One day Sarah got up from her bed looked out of her window and said out loud”what
a beautiful day”. Sarah went downstairs where her mum had prepared her breakfast
of cornflakes drenched in ice cold milk and a drink of warm chocolate milk.”Morning
mum “Sarah said,”are we going out today?” “Yes we are,we might go blackberrying
over Stanmer woods” her mother replied.Sarah said “Great” then started to
demolish her breakfast. She didn’t speak has she munced her cornflakes then lifted
the bowl to her lips and drank the remaining milk,she then drank her chocolate drink
from her special cup. When she had finished she had a milk and chocolate ring round
her mouth and droplets were running of of her chin onto her pyjamas creating lots of
brown spots ,looking almost like freckles.”Go into thebathroom and get washed” said
her mum “I will come and help you in a minute”.Sarah went into the bathroom wiped
the flannel once round her face then dried it on the towel leaving brown marks on
both.Her mother came in and said “come on Sarah get undressed that’s not a proper
wash”. Sarah was then put in the bath and her mother helped to wash her. Even
though Sarah was ten she still needed help with certain things like washing dressing
going to the toilet etc has she had Downs Syndrome.Sarah knew she had Downs
Syndrome but didn’t think she was different to any other child as she had always been
treated the same as her two older sisters.
Later that morning after mum and dad had prepared a picnic Sarah and her
mum and dad set of for the woods in their car. They parked the car then walked down
the country lane to the park and woods.First they passed the cow field and Sarah
pulled up some grass by the side of the field and waggled it about hoping one would
come over to eat it,but none of them was tempted most were sitting down or standing
under the trees at the other end of the field to keep out of the hot sun.After the cow
field came a small stretch of woods which Sarah ran into “come back” shouted her
dad as he started to give chase.Sarah’s dad caught up with her in a few seconds as
she couldn’t run very far.After a mild ticking of they played a game of Robin Hood
until they reached the next field in which there were two horses and a pony. Sarah
picked some more grass and waved it in the air and all three came running over to
see her.She fed them the grass and said to her dad “have you got any polo mints?””I
certainly have “ her dad replied and handed her the packet.”One for you,one for
you,one for you and one for me.” she said,as she fed the horses one by one holding
the mint on the palm of her hand and letting them lick it of.”Oh their tongeus are all
rough and slobbery “,said Sarah.When the mints had all gone (mostly eaten by Sarah
as she was a bit of a cheat and really enjoyed sweets) dad said “come on then lets
have this picnic”.They then went to the park in the woods found a big Oak tree to sit
under and ate chicken with salad and crusty bread washed down by Sarah’s second
favourite drink of Cola.After Sarah had a clean up and went to feed the ducks with
some left over bread. As she neared the pond she could hear a crying noise like an
animal in pain coming from the bushes.Sarah was a bit scared but went over to
thebush were the noise was coming from.Inside the bush was a small thin black and
white dog holding it’s front left paw in the air.”What’s a matter boy” said Sarah
“don’t be scared I won’t hurt you,give me your paw”.The dog didn’t move and let
Sarah take his paw in which she noticed there was a long thorn sticking out.”you’ve
got a splinter “ said Sarah “I sometimes get these and my mum gets them out for me
and she really hurts. Stay still and I will get yours out.” Sarah then gave a tug on the
thorn and pulled it out causing the dog to give a small yelp,he then started to lick his
paw after a few seconds he junped up and started licking Sarah’s face.Sarah started
to laugh “get of you cheeky rascal “ she said but the dog licked her more making
Sarah laugh louder.The noise made Sarah’s dad run over and he thought the dog was
attacking her”Shoo clear of “he shouted making the dog so frightened he ran
away.”what did you do that for? I was only playing “Said Sarah.”Don’t go near
stray dogs they might bite you”said her dad.”But he was lovely”said Sarah.”Oh well
sorry I didn’t know “ said her dad “Do you want to go and pick some blackberries
now?If so just go over there and not to far”.”Okay “ said Sarah and she picked up
her bowl and walked towards the blackberry bush.As she sarted to pick the
blackberries to the normal rule of one for me ,one for me ,one for the bowl she
gradually wandered out of sight.Suddenly Sarah noticed she was surrounded by a
group of four boys.”Got any sweets ?“ Said the first one with bright red
hair.”No”said Sarah.”Don’t lie “ said the smallest boy in the group “empty your
pockets” and the other two said “also all your money”.As they snatched Sarah’s
sweets they knocked her blackberries out of her hand and started to jump on them
squashing them into a purple pulp on bright green grass.The red haired boy suddenly
leapt into the air screaming because attached to his backside by his teeth was the
small dog that Sarah had helped earlier.He then turned snarling onto the other three
who had already decided to run away.The dog chased them all of then returned to
Sarah with his tail wagging like a windscreen wiper.Sarah bent down and gave him a
big hug “you saved my life” she said.”woof woof” replied the dog as he gave her a
big lick on her nose.”What’s going on ?“Said her dad who had walked over to see
what was going on.”This Cheeky rascal saved my life” said Sarah and she then went
on to tell her dad the whole story.”Can I keep him?”said Sarah”I don’t think he
belongs to anybody and if I can I am going to call him Cheeky.”Her dad looked at
them kissing each other ans said”We will see ,I will ask the park keeper about him”.
After asking the park keeper Sarah’s dad found out that the dog had been abandoned
by some travelling people and that Sarah could more than likely keep him.So when
they left the woods that night in the car there was one extra passenger sitting on the
back seat by the name of Cheeky.
When they got home Sarah made a bed in the shed for Cheeky on some old
cardigans and jumpers.”I am going to call you Cheeky wool “ she told him
..“goodnight” and she gave him a kiss on his big wet shiney nose to which he replied
with one woof and two slobbery kisses across her face.Sarah closed the door of the
shed waved him goodnight and went straight to bed.Her mum and dad came up to kiss
her goodnight but she was already asleep with a lovely smile on her face .
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