LITTLE SAMMY’S BIRTHDAY PRESENT
Little Sammy was lying on the living room floor. It was Saturday morning and he was colouring animals in a big book his mummy bought him for Christmas, and thinking what proper school would be like. Yesterday his mummy brought him home from nursery school for the last time. She told him he would be five in one week. Little Sammy was what everybody called him, because his daddy’s name was Sam.
He was colouring in a tiger but not in black and yellow as it should have been. He was using red blue and green. He looked up as he heard someone coming. It was his mummy. She knelt down beside him, looking at what he had coloured in. she laughed, put her arms around him and kissed him on the forehead. Then said, ‘That’s a Tiger, my darling. It should be black and yellow. Little Sammy looked up at his mummy’s smiling face and giggled. She never scolded him for anything. if he did anything wrong she would run her fingers through his blond hair and tell him in a pleasant voice the right and wrong way to do it. Sammy’s mummy then led him to the settee, sat him down on her knee and placed her hands around his back so he would not fall off.’you know its your birthday next Saturday, Sammy. What would you like for a present?
His blue eyes lit up as he said,’I want a dog please;
His mother was not surprised at his choice. Every dog in the street was his pal. Now put your colouring book and pencils away, Sammy, and we’ll go and get you a nice friendly dog;
Little Sammy was jumping up and down in front of his mummy shouting what kind of dog will it be mummy?
I have a friend, Patsy Brown, She has two dogs. I am not going to tell you what kind but you can chose one of them. The family is moving to Australia.
What is Australia, mummy?’ asked Sammy with a puzzled look on his face.
Its just another county where people go to live, she said. She then rang Patsy Brown who said it would be all right to go and see the dogs.
Little Sammy thought Mrs Brown was a nice lady as she led them through her house into her garden. She pointed to the two dogs with another boy. He was bigger than Sammy. Patsy said they were two Border Collies I will leave you to look them over. As they walked over towards the dogs the other boy started crying. Sammy went over to him. Why are you crying? You have come to take my dogs away. You’re horrid and I don’t like you. Then he ran away.
Sammy he’s very upset said his mother.
Then both dogs came trotting towards them. I will leave you to play with them, then you can chose which one you want’ said his mummy. She turned and walked towards the house. Sammy held his arms out to the dogs and they came beside him, the brown and white one on his right, the black and white one on his left. He sank to his knees between them. They both put their noses close to his face, then after sniffing him they licked his cheeks and then his ears. This made him laugh. He was very happy, but which one should I choose.
Little Sammy was surprised when the brown dog whispered into his right ear’ and said are you going to be our new friend. Sammy turned his head and was about to shout out that the brown and white dog had spoken to him. Don’t tell anyone I spoke to you they will not believe you. And my dear friend said the black and white we will never talk to you again.
Sammy looked from on to the other. Have you got names? I would like to know them please.
The brown and white dog said my name is Sandy.
The black and white one said my name is Blacky.
Thank you very much now I have to choose one of you.
You can’t just choose one of us said Blacky. You see my dear friend, we are brothers so we will not live apart so you will have to ask your mother can you have us both.’
Both Brenda Woods and Patsy Brown were saying how well the three of them were getting on when little Sammy came running back to them. He stopped and looked up at his mummy and said can I have both dogs mummy. Please can I? They both like me, and I like them.’