Children’s Literature & Fiction                                       

         The story Boy captures all the emotions children feel for their pets. Children and adults think of their pets as family members. Family members have difficulty realizing that pets don’t analyze why something happened to their bodies; they just get on with their lives. They run around in circles or sometimes run away with family shoes. My story tells how Boy grips with his misfortune and finds contentment and happiness with a family who loves him.  

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         Boy broke loose from Janice’s grip and limped to the kitchen table. He lifted his front left leg and placed it down slowly while sniffing Joey under the table. Boy turned around, stopped, bent down, and crawled under the table. He whimpered, sighed, and lay down on the floor next to Joey.

         “Opa, Boy is hurt! What’s wrong with his leg?” Janice cried.

         Grandpa looked up and stopped working on his puzzle. “We brought him to see Dr. McFadden, the veterinarian. He took X-rays that showed Boy has elbow dysplasia. He has a joint disease in his left front elbow joint. He might have hurt himself running around in the yard, but Dr. McFadden said it is a genetic condition. Boy is on medication now to help with the pain. We will know if the new medication helps for now. If not, there might be something else that can be done. Boy can’t tell you if he is in pain. So, be gentle with him and make sure he is comfortable.”

 

Midge Curreri