Pubby was a small, scruffy puppy with big, sad eyes. He’d been abandoned as a tiny pup, left to fend for himself on the streets. A kind-hearted old woman named Mrs. Willow had found him, shivering and alone, and taken him in. She’d given him a warm bed, plenty of food, and lots of love. But even with all of this, Pubby felt a deep sense of loneliness.
Today was Pubby’s birthday. Mrs. Willow had always made his birthdays special, with treats, toys, and lots of belly rubs. But this year, things were different. Mrs. Willow had been sick, and Pubby had been left alone for the day.
As the sun began to set, Pubby felt a pang of sadness. He missed Mrs. Willow’s comforting presence. He missed the feeling of being loved and cared for. As he wandered around the house, he came across a pile of trash bags. A familiar scent wafted from one of them. It was the scent of his favorite treats.
A wave of fear washed over Pubby. He remembered a time when he had been thrown away in a trash bag just like this. He had been so scared, so alone. He didn’t want to go through that again.
With trembling paws, Pubby pushed the trash bag aside. Inside, he found a small, wrapped package. It was a birthday gift from Mrs. Willow. Tears welled up in his eyes as he unwrapped it. Inside was a brand new squeaky toy.
Pubby picked up the toy and squeezed it. The cheerful squeak filled the room. He felt a surge of happiness. Maybe, just maybe, things would be okay. He had Mrs. Willow, and he had his new toy. And as long as he had those, he would never feel truly alone again.
