A week and a half before Christmas the phone rings at John's house and
it's Mr. Decker on the line calling for him. "Hey, hello Mr. Decker,"
John says, "how are you, and how's the big boy doing?" I'm afraid I
have a bit of bad news for you John", he says. "What's the matter?",
John asks a little nervously. "I'm afraid son, there's been a little
accident," he tells him.. "Your pup fell off the back deck and took a
bad fall on his back leg and spine," he continued. "I'm afraid it
doesn't look very good" he tells him. "Will he live?", Mr. Decker",
John asks. With a heavy sigh, the old man says, "yes John, he'll live,
but he'll never be the puppy he was born to be". "The doctor says he
will be permanently damaged and he will always drag his back leg when he
walks." "Getting around will be more of a chore for him now, I'm
afraid", the old man says. "I'm really sorry John, for I know how much
you wanted to surprise your brother with this puppy for his Christmas
gift." John sits in silence listening intently to what Mr. Decker is
saying, but doesn't utter a word. "My son are you still there?", he
says. "Yes Mr. Decker sir, I am". The old man says to him," I still
have one of the other males left if you would like him instead". John
continues to listen without saying a word. "If you'd like John, you
can come and take a look at this other fellow." Just then John
interrupts him and says, "No Mr. Decker, I don't want the other puppy."
I understand John", he says. "I'm sorry I couldn't be of further
assistance to you and had to ruin your brother's Christmas present with
this sad news." "Naturally, I'll refund you your money", he tells the
boy. "Wait a minute, wait a minute", Mr. Decker John stops him. "Who
say's I don't want this puppy anymore"? "I'm still taking the pup." "I
don't understand John", Mr. Decker says. "He's no longer the pick of
the litter. He's now disabled. "With all due respect sir, if I may,
you are wrong about that" John challenges him. "It's not his legs or
gait that makes him the pick of the litter." "He still has that "I
think I'm special attitude" he's always had." "That's something that he
was born with". Although the physical may change, his attitude remains
the same. "He'll just have to try a little harder at everything, that's
all", John said in his defense. "Yes sir Mr. Decker, I'm still buying
my brother that puppy.
Christmas morning comes and John and his brother Mark go outside on the
patio so they can enjoy a cup of hot chocolate together. "Gee, it's
chilly out here Mark says, as he eagerly brings the hot liquid up to his
lips and cautiously takes a sip from the mug. Just then, they hear a
rustle from behind the hedge, and out pops a puppy's head from between
the thick branches. "My goodness, looks like a puppy somehow got caught
in the hedges in our yard", Mark says. With that, the pup manages to
untangle himself from the hedge and hobbles dragging his rear leg behind
him over to where we are sitting. He sees blankets hanging over the
sides of our chairs to keep our legs warm from the cold. A blustery
wind kicks up and blows our blankets around a bit. The pup decides this
is an invitation to play tug of war with the windswept blankets. With
will and determination, he manages to wrestle my brothers blanket to the
ground and struggling tries to make it up on his lap with his disabled
leg hanging over the side of my brother's chair while the good leg
pushes ever so harder to try to get to its destination without success.
The puppy falls to the ground and whimpering, he tries again. And once
again he falls to the ground. My brother taps his lap encouraging the
pup to try again. The pup barks at my brother as if to tell him "Can't
you see I'm trying, but I just can't do it". "Come on fella," my
brother invites him, again tapping his lap. The puppy continues to
whimper and circles him trying to figure another way to get up on his
lap. My brother reaches down and pats the pup on the top of his head
and tells him, "you can do it". With that the pup licks his hand and
once again begins the struggle of trying to reach the destination of
sitting on my brothers lap. This time he pulls with all his strength
with his front legs and pushes ever so harder with his good back leg.
He'll get no cooperation from his bad leg, so with one more thrust from
his strong body, he's finally triumphant and finds a comfortable spot on
my brothers lap to smother his face with his sloppy wet kisses and baby
breath, while nibbling at his ears. My brother has a broad smile on his
face hugging him and telling him ,"I knew you could do it".
