A New Home for Maizzy

A New Home for Maizzy

Written and Illustrated by Cathy Hartt

Maia-N-Isaac Publishing

Video version at bottom of page

Positive Psychology Short Stories for Kids

It was the day after Thanksgiving and Granca slept late, because eating too much makes her sleepy.  Once the sun came up, though, she opened her eyes and remembered!  “This is the day! This is the day!” she exclaimed.  She was so excited that she jumped out of bed wearing only her pajamas, and ran out into the driveway to wake up Mini Pearl.  It is a good thing it was very foggy and Granca’s neighbors could not see her! 

 

“Mini Pearl, Mini Pearl, wake up and get ready because today is the day!” shouted Granca.  Mini Pearl opened her eyes real wide and gave a little honk, and then scratched her hood (because cars don’t have heads).   “I hope this means we are going on a road trip, Granca,” said Mini.  “Because I love road trips.”  

“Oh, Mini,” said Granca, “Today is the day we go to the animal sanctuary to find a dog to go on road trips with us.”  Mini smiled a little, just thinking about road trips always made her happy.  “What is an animal sanctuary?” she asked. 

Granca explained to Mini that an animal sanctuary is a place where cats, dogs, horses, donkeys and other animals stay while they are waiting to find new homes.  “Oh, something like the car lot you got me from?” asked Mini.  Granca smiled and said, “Well, yea, something a lot like that, Mini.” 

“Now, get your fog lights ready while I get dressed and have breakfast, because it is a bit of a drive through the country to the animal sanctuary,” said Granca  In a few minutes they were headed down the road.

They drove for about an hour through little towns called Olathe, Delta and Crawford.   It was less foggy when they got to the country, near the sanctuary.  Granca dug out her directions and Mini tuned-up her GPS.  Pretty soon, they took a curvy dirt road past the horses and donkeys.  And, off in the distance, there were lots and lots big pens with dogs in them.  “Ah, we found the right road,” said Granca, sounding a little relieved. 

When they got there, a lady named Sheryl came out and greeted them.  She was assigned to find just the right dog for Granca.  They went into a big building with lots of different dogs.  Mini waited outside, of course.

Sheryl knew Granca was looking for a small dog . . . so she took Granca into a couple of cages to meet dogs.  And, there were dogs, dogs, dogs, I tell you.  There was every size and shape of dog you could imagine in those cages. 

In the first cage, was a cute little brown dog, who seemed happy enough to meet Granca.  She was quiet and liked to chase her tail.  She was a funny little short-legged, long-bodied dog with pointy ears.  Sheryl told Granca that this dog had lived with lots of cats before, so they thought she might be just the right match. 

After they looked in a few more cages, Sheryl had Granca sit in a little chair and she went and got two dachshund dogs that jumped all over Granca and barked a lot.  They were really lively little things, and Granca was afraid that they would scare her cats.  So, she told Sheryl she would take the little brown dog with pointy ears. 

 

When Granca came out with Sheryl and the little dog, Mini Pearl winked just a little.  Only Granca noticed, of course.  “I think Mini likes this little dog, too,” thought Granca.  So, they tied the dog’s leash to Mini’s seat belt and away they went, back up the windy road and through the little towns.

On the way home, Granca asked Mini, “What should I name her?”  Mini thought for a minute and said, “I think Mini Pearl is a good name for her!”  Granca laughed because she would not be able to keep them straight if they both had the same name.  “Oh, Mini,” she said, “You are named for my Grandma, Minnie Pearl.  My grandma always kept me safe when I was little, just like you keep me safe.  That name is just for you, not the new dog.”

Mini got real quiet for a moment and then she smiled so big that Granca was afraid her hood would pop open.  “Mini,” said Granca, “Be careful. I don’t want your belts to fall out on the dirt road.”  Mini reassured Granca that she was just smiling.  “But, I have a name for our dog,” said Mini. “I think we should name her after your grandkids, Maia and Isaac.”  “That’s a cool idea, Mini, but she only needs one name,” replied Granca.  

They both thought, as they drove down the road with the little dog sound asleep in Mini’s passenger seat.  Mini tried hard not to hit any bumps, because she liked the little creature and wanted to let her snooze peacefully. 

But, then, all of a sudden, Mini let out a loud and crazy “HONK!”  “I have it,” she proclaimed happily.  “I have a name for our pup.”  “Ok,” asked Granca, “What is it?”  “Maizzy! – Spelled like Daisy but pronounced like Maia and Isaac (whose nick name is Izzy) put together,” shouted Mini Pearl. 

“I like it a lot,” said Granca.  “Plus,” she added, “If you are named for my grandma and she is named for my grandkids, it is like you are related!  Let’s see – you would be Maizzy’s great, great grandmother.”  Mini Pearl laughed because cars can’t be great, great grandmas to dogs!

Soon they were home and Maizzy settled right into her new space in the laundry room.  Maizzy liked her new bed and enjoyed playing with Granca a little.  They had so much fun getting to know one-another that they hardly noticed the spies at first.  

Then, Granca got an odd feeling, like she was being watched.  She was the first one to notice the little spies on the stairs.  When she turned around to see who was watching, she saw a big fluffy grey tail disappear around the corner.  She watched for a few more minutes, still playing with Maizzy.  Pretty soon, little grey ears popped around the corner.  Then, ever so slowly, two four-pawed spies with very puffy tails crept cautiously toward the doggy gait. 

“Oh, Sage and Galveston,” said Granca, “You are curious and scared, all at the same time.  Look at your tails!  You don’t make very good spies when your tails like big dust mops on your rear ends.  I can see you a mile away.”  Sage and Galveston looked away, as if they had no idea what Granca was talking about.  

Maizzy didn’t seem to mind the little spies, and Granca felt happy because she knew that would help the cats feel safer around a dog.  “Those little dachshunds would be barking their heads off,” thought Granca, as she gave Maizzy a small pat on the head.  

The next morning, Granca went downstairs to the laundry room first thing to get Maizzy.  She noticed the spies had been down to visit, because the milk bones where all knocked over on the stand near Maizzy’s bed.  “Hmmm.  I have a feeling curious Sage has been fishing around in the milk bone,” thought Granca.  

When Maizzy got upstairs, the spies got really silly.  They all crept down the hallway together, all five of them, and they peered around the corner into the kitchen.  That’s where Granca was exercising and the new little dog was sleeping.  “Five spies with feather duster tails,” laughed Granca.  Those spies tried so hard to act innocent that Granca burst out laughing.  Then they all tucked their ears behind their heads and ran back down the hallway a little, acting like they weren’t curious at all.   

By the next week, though, the cats relaxed.  Well, pretty much, anyway.  And they all sat under the kitchen table, together with Maizzy, and watched Granca doing her exercise.  Granca went around and patted them each on the head, because she was proud of them for getting along so well.  When she got to Sage, however, she did notice her breath smelled a little like a milk bone.  That’s the moment Granca knew for sure that Maizzy would become part of the family.  

The End