Bandit

• Charlotte Barclay, Grade 6, Concord Public School
• Short Story
• 2021

Excellence Award in the 'Play On Words 2021' competition

‘Ding dong!’ Robert awakened from his 12 o’clock nap. He looked at his watch. ‘Is it really 3?’ he thought. He slowly got off his comfy leather armchair and walked across his living room. As soon as he opened the door his grandkids surrounded him in a warm hug. It’s so nice to have little kids around the house. “Thanks for babysitting them dad. I’ll be back at four. Got to run!” said Jennifer. Robert watched his daughter wave as she drove off.
“Guess what Grandpa?” said Jackson as he jumped on the couch. “You got a puppy?” said Robert. He remembered getting a little dog as a kid too. “How’d you guess?” said Zoe as she sat cross legged on the floor. “Well, it was just a wild one. I’m surprised though!” he said. “Can I tell you about the many adventures of my dog?” The twins nodded. They loved a good story.
“When I was a kid like you,” he said, “I had an English Shepherd,” Robert remembered it like he was there. His parents had asked if he wanted a little TV for his room or a dog. Him and his sister, Marlene, had gone happily with the dog. Their mother wasn’t pleased. But the next day they went up to Jimmy’s pet store and bought an energetic English Shepherd puppy.
Robert’s dad said they ought to wait before they named him. But it was only 2 hours after that they named him, because he stole all their socks. Bandit. Yes, Bandit was now part of the family, whether Robert’s mum liked it or not.
One time Robert came home from school and was about to take Bandit for a walk, when he realised he was gone. His heart started racing.
He ran down the street and asked his best friend Tom if he had seen him. “That way!” Tom said. Down at the village shops he asked the baker worriedly, “Have you seen Bandit?”
“It was nice being in a village where everyone knew each other,” Robert said to his grandkids. He got back into thought. The baker pointed to the park. Robert rushed down the pathway. He stopped to ask some kids at the pond, “Is Bandit here?” The kids said he went to the fields. Bandit was taking himself on his daily walk! The farmer in the fields said he went to the pond. He went straight back home. When he got back, Bandit was there.
Robert’s parents wanted to go on holiday. His mum went before them, but when they got there with Bandit, he went straight out the window. She hated him, but he loved her. But he was too fat. He couldn’t fit through the open window. Later on, when he was out, Robert’s dad kicked him in the pond. Apparently, he needed to learn to swim. He paid with wet dog smell in his tent. Robert chuckled.
‘Ding dong!’ “Your mum’s here!” he said. Zoe and Jackson reluctantly left. Robert fell asleep. Again.