t end up being mom and me who have to take care of it.”
Lisa knew she hadn’t been very good at it before and that she needed to prove it to her parents.
Then mom called out and said, “Dinner is ready!”
Lisa and her dad went back into the kitchen for dinner. They sat at the table and started eating.
Then Lisa’s mom asked, “Did Lisa ask you the question?”
He said, “Yes, she did, but I told her she’s not getting a dog right now. Maybe someday, but not now.”
Lisa asked dad, “Why are you so against me having my own dog?”
He said, “First of all, because it costs too much money and takes too much time. It requires a lot of responsibility to take care of a dog, and you haven’t yet proven that you are mature enough to handle that responsibility. The neighbor has some kittens; maybe you can get one of them and prove that you can take care of a pet.”
Mom said, “She wants a dog!”
“I know she wants a dog, but we can’t afford a dog right now.”
“We said she could have anything she wanted for her birthday.”
Dad said, “Okay, you’re right, I forgot about that. You can have a dog, let’s get it tomorrow.”
Lisa said, “Oh, thank you, mom and dad! I’m going to bed right now!”
Mom asked, “So early, honey?”
“Yes, mom! I can’t wait for tomorrow, so I want to sleep fast.”
Then dad asked, “Have you thought of a name for the dog?”
“Yes, I have! I called her Blacky since the first time I saw her. She’s as black as Blacky.”
Lisa ran upstairs and went to bed, and she quickly fell asleep.
In the morning, she could hear mom and dad saying, “It’s time to get Blacky.”
Lisa got up quickly, got dressed, and ran to the kitchen where mom and dad were.
Dad said, “I’ve already poured some oatmeal for you.” Lisa ate it quickly.
Then mom said, “Let’s go get Blacky!”
Lisa got up and ran to the door and got into the car. Then mom and dad got in. Dad started the car and drove across town towards the pet store. They finally reached the pet store parking lot and parked the car. Lisa got out of the car with her mom and dad, and they walked over to the pet store.
Lisa quickly looked through the pet store window and saw a clerk holding Blacky. Lisa ran as fast as she could to get into the pet store. She asked the clerk, “Why did you take the dog?”
A family called just a few minutes ago and asked if we could hold her until they came down here.
“Since the dog is still here and no one has bought her yet, why don’t you sell her to me instead of them?”
“I’m sorry, I can’t. I told them I would hold her until they got here.”
“Is that the only reason you won’t sell her to me right now?”
“Yes, that’s the only reason I can’t sell her to you at the moment.”
“Why can’t you tell them that another little girl wants her much more than they do?”
“I can’t do that because they’re already on their way to buy her. You can give me your name and phone number, and if they don’t come or change their mind, I’ll let you know.”
Lisa gave the clerk her name and phone number.
“Let me know soon if she gets sold or not.”
“I will. I’ll call you within the next couple of hours.”
Around that time, her parents walked through the doors and said:
“Lisa, you shouldn’t run in a store!”
The clerk said, “It’s okay. I just explained to her that she’s on a waiting list because someone else is supposed to come and get the dog.”
Lisa and her family turned around and went back to the car, ready to get in, when the clerk ran out of the pet store across the parking lot and shouted:
“Wait a minute, come back! I was just on the phone with the other people who wanted the puppy, but their son changed his mind. He decided he wanted a kitten instead of a puppy.”
Lisa turned around with the biggest smile and ran to the clerk and hugged her and said, “I get Blacky after all.”
Mom said, “Now I understand why you want to call her Blacky.”
They went back into the pet store and paid for Blacky. They also bought a dog bowl, a leash, and some toys. Lisa put the leash on Blacky, and they left the pet store. Lisa gave Blacky the biggest hug, and Blacky licked Lisa’s face.
They drove home. Lisa saw an ice cream shop on the way and asked if they could stop for ice cream.
They said, “No, honey, we just spent a lot of money on Blacky and toys.”
Then mom said, “Why don’t we stop and get ice cream? It can’t cost that much money.”
“Okay, since we’ve already gone through so much to get Blacky, the least we can do is get some ice cream.”
“Lisa, honey, we’ll turn around and go back and get some ice cream for us and Blacky.”
“Thanks, mom and dad! It’s like a ‘welcome to the family’ treat for Blacky!”
So, they turned around and bought ice cream from the ice cream shop.
