Kate had no friends in the neighbourhood. She watched the children get together in the evening and go to the park to play.
“Kate, your cousin Nora is coming here for the holidays,” said Kate’s Mummy, “Aunt Gwen has to go and look after her sister. so, Nora will stay with us. Please look after her and make sure that she doesn’t feel lonely.”
Nora came the next day and she brought her pet dog. She said that he was a most intelligent fellow. so, she had named him Google! Nora saw Kate watching the other kids from the window.
Kate had to stay in her wheelchair and she rarely met anyone. She was shy meeting people. Nora realised that she must be feeling lonely and decided to do something about it.
“Aunt, I need to take Google for a walk every day,” Nora told Kate’s mummy, “May Kate also come with me, please?”
Kate’s mummy looked at Nora and said, “She’s in a wheelchair, Nora. Will you be able to push it along while taking Google out?”
“O, yes, Aunt!” replied Nora and she ran to get Google’s leash. In a little while Kate’s mummy watched her wheeling Kate down the road. Kate was holding Google on a leash and Nora was pushing her wheelchair.
Outside, other children watched them and felt a little odd. They had seen Kate at the window but it was the first time they got to know that she used a wheelchair. They had thought that she was a stuck-up kid who did not wish to make friends! Google looked at the children. He barked and wagged his tail.
Suddenly, a group of children came up to Nora and Kate, and uttered, “Is this your puppy? What’s its name? Aren’t you staying in that house? What’s your name?” There was a flood of questions!
Very soon, Kate and Nora had joined ‘the gang’ to go with them every evening to play in the park. Google played with all of them—playing catch or hide-and-seek, or with a ball or Frisbee, or simply having a picnic.
Kate was smiling and laughing with everyone and they came to know that she could sing beautifully and made lovely paper toys.
Everyone was unhappy when the holidays ended and it was time for Nora and Google to go back home. But Kate had found new friends. As she hugged Nora and Google, she whispered, “Thank you! Come again, Nora!”