Because it's so chilly, I pick my brother's blanket up off the ground to
cover his crippled legs and tuck it into the cushion of his wheel chair
so it won't blow away again. "Yes, brother, this bold little fella
certainly is a winner", Mark says flooding my heart with memories of
that car accident he was in three years ago and hearing the doctors tell
my parents through their sobs, "your sons hopes of ever being in the
Olympics are shattered forever". I find myself chuckling out loud
now. "Yeah, but now he's a star in the Special Olympics instead", I
whisper to myself. My brother turns to me and says, "hey what are you
doing over there, talking to yourself again John?" With that the wind
kicks up again and knocks one of the empty mugs off the table. The
puppy becomes restless and wants to go to investigate this foreign
invader laying at the foot of Mark's wheel chair, but he doesn't quite
know how to get down to do it. He looks up at my brother for
reassurance. My brother takes the pups little face in his hands and
looks him straight in the eye and says to him, "don't you ever give up,
he tells him, "you'll learn". With that the pup cautiously takes a leap
off my brothers lap and lands on the ground with a tumble and roll while
my brother and I laugh at the courage he shows. My brother says, "yes
John, he's certainly a winner". "I like his spirit and his spunk."
"This is one beautiful puppy", he tells me ignoring the obvious disabled
leg that twists grotesquely out to the one side as he sits there,
panting with his big tongue sticking out. "I wonder who this little
guy is and who he belongs to John", Mark continues. And I have the
satisfaction to say to him "Happy Holidays brother." "Say hello to your
Christmas Present." Mark sits in silence for several seconds before he
speaks again. My brother's eyes well up with tears and he swallows hard
and looking at me says , "and I will call this puppy Johnny for you
brother, because it was always you who tried the hardest; things came
too easily for me." " "It was you who always believed in me, you who
helped me train through all that physical therapy and you who rubbed
down this achy, disfigured body, and your heart, well your heart always
remained the same even when you were always being unfairly compared to
me." "Your heart Johnny, your heart, he sniffled. "It was always
true". " My gift is not this puppy.........he's just a messenger, a
reminder if you will, to help me tell you all these words that I forgot
to tell you all these years." "You my brother are my Christmas
present." The two brothers eyes stayed locked on one another for
another second longer knowing that no other words needed to be said and
then they looked down on the ground at the frisky little puppy who was
now fast asleep dreaming his little puppy dreams with his chubby little
body forming a bridge between the two brothers feet.
it's Mr. Decker on the line calling for him. "Hey, hello Mr. Decker,"
John says, "how are you, and how's the big boy doing?" I'm afraid I
have a bit of bad news for you John", he says. "What's the matter?",
John asks a little nervously. "I'm afraid son, there's been a little
accident," he tells him.. "Your pup fell off the back deck and took a
bad fall on his back leg and spine," he continued. "I'm afraid it
doesn't look very good" he tells him. "Will he live?", Mr. Decker",
John asks. With a heavy sigh, the old man says, "yes John, he'll live,
but he'll never be the puppy he was born to be". "The doctor says he
will be permanently damaged and he will always drag his back leg when he
walks." "Getting around will be more of a chore for him now, I'm
afraid", the old man says. "I'm really sorry John, for I know how much
you wanted to surprise your brother with this puppy for his Christmas
gift." John sits in silence listening intently to what Mr. Decker is
saying, but doesn't utter a word. "My son are you still there?", he
says. "Yes Mr. Decker sir, I am". The old man says to him," I still
have one of the other males left if you would like him instead". John
continues to listen without saying a word. "If you'd like John, you
can come and take a look at this other fellow." Just then John
interrupts him and says, "No Mr. Decker, I don't want the other puppy."
I understand John", he says. "I'm sorry I couldn't be of further
assistance to you and had to ruin your brother's Christmas present with
this sad news." "Naturally, I'll refund you your money", he tells the
boy. "Wait a minute, wait a minute", Mr. Decker John stops him. "Who
say's I don't want this puppy anymore"? "I'm still taking the pup." "I
don't understand John", Mr. Decker says. "He's no longer the pick of
the litter. He's now disabled. "With all due respect sir, if I may,
you are wrong about that" John challenges him. "It's not his legs or
gait that makes him the pick of the litter." "He still has that "I
think I'm special attitude" he's always had." "That's something that he
was born with". Although the physical may change, his attitude remains
the same. "He'll just have to try a little harder at everything, that's
all", John said in his defense. "Yes sir Mr. Decker, I'm still buying
my brother that puppy.
