Bruce Cameron

My First Dog

W. Bruce Cameron

Editor’s Note: The following column was originally published in 2007.

When I was 7 years old, Mr. Shaw’s dog had puppies, and I offered to trade him my sister for one. He threw his head back and laughed when I said this, which I interpreted to mean he’d already heard what a terrible sister I had. He told his wife, who also laughed (did everybody know about my sister?) and then called my mother, so I figured I was in big trouble — I didn’t exactly have the authority to negotiate such a deal, even though in my opinion it would have benefited the whole family.

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