Mac, Jack and the Stop Sign (A Story for Liam)

Mac, Jack and the Stop Sign
By: Kay Olds
Oh Hey! How are ya? Glad you came back to see me. There’s something I want to tell you. Do you have a minute? (Ha! Like I, Mac McCloy, could ever say anything in just a minute!!)
Okay then. I am going to tell you about the day I found Jack. He is my very best friend in the whole world. I know he is a dog, but anyone who has ever had a dog, especially a puppy, will understand.
My Poppa was coming to pick me up early one morning and we were going to Intracoastal City to inspect a barge. He is a marine surveyor and owns his own company. Sometimes I go along with him.
I decided to ride my bike that morning before he came, and usually I ride all over our neighborhood, but on this particular day, I didn’t want to be late for Poppa so I rode to the stop sign and back again. On my third trip to the stop sign, I had to move over more to the side of the road because a big truck was going by. I stopped and waited until he had passed by, then I started to get back on my bike. That’s when I heard it!! “Hey kid!” There was no one there! I heard it again. “Hey kid!” I was looking right at the stop sign when it said, “Hey kid, do you want a puppy?”
I slowly turned and looked all around me but there was no one there. Only the stop sign.
Now as you can imagine, my blood felt like ice water and my legs felt like Jell-o. Somehow I mustered the courage and said “Are you talking to me? Did you just ask me if I wanted a puppy?”
“I did,” said the stop sign.
“Where in the world would a stop sign get a puppy? And how is it that a stop sign can talk?” asked Mac.
“That’s a long story, best saved for another day. For now, there is a lost puppy right over there in the tall grass and I think by now it must be very hungry. Why don’t you take it home with you?” said the stop sign.
“Good idea,” said Mac. He walked over to the tall grass and began to search for the puppy, and sure enough, there was the cutest little puppy he had ever seen. Before he could do anything about it, Poppa drove up. I was going to walk my bike home, so I put the puppy in my shirt pocket. I was about to tell Poppa about the puppy but he picked up my bike and put it in the back of the truck and told me to get in. He phoned my mom and told her that he had the bike and me and we were on our way.
Poppa asked me how I was doing and did I need anything. “Well Poppa,” I said, “Funny you should ask! I need to know how to feed and care for a puppy.” Very gently, I removed him from my shirt pocket and showed him to Poppa.
He was a bit surprised, but being the cool Poppa that he is, he smiled and said what a fine looking pup he is and asked if I had named him yet.
“Jack. He looks like a Jack.” At the time, I had never heard of a Jack Russell Terrier, but that is what he turned out to be, so seems like I chose the perfect name and it also rhymes with Mac.
My Poppa drove along until we saw a sign for a vet’s office and we stopped and took the pup in for a visit. They took us in right away because no one knew how old the pup was or how long he had been without food.
Dr. Daley, the vet, was so nice and gentle with Jack. She gave us a small bottle and some formula to give him with an instruction sheet to read. Poppa bought Jack a beautiful little carry case to travel with, and we set out on our way.
Once we were back on the road again, Poppa phoned my parents and told them all about Jack. I thought they might be a little upset about having a puppy, but they were both okay with it. In fact they could barely wait to see him.
We had fun on that trip, the first of many. Poppa stopped about every 20 minutes and we set Jack in the grass to let him relieve himself. One time Poppa said in a very puppy-like voice, “Come wipe me, Daddy!” and he threw back his head in laughter when I gave him a look that clearly said, “Are you crazy???” No way am I wiping a puppy’s butt!
Jack slept a lot that day, curled up in my arms. I could hardly take my eyes off of him. Every once in awhile Poppa would reach over and tousle my hair and pet the pup. “Yep!” said Poppa, “I think you have a new friend.”
By the way, no one knows how I actually found Jack, so I think I will just keep it between you and me. After all, who would believe in a talking stop sign!