Christmas morning comes and John and his brother Mark go outside on the
patio so they can enjoy a cup of hot chocolate together. "Gee, it's
chilly out here Mark says, as he eagerly brings the hot liquid up to his
lips and cautiously takes a sip from the mug. Just then, they hear a
rustle from behind the hedge, and out pops a puppy's head from between
the thick branches. "My goodness, looks like a puppy somehow got caught
in the hedges in our yard", Mark says. With that, the pup manages to
untangle himself from the hedge and hobbles dragging his rear leg behind
him over to where we are sitting. He sees blankets hanging over the
sides of our chairs to keep our legs warm from the cold. A blustery
wind kicks up and blows our blankets around a bit. The pup decides this
is an invitation to play tug of war with the windswept blankets. With
will and determination, he manages to wrestle my brothers blanket to the
ground and struggling tries to make it up on his lap with his disabled
leg hanging over the side of my brother's chair while the good leg
pushes ever so harder to try to get to its destination without success.
The puppy falls to the ground and whimpering, he tries again. And once
again he falls to the ground. My brother taps his lap encouraging the
pup to try again. The pup barks at my brother as if to tell him "Can't
you see I'm trying, but I just can't do it". "Come on fella," my
brother invites him, again tapping his lap. The puppy continues to
whimper and circles him trying to figure another way to get up on his
lap. My brother reaches down and pats the pup on the top of his head
and tells him, "you can do it". With that the pup licks his hand and
once again begins the struggle of trying to reach the destination of
sitting on my brothers lap. This time he pulls with all his strength
with his front legs and pushes ever so harder with his good back leg.
He'll get no cooperation from his bad leg, so with one more thrust from
his strong body, he's finally triumphant and finds a comfortable spot on
my brothers lap to smother his face with his sloppy wet kisses and baby
breath, while nibbling at his ears. My brother has a broad smile on his
face hugging him and telling him ,"I knew you could do it".
Because it's so chilly, I pick my brother's blanket up off the ground to
cover his crippled legs and tuck it into the cushion of his wheel chair
so it won't blow away again. "Yes, brother, this bold little fella
certainly is a winner", Mark says flooding my heart with memories of
that car accident he was in three years ago and hearing the doctors tell
my parents through their sobs, "your sons hopes of ever being in the
Olympics are shattered forever". I find myself chuckling out loud
now. "Yeah, but now he's a star in the Special Olympics instead", I
whisper to myself. My brother turns to me and says, "hey what are you
doing over there, talking to yourself again John?" With that the wind
kicks up again and knocks one of the empty mugs off the table. The
puppy becomes restless and wants to go to investigate this foreign
invader laying at the foot of Mark's wheel chair, but he doesn't quite
know how to get down to do it. He looks up at my brother for
reassurance. My brother takes the pups little face in his hands and
looks him straight in the eye and says to him, "don't you ever give up,
he tells him, "you'll learn". With that the pup cautiously takes a leap
off my brothers lap and lands on the ground with a tumble and roll while
my brother and I laugh at the courage he shows. My brother says, "yes
John, he's certainly a winner". "I like his spirit and his spunk."
"This is one beautiful puppy", he tells me ignoring the obvious disabled
leg that twists grotesquely out to the one side as he sits there,
panting with his big tongue sticking out. "I wonder who this little
guy is and who he belongs to John", Mark continues. And I have the
satisfaction to say to him "Happy Holidays brother." "Say hello to your
Christmas Present." Mark sits in silence for several seconds before he
speaks again. My brother's eyes well up with tears and he swallows hard
and looking at me says , "and I will call this puppy Johnny for you
brother, because it was always you who tried the hardest; things came
too easily for me." " "It was you who always believed in me, you who
helped me train through all that physical therapy and you who rubbed
down this achy, disfigured body, and your heart, well your heart always
remained the same even when you were always being unfairly compared to
me." "Your heart Johnny, your heart, he sniffled. "It was always
true". " My gift is not this puppy.........he's just a messenger, a
reminder if you will, to help me tell you all these words that I forgot
to tell you all these years." "You my brother are my Christmas
present." The two brothers eyes stayed locked on one another for
another second longer knowing that no other words needed to be said and
then they looked down on the ground at the frisky little puppy who was
now fast asleep dreaming his little puppy dreams with his chubby little
body forming a bridge between the two brothers feet.
