“Good morning Mr. Sanchez,” I happily greeted my new boss.

“Hello Alexandra. You can go help Joe at cash register ten.”
I had just started working at Mr. Big Bucks Super Market. Since I was only fourteen, Mr. Sanchez started me off as bag girl.

After bagging groceries for Joe half the day, it was finally time for lunch.

I walked over to the employee locker room. As I plopped down on the bench, I started to eat my peanut butter sandwich. I put my sandwich down on top of the paper bag and picked up my water. When I put my water down and reached for my sandwich, I noticed there was a huge bite mark in it. I felt my teeth. I know my mouth is big, I just didn’t know it was that big. I finished that half of my sandwich and reached down for the other. It wasn’t there. Oh no!

“Hewo?” I called my mouth half full of sandwich. I saw a tail go around a wall of lockers. I grabbed my water bottle and held it like a club.

I swallowed my bit of sandwich and added nervously, “I’m warning you! This isn’t funny!”

I heard a bark and was barreled over by a young golden retriever. I screamed in terror as I hit the floor.

The dog sat down on my stomach and started lapping my face.

At last, the locker room doors burst open and a bus load of employees poured in.

“Alexandra, what is it?” Joe asked.

“’Bout time!” I shouted.

“Oh it’s just Molly!” Joe called back to everyone. He gently lifted Molly off of me.

As I wiped the peanut butter slobber from my face, I watched as Joe placed her gently down on the ground.

“Poor girl, I must’ve forgotten to feed her,” said Mr. Sanchez as he pet Molly’s fluffy head.

“That explains a few things,” I said under my breath. “Whose is she?”

“For the time being, she belongs to the store,” he said walking to a corner of the room. He beckoned me to come over.

In the corner was a dog bed, a shelf with a dog brush, dog food, dog shampoo, and dog toys. Also, there were two bowls, one for food and one for water. On the wall there was a hook with a leash.

“Each week, one of the employees takes her to their house to give her a bath in the tub or in a basin outside. On lunch breaks, they take her for a walk and feed her and sometimes even play with her or brush her.” Mr. Sanchez explained.

“I found her out back by the dumpster looking for food,” said Joe. “She was a stray so we decided to let her stay here so she can have one big family. Just wondering Alexandria, but, know anyone who wants a dog? She gets lonely sometimes when we have to leave.”

Molly walked over to me and nudged my hand with her nose. I bent down to pet her. She was very soft and fluffy. She seemed to really like me and I could say the same about her.


At five o’clock, I went to see Molly one more time before I left for the day.

She jumped up and ran over to say hi. “Hey girl,” I whispered. “I’ll ask my mom if I can keep you.” I kissed her on the top of her head. Her tail wagged so fast, it blew some papers from the bench to the floor. I giggled.

I practically flew home on my bike.

“Mom! Mom! Mom!” I yelled as I flung open the back door.

‘What? What? What?” she called from down the hall. She was sitting in her “workshop” working on a new painting.

“That medieval knight looks awesome mom!”

“Alright, what do you want?”

“There is this really cute puppy named Molly who lives at the Mr. Big Buck’s Super Market. Mr. Sanchez and Joe asked if I knew anyone who wanted a dog!” I quickly explained Molly’s tragic beginning and begged my mom about a hundred times if I could have Molly.

“You can take care of her for a week like all the other employees. If Mr. Sanchez likes the way you take care of her, then maybe you can have her.”

“Thank you so much mom!”

For the next week, I took care of Molly. I washed her, fed her, walked her, brushed her and took care of her in the best ways that I could. But I guess that didn’t pay off.

“I’m sorry Alex,” Mr. Sanchez said comfortingly, “But I think she is still to young to change homes already. How about in October?”

“But-But that’s six months away!” I complained.

When I walked inside, my mom was painting a happy birthday sign.

“Hi honey. How would you like a pool party?” she asked.

“I don’t know.”

“Well hurry up and choose sweetie, your birthday, April 15, is two days away!”

“Sure,” I replied unenthusiastically, “But, could you call my friends, I’m feeling kind of tired.”

“Okay sweetie.”

My party was a lot of fun and the food was great. My friends and I played Marco Polo and water polo in my pool. I was having so much fun, I almost forgot about my wish for Molly.

At the end of the party, my mom brought out the cake and placed it in front of me.

“Make a wish honey.”

I made my wish and blew out the candles. As my mom cut the cake and passed the pieces around, my friends all asked me what I wished for.

I hesitated a minute, not wanting to let down my friends, but at the same time, I didn’t want to risk the wish not coming true if I told; I wanted Molly to be mine.

“Time for presents,” my mom announced.

Saved by the presents!

Everyone rushed to grab their presents and then waved them in my face begging me to open theirs first.

I chose to open the small golden box from my family.

Carefully I untied the yellow ribbon and lifted the gold lid. Inside, there was a gold dog tag on a red collar. The tag said “Molly 555-432-1101 13 Stacey Circle.”

I heard a bark and from behind the house galloped an eager Molly with Mr. Sanchez close behind.

My mom looked at me and smiled, “She’s all yours.”