Madison’s New Buddy

Being Brave

A few minutes later, Mrs. Wallace comes into the room to check on everyone. She notices that Madison is reading to Roger, and points out that for the first time, Buddy is in the main room with the other dogs! Madison’s work has really helped him adjust. Mrs. Wallace smiles warmly and points to a cage in the corner of the room.

Madison hops up and hurries over to be closer to Buddy. She didn’t even notice him! She settles into the cushion Mrs. Wallace placed in front of his cage. As usual, Buddy is anxiously pacing at the back of his cage, but he’s not whining. He watches Madison intently as she leans close, her book resting in her lap. She whispers that if Buddy is brave enough to be hanging out with all the dogs, then she’s brave enough to read to him.

Madison opens her book, and slowly begins to read aloud in a soft, steady voice. It takes a while at first. Madison focuses on remembering the techniques her reading specialist had taught her. She sounds out each word carefully, picturing the story in her mind as she goes. Every time she stumbles, she nervously looks up, her cheeks warming, thinking she’ll see her classmates laughing at her. But nobody is even listening to her. They’re all concentrating on their own books, heads bent over the pages.

By the time Madison finishes the first page, she feels more confident. And Buddy has even inched a little bit closer to her, his ears perked up and his eyes fixed on her face. Keiko points it out to Madison, and Sofia and Jasmine congratulate her. Madison, beaming, keeps reading the book. And each page gets a little bit easier. By focusing on making Buddy less afraid, it makes her less afraid, too.

Two weeks later, Madison is back at the shelter on a Saturday volunteering with her friends. As soon as she walks through the door, she runs over to Buddy to say hello. He’s standing at the front of his cage, wagging his tail and panting happily. He seems so much happier that Madison can hardly believe it, and she can’t help but grin at the change in him.

Mrs. Wallace says Buddy is making vast improvements. He’s gained a little bit of weight, and even let her trim his nails and brush his teeth yesterday. Madison, encouragingly, raises her fingers to his cage to give him a sniff. She’s surprised when he licks her fingers gently. Mrs. Wallace continues that Madison is a miracle worker. Because of Madison’s work, soon, Buddy will be ready for adoption. And whoever adopts him will have to read him a bedtime story every night.