“Hey Dad, can we get a dog?!” I ask my Dad hoping he’d say yes.

“No!” he replies.

“Okay,” I say.

I’m one of those kids who gets denied very easily and is fine with it, but not this time.
Nothing or no one will stop me from getting this dog. I want this badly and I will get a dog.

It is the beginning of the baseball season and our little league team is set to win some games. We all have been training hard for this season and we are ready to go.

The season doesn’t start off too hot…0-8. Our team is not very good, except we have 3 of the best top 15 kids of the league: Jack, Eric, and me. We all thought we were going to destroy everyone, but not my Dad who thought we were going to go 0-12. So far, he’s right. The next 4 games went very well for our team: we won 3 games and lost 1 with a final record of 3-9. We are the last seed going into the Playoffs, which means we play the number 1 seed.

I wasn’t done with this dog thing with my dad. My sister and I were going to try everything we can. We decide to try one plan at a time and see which one works best. The first is of course the begging phase.

“Dad, Please! I will do anything!” I exclaimed.

“Mm, let me think about that…NO!”

“Why not? Grace and I will take great care of her!” I said.

“Right now Kevin, it’s 20% yes and 80% no, but if you prove to me over the next few weeks that you are capable of handling a dog. I will take it into consideration of getting a dog for you and Gracie on her birthday,” my Dad said hoping he won’t regret it.

“Okay, I’ll do anything! Thanks Dad!” I declared.

Wow! The first phase went very well; I guess we don’t need the others.

A few weeks later…

“Dad, it’s been a few weeks…How did I do?” I ask my Dad.

“Kevin, you did very well and I came to a decision that we will get a dog for your sister’s birthday!” he replies.

“Really?! Thanks Dad! When are we going to get the dog?” I question.

“That’s what I want to talk to you about. If you hit a home-run today, we will go and get the dog today. Deal?” he declares.

“Deal!”

“Alright boys, this is a big game for us. We definitely do not want to lose this first Playoff game. That will put us in a very bad situation. We have to focus and get ready for the game. Jack you’re on the mound for us today. We have first ups, so let’s get off to a great start and get a few early runs!” my dad shouted to my team.

“Yeah!” we screamed back.

“Alright Kevin, lead us in our cheer!”

“2-1 on three…1, 2, 3! 2-1, 2-1, we are Century 21! Woo!”

“Come on Eric! What do you say here kid?” I said while Eric was in the batter’s box.

“Smack! A single up the middle,” The announcer exclaimed.

“Yeah there you go kid! Wait to start us off,” I declared.

Jack Mongey is now up to bat, but he gets a quick pop-up and he’s out.

It’s now my turn up to bat. “Just remember Kevin, you hit a home-run…you get a dog!” I think to myself.

First pitch is a strike, but I don’t like it. Second pitch comes and I load up, but it’s outside, ball.

“1-1 count,” the umpire says.

The next pitch comes and I feel this is my pitch. As the pitch is coming, I try to stay as calm as I could. However, on the inside, I am about to explode! I watch the ball all the way until it hits my bat.


“That ball is going, going, going, gone! Home-run by Kevin! That puts Century 21 up by 2!” the announcer says aloud.

“Yes! I did it! I’m going to get a dog! I did it! I can’t believe it!” I thought to myself. I walk right over to my Dad, when I got inside the dugout.

“Atta boy Kev, but I was just kidding. You have to hit two home-runs if you want to get your dog today,” my Dad exclaims.

I hear my Dad say this and I went from the biggest smile in the world, to the world’s biggest frown. I try to keep my head up and I say back to him, “Alright, I can do that.”

The inning continues and we almost got through our entire batting order. We get out on to the field and Jack just dominates. We get a quick three and out, so we are now up again.

The last two batters of our order get a quick two outs, so it’s the top of order and now it’s time to go to work again. Eric does the same thing as his first at bat and singles up the middle. Jack hits a line drive to the fence which turns into a double. Eric is now on third and Jack is on second. It’s my turn to bat again.

I block out everything that’s on my mind and focus on this at bat. I look at the first three pitches. Two balls and one strike.

I hear the fans screaming “Come on Kevin, just like last time!”

I hear this and I feel like I have the weight of the world on my shoulders. If I don’t hit this second homerun, my family may never get this dog.

Once again, I focus on the ball coming across the plate.

“Smack! The ball hits bat, but I don’t feel like I got enough of it for it to be a home-run. I watch the ball and it keeps traveling and traveling and traveling.

Then I heard the announcer say “That ball is traveling! Does it have enough distance? That ball is going, going, going, gone! Kevin with is second home-run of the day and that puts century 21 up by 5 runs!”

“I actually did it, again! My Dad has to get me a dog!” I think to myself as I touch home plate and feel my teammates smack my back and helmet. The crowd’s cheers are like music to my ears. I am so excited, I can barely even walk. The distinguishing smell of popcorn and cotton candy is a smell that I will never forget. I hear my Dad tell me that I did it and those words stuck with me for months… “Congratulations Kevin, you earned yourself a dog!”

Our team went on to eventually win the rest of the game. I ended up going 4-5 with two home-runs, a single and a double. We ended up winning the championship with our dominating pitching, hitting, and fielding.

My Dad and I set off to go get our new dog. As soon as I laid my eyes on her, I knew that she is going to be the perfect puppy. Her little whimpers are like a cat’s small meow. Her eyes shine bright like two stars. We decide to name her Coco because of her dark brown fur color. When we gave her to my sister, she went going crazy! It was a great day for my family and it’s a day that I will never forget.