Full Speed Ahead: My Journey with Kit

Before I know it, I am back in my room and everything is exactly as it was before I left. But I’m different. I know how sweet it is to have a pet to love, and my heart has a painful empty space in it now without Kit and Buddy. So I wander out into the living room and see my babysitter, Sophie, on the couch. I wave to her and she pulls her earphones off.

I sit down on the opposite end of the couch and quietly say hello to her. I think about how some of the people Kit and I met were so friendly to us. Despite our scruffy appearance, they helped us instead of judging us. Maybe I judged Sophie too swiftly. Maybe she hasn’t been ignoring me, but I’ve been ignoring her.

So I ask Sophie if she has any pets at home, and she breaks into a smile a mile wide. She says she has a dog from a rescue shelter. He’s a real sweetheart. He’s little and shy, so they named him Braveheart to build up his confidence.

I smile back and ask, if my mom thinks it’s okay, maybe she could bring Braveheart over when she comes to sit for me. Sophie says she would love to. And Braveheart would love it as well. Suddenly, I feel excited at the prospect of getting to know my babysitter. The funny thing about it is that she was here the whole time, but I just never thought about trying to get to know her. It was Kit who showed me how smart it is to make the best of a situation. I might not have my own dog, but I’ll be able to play with my sitter’s dog, which will be fun. And I have a feeling that spending time with Sophie will be fun, too.