Mandy and the Ghost Dog

My name is Mandy. I’m going to tell you a very strange story about a spooky white streak that flew into my life. Moving to a new house isn’t easy. My job was to pack up all my toys and stuffed animals. How could I get all my toys in three boxes for Pete’s sake? I told my mom I needed more boxes. She said, “Well, maybe you should think about donating some of your toys? There are lots of children that don’t have any.” In a while my mom brought in another box marked “Donations.” “Your Dad and I are donating some of our things too. Think of this as a new beginning!” Many things have changed this year. My dad got a new job in a new town. I’m going to a new school. And then there’s Boo, my beautiful white dog. I loved her so much. She had beautiful blue eyes and a big fluffy tail. Boo died last year. We were all so sad. I have her red collar. I always keep it with me.

Moving day. The people came to pick up all our donations. The men in the moving van came next. They loaded our furniture and boxes into a big truck. We drove in our car. As we pulled up to the house, the movers were already there and unloading our things. My mom said, “Come on Mandy, let’s go into the house. We have lots of work to do!” I walked into my bedroom. It was at the end of a long hallway. My bed, dresser and chest of drawers were there and the three boxes I packed. I began unpacking the boxes. The first thing I found was Boo’s red collar. I put it in my pocket. I felt something rub against my leg. I reached down and scratched the spot. Nothing was there. My mom came in with my clothes to put away. When that was done, I laid down on my bed and took a nap. I woke up because someone tickled my toes. My dad was good at stuff like that.

Dinner. I told my dad, “Thanks for waking me up.” He looked funny and said, “Wasn’t me Sweetheart”. “Well, someone tickled my toes,” I answered. My mom said, ”It was probably just a dream.” I told my parents, “I’m tired and I’m going to bed”. I kissed them both and went down the long hallway. As I was walking, I saw a white streak fly pass me and into my room. I rubbed my eyes and thought, “Am I seeing things?” I very carefully walked into my room. I stuck my head inside the door and looked around. I didn’t see anything. Then, I looked under my bed, in the closet, behind the dresser. Nothing was there. Boy, I must really be tired. I got into my bed and didn’t wake up until morning.

The mail man. The next morning, the doorbell rang. My mom looked out the window. She saw it was our mailman. She asked, “Can you get that Mandy?” “Don’t worry. I’ve got it!” I replied. I opened the door and there was our mailman smiling at me. “My name is James, what’s your name?” he asked. I answered. “I’m Mandy,” “Well, Mandy, welcome to the neighborhood.” “Thank you,” I replied. He handed me our mail and said, “Be careful, that white dog behind you is pretty fast. You don’t want him to run out the door!” He left and I turned around. Nothing was there. I thought, “The white streak.”

The next day. I was in the kitchen helping my mom unpack. My dad was hanging pictures in the living room. I told my mom what I had seen in the hallway. She said, “You were very tired and sleepy, I’m sure it was nothing.” Suddenly, the white streak ran between my mom and me. It flew through the kitchen door! I looked at the door and then at my mom. She said, “You look like you’ve seen a ghost.” I nodded my head. “What did you see?” she asked. I answered, “The same thing I saw in the hallway last night.” “Ok, well, let’s be calm and finish unpacking. Sometimes our eyes play tricks on us. Oh, and don’t tell your dad, Ok? It will upset him.” I don’t think my mom believed me. But what was it? Where did it come from?

The red collar. When we were finished, I went to my room and set on the bed. I put my hand into my pocket and there was the red collar. Boo’s collar. I took it out and looked at it. I started thinking…

I had this in my pocket last night in the hallway.

I had it in the kitchen too.

And when the mailman saw the white streak.

I had just unpacked it when I felt the rubbing on my leg.

I took it to bed with me yesterday when something tickled my toes.

I knew at that moment who our visitor was, Boo! She moved with us! It had to be her!

The Visits. Every time I had Boo’s red collar; she would come and visit me. I could see or feel her as long as I had the red collar. She was different now. She didn’t play ball or bark or make any sound at all. But she was always there when I needed her. When I got sad about not seeing my old friends, she nuzzled my arm or hand or leg. She listened to everything I said. Once she was on top of my high chest of drawers. I told her, “Boo! Get down from there. You’ll fall”! She jumped and flew over my head and through my bedroom door. Just like that, she was gone. She did that a lot. In and out. Sometimes, she would stay in my room until I fell asleep.

