This is the story of a dog named Bandy. She was what some people like to call a mutt. You know, the kind of dog that has a shaggy coat and a short stubby tail, and so many different colors of brown, gold, and gray that you get dizzy if you look at them too long. The kind of dog that always seemed out of place, no matter where you went.
When my mother was a girl, she was a bit like Bandy; not the most popular pup in the litter, didn’t get the best grades, did not have the latest fashions, which every girl at her school just had to have. She also walked to school, which was considered very uncool.
She made her way home one afternoon, having had the worst possible day. Bad grade on a math test, lost her history essay, had forgotten her lunch—need I say more? It was just a rotten day. She rounded the corner and saw a very peculiar sight: a large box labeled FREE PUPPIES. Inside the box was one little mutt that no one seemed to have wanted.
She couldn’t stand to leave it there, so she took the little puppy out of its box. Immediately it began to lick her face. It was love at first sight. At that instant my mother knew she was going to keep it. My mother decided to call her Bandy, because she found her abandoned.
Although there are no remaining photos of Bandy, her memory will live on forever. She helped my mother understand the importance of life and affection. She guided my mother to appreciating everything and everyone as much as possible.
Our thanks to the person who left her there.