By MATTHEW TARICA | Contributing Writer
The Palisadian-Post has partnered with Paul Revere Charter Middle School to highlight a series of pieces from its 2020 Literary Anthology. The following piece originally appeared in the anthology, released in spring, and has been reprinted here with permission.
I was sitting on a hot summer bench and occasionally walking around. I was 12 years old and I was ready to bust because I could not keep in all the excitement I had for what was coming. The day had reached its peak of eighty five degrees. My younger brother and two parents were with me. We were at John Wayne Airport Cargo Terminal waiting at the live package delivery zone. I was watching the planes glide down from the sky as they hit the ground. Then I saw an airport delivery truck drive by. I ran after it knowing what was inside.
When we had gotten to the unloading zone we saw our new puppy for the first time. The little guy looked scared after being on a five-hour flight. He had a black snout and tail, a red body like a fox, and a white belly like a penguin. These were the colors of a true sesame Shiba Inu. He was the cutest thing I have ever seen. Soon we got in our car with our new little puppy. While in the car, I felt the dog’s fluffy fur. He looked as if he wouldn’t hurt a fly. It made me feel a sense of calm. He already had a name: Romeo.
After a two-hour car ride we got home and began to run around. My brother and I played with Romeo for a while, and he seemed to just keep getting faster and faster. Then my brother and I got tired and went back inside. While inside he began to nibble on everything, from wood to shoes to pillows. Romeo also began to play and bite people.
Very quickly I began to get mad with this eight-week-old puppy. He was constantly barking and biting my feet. Nobody could catch up with him because he was too fast. His cute face just wasn’t enough to make up for all the chaos. It was like we let a pack of hungry foxes into our house, along with their horrid wet smell. I could feel all the chaotic thoughts coming from the little puppy.
By evening I was almost at my tipping point of having to stop Romeo from doing stuff. Then Romeo fell asleep. Then I remembered all the reasons why I got Romeo in the first place. I began to pet Romeo again and I felt like nothing else mattered. The feeling I felt after I touched Romeo was the best thing I have ever felt. Even if he smelled like a wet and stinky dog, I felt complacent. It was better than a million pillows made from the softest wool being around me all at once.
Within seconds I knew I would always love Romeo. I also learned that I will never judge something by a first impression.
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