The Surprise
Written by A. Ninneman in March of 2018 and edited by her teacher (used with permission from student)

It was a long, boring walk home. As I finally walked up the stairs to my porch and opened the door, the most beautiful thing was lying on my couch. I have been waiting for it for what had seemed like years!

It is August 30th, 2009 in Milbank, South Dakota, one of those warm kind of days. In Koch School we could wear shorts for the first couple of days. I’m wearing purple and gray shorts with a yellow shirt. As I finally walk up into my house on 905 South 5th Street, I know my parents will not be home. My grandma is at my house watching us kids until later while my parents are in Watertown.

As I open my door I am blinded by the drastic lighting change. It goes from being very bright white outside to being a middle-toned, yellow-brown lighting inside. I close my eyes hoping for them to be adjusted when they open again. When I open my eyes, I see something way better than my plain living room. A puppy! With black on her back like a can of black paint spilled on her and a goldish-brown along her legs. Her face perfectly defined with the black and gold mixed together. Sitting on my L-shaped and brown couch--a dog. What!

You know that feeling of shock, joy, and surprise all mixed together, and you don’t know what to do so you just stand there because you can’t move? Yeah, that’s what it feels like. There, on my L-shaped couch, a puppy. I think that this can't be real. I walk into my plain kitchen, which is connected to the back of my living room. I ask my grandma so many questions. “Whose dog is that?” “Why is there a puppy?” She tells me that my parents bought the gorgeous yorkie this afternoon before I came home then had to go to Watertown. My grandma tells me to not wake up the sleeping puppy. The ball was in my court--I could wake her up or let her sleep. I, being the dog-loving person I am, choose to sit by the dog and “accidently” wake her up. Can you blame me, though? I mean, actions do speak louder than words. The sleeping beauty wakes up! With a big smile across my face, I recognize her from the visit to her old owner's house just a couple months before.

After she stretches and wakes up a little, we play for hours. After we are bored of playing inside, I try to get her to come down the stairs, but with her little legs, she is scared. After I bring her down, we play more once again until it is time to come inside. 

This sunny day is a day I will never forget. My dog is still alive and healthy today. She’s not as playful as she once was, but she’s just as lovable and a perfect addition to the family.