Prints in the Sand: My Journey with Nanea

I know Mango’s family misses him, but he trusts us. And this curfew thing sounds official. We wouldn’t want to be late. So I suggest we wait until tomorrow morning.

So, Nanea and I snuggle into her bed with Mele and Mango. Mele decides it’s too crowded, so she hops to the floor to sleep, but Mango is perfectly content between our feet. Pretty soon, he’s snoring away.

In the darkness, I whisper to Nanea that I wish Mango was mine. He makes me forget how much I miss Dad. Nanea says dogs are like that. She brings Mele to visit soldiers at the hospital, and it helps them forget about their injuries for a while and reminds them of home. She calls it Operation Mele Medicine. You don’t need to have a dog of your own. Sometimes, you just need to borrow someone else’s, even for just a few minutes.

I smile to myself. I wish I could have a dose of Mango Medicine every day.