Blue Ribbon

another short-story that i wrote for all you people...
My name is Megan Branson. Today is my birthday. I turned five today. Everyone calls me Meg. I wish people would stop treating me like a small child now. I am after all five years old.

Today is my birthday and I should feel special according to daddy. But I feel no such pleasure today. My dog Maggie died a week ago. I loved Maggie more than anything in the world and miss her immensely. There is a void in my life that I know will never be filled in my life.

I have known Maggie since I was born. She was my constant companion at home along with nanny. She was the best dog a person could ever hope for. When I was three, she saved me from dying by pulling me out of the water tub that my parents had bought for me. My nanny had been slightly careless and left me happily splashing in the water to go to the toilet. I put my head under the water to see how it looked and suddenly I could not breathe. Then Maggie pulled me out of the tub and saved my life. A couple of day later, I had a new nanny.

Mommy tells me that they brought Maggie home when they were trying to have a baby and could not. I came along when Maggie was three years old. They were told that they should get rid of Maggie because dogs cause infections in young children but my parents loved Maggie too much to let her go. So they kept her.

“Daddy, where do we go when we die?” I asked.
“If we are good, then we go to heaven.” Daddy said distracted while buttering his toast.
“Then Maggie must have gone to heaven daddy. She was the best dog ever.” I said with tears in my eyes.

Daddy put down his butter knife and looked at me. Then he picked me up from my chair and sat me down on his lap.
“So what do you want for your birthday?” Daddy asked me.
“Can I have Maggie back?” I asked timidly.
He sighed. Mommy was looking at me with concern. I felt like crying. I missed Maggie so much.
“Sweetie, Maggie was a good dog. We all loved her. But now she has gone to god. We can’t be selfish and hope that all good things are for us, can we?” Mommy said taking me in her arms.
“But all I wanted was Maggie. If god wanted something from me, he could have Ellie. I love him too, but I would have given him to god. I want Maggie back. Mommy, can you ask god if we can exchange them? As my birthday present?” I looked hopefully at mommy.
Ellie is my bear. He sleeps with me and protects me everyday.

She smiled and gave me a kiss. I hate it when she doesn’t answer my questions. “Pumpkin, God wanted Maggie and that’s why he took her away. She was a good dog and that’s why god has rewarded her by sending her to heaven.”
“Mommy, am I good?” I asked her innocently.
“Yes honey, you are the best daughter.” She said smiling.
“Then can I go to God? If he can’t give me Maggie back, can I go to Maggie?” I said.
“No sweetheart, he will call you when you’re ready to go.” Mommy replied patiently.
“Mommy?”
“Yes honey?” she said turning back to me exasperatedly.
“Can I visit Maggie today? It’s my birthday. Ask god, please?” I begged her.

“Sweetie, only people who die can go to heaven. You can’t visit. Now tell me quickly what you want for your birthday. Do you want a party?” Mommy said trying to cheer me up.
“No.” I said morosely, looking at the floor.
“Okay. How about a friend for Ellie?” she asked me.
“No.”
“Okay, do you want a surprise?” Mommy said brightly.
“No.” I said and sat on my chair.
Mommy sighed.
“At least, finish your cheerios. Then get out of those jammies and into that nice dress that daddy bought for you last month.”
“I don’t want to.” I said morosely.

“Stop being difficult child.” Mommy scolded me.
“Do you think Maggie would have liked it if you stood around moping here all day?”

But I wasn’t listening to mommy anymore. I was looking out the window at the garden where Maggie and I used to play everyday. The ball which I threw to Maggie everyday was still lying there. It reminded me of the amount of fun Maggie and I had. The water tub was also there where I gave Maggie baths. She used to love being bathed and then dried and then I combed her long golden hair. She would lick me to death after that. I had prayed to God to take good care of Maggie everyday.

I walked out of the kitchen and sat down on the stairs. Mommy and daddy thought I had gone back to my bedroom.
“She has been so sullen lately.” Daddy said to mommy.
“It’s Maggie. Give her time, she’ll forget and learn to move on.” Mommy said.
“Today is her birthday. I thought she would be happy. I miss the bouncy little Megan that used to come down everyday and ask me in that adorable voice, ‘What’s for breakfast daddy?’ Nowadays, she just looks so forlorn.” Daddy said.

“Give her time. Maggie was around since before she was born. She misses her terribly, that’s all.” Mommy said.

“What do we pick up for her birthday? She obviously doesn’t want a party.” Daddy said.

“I’ll ask her and call you at work.” Mommy said to daddy as I headed back to my room.

I picked up the photo of me and Maggie lying at my bedside and petted Maggie. I cried myself to sleep. I loved her so.

Mommy woke me up. “Sweetie what’s the matter? Come downstairs. Daddy brought a present for you. It’s in the kitchen.” She said and then whispered conspiratorially, “It’s a surprise.”
I love surprises. Even though, I missed Maggie I couldn’t resist a surprise.

I went down into the kitchen. There was a box with a blue ribbon lying on the table. I opened the box and a small, cute little puppy looked up at me with scared eyes and I fell in love with him. Mommy and daddy walked in carrying a strawberry cake and singing “Happy Birthday” for me. My eyes filled with tears and he looked at me with concern. I picked him up to kiss him and he licked the tears of my face