Sparky

SPARKY

Sparky and the elderly gentleman in bed locked eyes for a long moment.  Sparky was on his rounds at General Hospital and had gently jumped up on the bed so he could get a better look at his patient.  He never tired of making these visits because the patients always seemed glad to see him.  That made him happy.

It wasn't easy for Sparky to become a visiting hospital dog.  There are all sorts of regulations.  Sparky was tested for temperament and health.  After that, Mr. Joe, Sparky's master. had to provide proof that all of his shots were up to date.

One day Mr. Joe took Sparky to a center where there were lots of others dogs:  big, little and in-between.  Sparky thought he'd never heard so much barking and yapping.  He didn't know what all the fuss was about so he stayed close to Mr. Joe.

The dogs were called one by one into another room.  He wasn't sure he wanted to leave Mr. Joe when it came his turn, but he followed a friendly lady into the other room.

The first thing this lady did was to set a dish filled with delicious-looking food on the floor in front of him.  Sparky started eating right away; but then, she took it away from him.  He stared at her is disbelief, but he didn't make a fuss.  Next, she poked a cane into his face.  He didn't like that, but neither did he flinch.  Then, a funny-looking person dressed like a clown ran toward him and screamed.  Sparky thouight this was some kind of boring entertainment and simply laid down on the floor to watch.  The clown finally left.

The lady led Sparky back to Mr. Joe.  They were glad to be reunited and Sparky wagged his tail.  The lady told Mr. Joe that Sparky had a good temperament and there was a good chance he could become a visiting hospital dog.

The lady also told Mr. Joe that the next step would be for Sparky to see their veterinarian.  Sparky wasn't sure he loiked that idea.  That usually meant shots.

He and Mr. Joe waited for what seemed a long time.  Sparky had just laid on the cool floor for a nap when a nurse came to the door and said that Dr. Bob was ready to see him.  Once again he left Mr. Joe:  this time to follow the nurse.

Dr. Bob probed and poked.  He looked in Sparky's ears and mouth, then at his teeth.  Sparky didn't understand what all the fuss was about.  He'd just been to his regular vet, Dr. Andy, two or three weeks before and told Mr. Joe that Sparky was in fine shape.

He was glad tp see his master again and beat his tail against Mr. Joe's chair.  They waited until the first lady returned.  She said that all they needed now was written proof that Sparky's shots were up to date.  Mr. Joe produced some papers from his pocket and handed them to her.  She went off to the other room--she said to make copies.

When she returned once again, she said, "Everything looks fine.  Sparky is now officially a visiting hospital dog.  We'll call you with information about his first appointment.

Sparky was glad to get out of that building in order to do the things dogs do.

Two or three days later Sparky rested at Mr. Joe's feet when the phone rang.  It was the lady from the center.  Sparky had an appointment for the next day to go visiting.  That was a year ago.

Sparky has seen lots of patients since that first day.  He likes to make them smile and talk to him.  He especially likes to be petted.  He figures that all of the temperament testing, poking and probing was worth it to become a visiting hospital dog.