Jazz

• Caitlin Russell, Grade 4
• Short Story
• 2009

“Boring!” cried Caitlin, throwing her clothes behind her back. Mum had given her boring presents that Christmas. “Wait! You forgot a present!” Mum grinned, holding out a box. It was moving! Holly, Caitlin’s little sister, opened it, wide eyed. It was a cute puppy!
“Oh, Mum! What should we call it?” asked Caitlin.
“We could call it Jazz!” Holly suggested.
“Jazz!” Caitlin laughed.
“No, Jazz!” Caitlin cried. Jazz was pulling the washing off the line!
“That’s Mum’s $200 dress!” Holly panicked.
When Holly told Mum about it, Mum exclaimed, “What?!” Jazz was ripping the dress. Mum was storming to her!
“Oh, oh! I’m in trouble!” Jazz thought, as Mum whacked her muzzle.
“Ouch!” she yelped, though mum could not understand. That night, while she was chewing her dress, she heard footsteps. It was another dog!
“Cool!” she thought as she walked to the gate and started digging.
The next morning, they found Jazz at the fence with a Jack Russell! She was barking like mad! Caitlin hurriedly told Mum.
Mum sighed, “Don’t worry, he’ll go back,” and sure enough, he did.
That night, Jazz heard two dogs barking the danger signal!
“Yikes! Better pass it on!”
She warned Patch, the Jack Russell, and Minka, the next-door neighbour’s dog. Soon the whole of Glenmore Park’s dogs knew! A man ran through the yard! Jazz made a racket, and Mum and her visiting parents, Marilyn and Denis, ran to the window to see police everywhere! Denis went outside and looked up. A light shone on his face!
“A helicopter!” he said to himself.
Jazz ran to hide in the garage.
The next morning, Jazz vomited from all the excitement. “Oh, poor girl, good girl, Oh.” Mum patted Jazz to comfort her.
Jazz did not seem to care that she vomited, because she licked Mum all over her hand and ran and grabbed her frisbee.
Jazz loved walking! Mum ran alongside Jazz, while Caitlin played with her friend Lucy, and Holly rode a scooter. Suddenly, Holly bumped a rock and fell forwards! Mum, Jazz, Caitlin and Lucy rushed to her to make sure she was O.K. Meanwhile, Jazz licked her head to toe!
“Oh, Jazzy girl!” Holly giggled, wiping her face of dog slobber.
This story is mostly true, about our dog, Jazz. She is positive about everything, and she creates trouble wherever she goes!