The new school. School started. I didn’t know anyone there. I left the red collar at home. I didn’t want Boo to follow me to school. She might get lost. And I wasn’t ready to share her with anyone else. After a few weeks, I made some new friends. I really liked my teacher. When I came home from school, I went to my room to talk to Boo. I picked up the collar and she would come. I told her all about my new friends, my teacher, what I did at recess. She gave me kisses! Especially when I was sad or upset. Doggie ghost licks are different. You feel them, but they're not wet.

Halloween. One of my favorite holidays is Halloween. Dressing up as someone or something else is fun. This year my class had a party, and we wore our costumes to school. Now, having a ghost dog makes Halloween different! I thought, ”Should I dress up as a ghost girl? How could I do that?” There was a white dress in my closet. I found a pair of long, white knee socks and white shoes. White makeup with blood red lips and dark sunken eyes. A gray witch’s wig made it perfect! I had my mom make a sign for the front of my dress – it said, “Ghost Girl”. I liked that! I asked Boo what she thought. She nodded “yes”. That settled it, Ghost Girl was it! I had so much fun at the party and I even took the red collar that day. I knew Boo would want to see the party. There she was, sitting up on the highest window seal looking down at the class. Once she flew around the room and landed on teacher’s desk. I saw her coffee cup wiggle after Boo hit it. No one saw it but me, thank goodness! She hopped and jumped all over, from desk to desk. Papers flew and pencils dropped, but no one noticed because we were having so much fun. I almost wished my friends could see her.

Thanksgiving. This was the time to stay at home and cook and bake. Boo loved Thanksgiving. Turkey was her favorite meat. We used to fix her a bowl of chopped, turkey, which she would gobble up. My mom called us to dinner. The turkey was a golden brown. The dressing was steaming hot. My dad carved the turkey and we all dived in. After dinner, My mom brought out the pumpkin pie with whipped cream. My dad asked for extra whipped cream. As soon as my mom put it on the table, Boo streaked down like a rocket! Her tail cut through the mound of whipped cream from my dad’s pie. Off she went through the kitchen door and into the garage. I excused myself and went out to the garage. A glob of whipped cream hit my nose. The rest spattered all over the car. Boo was floating in the middle of the garage shaking her tail as fast as she could. “Stop Boo. Stop!” I yelled. My mom came to the garage door. “Is everything all right?” she asked. “It’s fine mom,” “Oh my goodness!” my mom said. “ Look at that bird poo all over my car! I’ll have to take it to the car wash tomorrow.” Whipped cream bird poo? I rolled my eyes and went back into the kitchen. I sat at the table and they both looked at me with questions in their eyes. “If you wanted whipped cream, all you had to do was ask,” my dad said. “I turned my head. You ran past and half of it was gone!”. He reached over and wiped the whipped cream off my nose. I smiled and tried to laugh it off. “It was really good, Dad!”. This wasn’t the first time Boo almost got me in trouble.

Christmas. Before I knew it, it was Christmas vacation! We started decorating the house. My dad did the outside decorating. My mom and I did the inside. We made Christmas gifts at school for our parents. I was looking forward to watching them open their gifts on Christmas morning.

The gift. Christmas eve came and I was in my room listening to Christmas carols and wrapping presents. Mom and Dad came to my room. They ask me to come out to the living room. They had a surprise for me. “Wow Boo! What do you think it is?” She just looked at me and faded away. I shrugged my shoulders and went out by our tree. On the rug in front of the tree was this tiny little puppy. I just stood there and looked at him. My dad said, “Do you like him Sweetheart?” “Yes,” I said. ” He’s cute “ I thought about Boo. All of a sudden, Boo was standing behind the puppy. Boo spoke for the first time, “I came to be with you until you got a new puppy. Now I know you will be all right. I will see you later.” And she left. No one but me saw or heard Boo. I brushed the tears from my eyes. I looked at my mom and dad’s smiling faces. I looked down at the puppy and picked him up. He was so cute, and Boo was right. My heart was ready for a new dog to love.

*This story is based on true events. Sometimes love breaks all barriers.

The Illustrator is Zachariah Deitz, an art student at Florence High School in Florence Arizona. Thx Z!

M. Dea Stevens

350 S Alma School Drive

Apt. 240

Chandler, AZ 85224