A warm, wet summer breeze caressed my face as it traveled through the open window. The smell of my Grandma’s chocolate chip cookies kissed my nostrils invitingly. My mother was away for the day, out running errands, and my sisters and I were being watched by our Grandma. We all joyously partook of the freshly baked treats she had prepared, and decided to play in the backyard. I was happily swinging on the swing set my father made when my Grandma told me to take my dog Bailey out of the house for a walk.
I walked leisurely up the steps of the porch and into the house. Bailey was barking and was excited at my presence. I let him out of his kennel and he leapt on me enthusiastically. He was a Beagle and was very energetic. He also had a habit of doing what he wasn’t supposed to. As I opened the front door, he pushed past me and sprinted away. Determined to right my wrong, I slapped sandals on my feet and ran after him.
Bailey had always been a speedy canine, and I quickly fell behind. He soon, however, reached the creek that flowed behind my house. He ran along the edge of it until he discovered a makeshift bridge made of several wooden boards and padded across. I inched along the precarious ledge until I made it to the other side. I sigh of relief escaped my lips. I hadn’t fallen into the shallow waters below.
By the time I had crossed the bridge, Bailey was far ahead of me. I sprinted as fast as the short legs of an eight year old can, and soon caught sight of him. He was happily frolicking in the grass of a stranger’s front lawn with a large Golden Retriever. Not knowing how to separate the two playful animals, I made a feeble attempt to grab Bailey’s collar. He avoided me with ease and continued to play. He soon became bored with the Golden Retriever and began a quest for a new playmate. It didn’t take him long to discover a lonely Schnauzer looking for a friend.
Bailey must have gone through at least five different dogs when I finally lost sight of my mischievous pet. I was discouraged, weary, and I soon realized I was completely lost. Fear began to seep in my mind like water down a drainpipe on a rainy day. I took a deep breath. “I have to calm down and follow the way I came,” I said to myself.
Getting back to my house wasn’t as daunting a task as I expected, but the sight that greeted my return was anything but pleasant. Instead of being hailed as a hero, I saw my Grandma crying, bordering on hysterical, and a family friend in his car about to go look for me. “What were you doing? Never run off like that again!” said Grandma, hugging me tightly.
When my Father returned from work, I told him of Bailey’s escape. We hopped into his truck and began to hunt down our lost companion. We searched for several hours, but to no avail. The sun was a huge red orb in the sky, and was falling slowly but surely into obscurity. My Dad dropped me off at home and continued the search on his own. My spirits were low and the amazing sense of optimism that all young children seem to posses was being drained from me like sap from a pine. Just as I had given up all hope of getting him back, Bailey charged triumphantly through the door and began licking my face. My Father had found him several miles from home playing in a stranger’s yard with their dogs. It had been a long day for both of us, and we quickly fell asleep, both glad to be home and reunited.