Free Philip and the Angel (9781452416144) by John Paulits Page A

Philip’s thoughts.
“Philip, don’t turn around. Don’t turn. Don’t turn.”
    Philip froze. “Why can’t I turn, Emery?”
    “ I have my surprise with
me.”
    There was a small noise. “Erf.”
    “ Okay, you can look.”
    Philip turned and saw Emery walking a tiny
black and brown dog with a long body and short legs.
    “ What’s this?” Philip asked in
surprise.
    “ It’s a dog.”
    “ I know it’s a dog.”
    “ A dachshund.”
    “ Why do you have it?”
    “ That’s my surprise. My dad got it for
me. It’s my new
dog.”
     
     

Chapter Two
     
    “ Your dad got you a dog!”
    “ Yeah. He said my mom and him were busy
with my two baby sisters so I needed a companion.”
    Philip thought a moment. “How about me?”
    “ You want my dad to get you a dog,
too?”
“No. I thought I was your companion.”
    “ You are, but my dad said I needed a
four-legged companion.”
    Philip looked down.
    “ Maybe if you were twins . . .” Emery
grinned.
    “ What did you name it?”
    “ It’s a he, not an it, and his name is
Hansel.”
    “ Hansel. Well, what does he do? Does he
do tricks? Make him do something.”
    “ The only thing he knows how to do now
is eat and poop, but he already finished.” Emery held up a small
white plastic bag.
    “ What’s in there?”
    “ When he goes, somebody has to clean it
up.”
    “ That’s what’s
in there?”
    Emery nodded.
    Philip stepped more toward Emery’s other side
away from the bag.
    “ Where’d your dad get him?” Philip
watched Hansel run in all directions to the limit of his leash and
smell everything he could get his nose on.
    “ The shelter. Somebody didn’t want him.
But he’s still a puppy. Six months, the man at the shelter
said.”
    “ Let’s go to your house to play with
him. We can teach him some real tricks.” Philip kept a suspicious eye on the plastic bag in
Emery’s hand.
    “ Can’t. I’m walking him ’cause we’re
going to my aunt’s house. He’s coming with us.”
    Philip squatted and petted Hansel. Hansel
licked his hand.
    “ I think he likes me.”
    “ There’s my dad, waving. I gotta go.
Come over tomorrow.”
    Philip watched as Emery walked away. He
turned and began his slow way back to his house. A dog. A pet. He’d
never had a pet. His mother said they were too messy and needed too
much attention, but if Emery could take care of a dog, why couldn’t
he? He thought a moment of the white plastic bag again, but said to
himself with determination that he could do anything Emery could
do. But how could he get his mother to agree? She’d never let him
have a pet.
    “ Hi.”
    Philip turned his head. Angel again.
    “ Hi,” said Philip.
    “ I know what you’re thinking.” Angel
had her forehead against the screen in her living room window
again. “Come on over here so I don’t have to talk so
loud.”
    Philip walked up her front path and across
the grass to the window.
    “ Want me to tell you what you’re
thinking?”
    “ You can’t. Nobody can.”
    Angel smiled. “You’re wishing you had a dog,
but probably your parents won’t let you.”
    Philip’s eyes stretched wide.
    Angel laughed. “I’m right, eh?”
    “ Yes, but how . . .?”
    “ Am I starting to scare you?” Angel
made a scary face and turned her hands into claws and scratched
them against the screen.
    “ How’d you know?”
    “ I watch stuff from my window. It’s
about all I ever get to do. I saw you with your friend. What’s his
name . . . I think I heard you call him Emery.”
    “ Right, Emery. His father got him the
dog from the shelter because he’s got two little baby sisters, and
his mother and father don’t have much time for him.”
    “ And you’re jealous.”
    “ It’s not jealous. I like dogs, too.”
He told Angel about his mother’s opinion of pets.
    “ You’ve got a problem,” said Angel. She
smiled. “But just like I know what you’re thinking, I can solve the
most impossible problems.” Again she made a face