The Accident

The world was a wonderful place in this time they call spring. I ran and played in my yard. I explored in the woods and learned to walk in the water of the creek or jump from rock to rock. I especially liked walking on stonewalls on the hill behind our house. Then one terrible Friday in April I got hit by the tire of a pickup truck. I cried and cried. My people rushed me to my vet and then it was a long drive to a hospital. I licked everyone I could to let them know I was a good dog. I don't remember much now about those days at the hospital after my surgery. At last my people came to take me home. I had to wear an awful contraption on my head and they had to hold up my rear legs with a sling. I wasn't allowed to run and play anymore. I had to take pills all the time and stay in my crate. My dad carried me outside when I had to go. It was an awful time for a boy that just wanted to jump and run.

This is the story of a little dog's life. I am that dog and my name is Clive. I was born in Ohio in the cold month of November when the world was covered with snow. In January I met my people in Erie, PA, and I remember lying on the floor snuggled between two feet for the long, long drive to my new home. The early days were brutal when I had to go out every night at 3am and the temperature was only 10 degrees. The snow was so icy my feet didn't even break through. My new people liked to take me for walks in the woods and to a place called the creek where I could hear something rumbling under the snow. I found delicious round brown balls to eat everywhere I went. My people were always saying, "Yuck, that's disgusting! No!" Obviously they didn't know what they were talking about. It wasn't long till I was sleeping through the night and they told me what a wonderful dog I was. I found out that when you humor them you get treats. I do love treats, especially carrots. Finally, the day came when the white disappeared and the world turned green.