Good Dogs and People

As a 10 year old struggling to adjust to life and a new school, I started writing an ongoing series of short stories called, “The Adventures of the Friendly Mailman.” The title was named after our actual mailman who always gave me a big smile and made me feel better.

The overarching theme was to report about nice things in the neighborhood. I was thoroughly enchanted with dogs, so the series kicked off with a story about them.

The debut featured a “Special Guest Star,” named “Doggie's Girlfriend.” I was hoping to impress classmates and attract readership by making it sound really intriguing.

Surprisingly, people actually liked it - even with my primitive illustrations and bad spelling - but maybe they were just trying to be nice to the new girl at school.

Here is a photograph of the genuine handwritten ancient artifact, which has been carefully preserved in the back of my closet for untold years:

The text translation below features the original spelling errors to retain its authenticity:

THE ADVENTURES OF THE FRINDLY MAILMAN

Special geass star: dogies girl friend.

Things are going regular around cherry pit street, but then wonday doggie just wouldn’t stop daydreaming. The friendly male man knew right away what it was, there was a knew girl doggie in the kennel (all the doggies went to vist her) she was really beautiful.

Everybody thought it would come and go but doggie just wouldn’t stop daydreaming.

{Meanwhile}

At the kennel the girl doggie had been at the kennal so long she was going to be given away so right away everybody went to the kennal and got her. Now doggie had a girl friend.

~End~

Simple yes, but it starts with a good opening line, "Things are going regular..." so the plot can be further developed from there.

It was influenced by a favorite childhood memory: training my black Labrador Retriever to enter a dog show. I had just turned six and little Paddles was a one-year-old puppy. Despite the odds, and the lack of faith from my family, we won 1st place! My girlhood self-confidence soared. Then in 2022, I wrote an essay about it for a contest. Miraculously, we won 1st place again. Just like the dog show prize, it was profoundly life changing.

My writing style and perspective have remained pretty much the same. Seeking to understand the feelings of dogs, children and grownups. Showing how they resolve their challenges in sometimes humorous ways.

The basic underlying message is that everyone is doing the best they can and it all works out okay in the end. As the years roll on, I tend to see the human and canine experience as funnier and more dear than ever before.

While the stories may have slightly evolved beyond the simplicity of a doggie romance in the original series, the miraculous and adventurous emphasis continues.

Thank you all the dogs and people out there for giving me inspiration and lucky breaks, especially my own Paddles who is in heaven waiting for me.