[Rhodes22-list] may as well make this the "we" channel with some mushy stuff

[Michael Meltzer]

PUPPY SIZE !!! "My little boy keeps repeating this over and over again", the woman told the volunteer. "We've been back to this shelter at least five times. It has been weeks since we started all this." 
 
"What is it he keeps asking for?" she asked. "Puppy size!" 
 
"Well, we have plenty of puppies, if that's what he's looking for." 
 
"I know... we have seen most of them," the Mom said in frustration. 
 
Just then the young child came walking into the office. "Well, did you find one?"  
 
"No, not this time," he said with sadness in his voice. "Can we come back on the weekend?" 
 
The two women looked at each other, shook their heads and laughed. The young child took his mother by the hand and headed to the door. "Don't worry, I bet we'll find one this weekend," he said. 
 
Over the next few days both Mom and Dad had long conversations with him. They both felt he was being too particular. "It's this weekend or we're not looking any more," Dad finally said in frustration. "We don't want to hear anything more about puppy size either," Mom added. 
 
Sure enough, they were the first ones in the shelter on Saturday morning.  By now the boy knew his way around, so he ran right for the section that housed the smaller dogs. Tired of the routine, Mom sat in the small waiting room at the end of the first row of cages. There was an observation window so you could see the animals during times when visitors weren't permitted. 
 
The young boy walked slowly from cage to cage kneeling periodically to take a closer look. One by one the dogs were brought out and he held each one.  One by one he said, "Sorry, you're not the one." He was at the last cage on this last day in search of the perfect pup. The volunteer opened the cage door and the child carefully picked up the dog and held it closely.

This time he took a little longer. "Mom, that's it! I found the right puppy! He's the one! I know it!", he screamed with joy. "It's the puppy size!" 
 
"But it's the same size as all the other puppies you held the last few weeks," Mom said. 
 
"No not size---sighs. When I held him in my arms, he sighed." "Don't you remember? When I asked you one day what love is, you told me love depends on the sighs of your heart. The more you love  the bigger the sighs!". 
 
The two women looked at each other for a moment. Mom didn't know whether to laugh or cry. As she stooped down to hug her child, she did a little of both. 
 
"Mom, every time you hold me, I sigh. When you and Daddy come home from work and hug each other, you both sigh. I knew I would find the right puppy if it sighed when I held it in my arms," he said. Then holding the puppy up close to his face he said, "Mom, he loves me. I heard the sighs of his heart!"