麻豆社

By Maya A

From the very first day Patch knew he was different. He knew he was the puppy nobody would ever want to join their families. He was the runt of the litter. All his brothers and sisters looked immaculate but he had wonky ears and different colour eyes and he just knew he wasn't perfect like them. Then day by day, all his beautiful, perfect siblings were chosen to be part of different families; everyone except him. Every time someone came to buy a puppy they would say 'he's ugly, there is no way I am having him!' And so he was left behind.

Then one gloomy, miserable day, a friendly looking man came along and took the excited little Patch away. Patch thought he'd finally been chosen, but the poor little puppy was wrong. Later that day, he found himself locked in a compact cage and realised he was not in a family he was in a re-homing centre! All around him he could see dogs of every description: crafty, cuddly, curious Cocker Spaniels; perfect, polite Poodles; smooth, shiny Sausage dogs, but they never stayed for long. Week by week they were all chosen to go to live with new families.

Then one rainy day several weeks after he'd arrived, a kind-hearted dachshund who seemed to be extremely wise gave him some advice. "Why are you looking so grim?" he asked, "it's visiting day tomorrow". Patch replied sadly, "No one ever chooses me. Because of my wonky ears and different colour eyes everyone thinks I'm ugly." "Ah" exclaimed the kind, dachshund "what you're forgetting is that we don't have to wait for people to choose us, we can choose them and then show them that we are their perfect match. All you have to do is get their attention and make them realise just how great you are." After what the dachshund had said Patch decided he was going to choose his perfect owner on the next visiting day.

The day arrived bright and sunny and Patch jumped around his cage excitedly. As the glorious day went on, Patch spotted his new owner, a little red-haired girl in a wheelchair. As she went past Patch's cage he quietly barked and looked at her with his big, oddly-coloured eyes. She turned and noticed him and smiled for a moment before excitedly calling to her mum "Mum, I've chosen the little puppy I want. He's a bit like me as he's a little different from the other dogs. But I think he's perfect and I want him, no doubt about it." As Patch was lifted from his cage, he felt his heart pound with joy and his tail wag up and down like never before. From their very first cuddle they each knew they had found their perfect match. For the first time ever, Patch finally felt loved and knew that at last he was the chosen one!