Patch was Jimmy’s terrier. He had a white coat with golden patches on it. That’s why he had been named Patch. That set off his hobby.
He collected everything with patches on it: a cushion with a patch design, a towel with a coffee stain, an envelope with a stamp on it, a doormat with piping. Anything that seemed to have a patch was immediately dragged into his basket. Jimmy knew that they just had to look in Patch’s basket if anything went missing.
Jimmy’s mother had bought a new cream jug. It was shaped like a pretty cow, with black patches on it. Patch saw it and dragged it off to his basket. They found it the next day with the handle chipped off! Patch received a strong scolding.
One day, Jimmy decided to celebrate Patch’s birthday. He would be one year old. On his own birthday his friends were invited, so he decided to ask some of the neighbours to bring their pets. Jimmy’s mother had no idea of what he had done. She stared in horror as Mrs Wilson arrived with her cat, Tangy; Ben brought his pet frog, Hopper; June came with two small Chihuahua puppies, Mix and Match; Kendal brought his rabbit, George, and Mr Hood arrived with a large German Shepherd, Lord!
The ‘guests’ had to be given something to eat and each one needed something different. Jimmy was sent to dig for worms for Hopper and fetch a cabbage and carrots for George. Jimmy’s mother gave a plate of fish to Tangy, and offered dog biscuits to Lord. Mix and Match were terrified of Lord so they had to be dragged out from behind the sofa cushions and given a bowl of milk!
While this ‘party’ was going on, Patch had decided to bring in his own friend too. He had found a small mongrel in the lane. He arrived leading it. One glance showed Jimmy’s mother why he had made friends with him. The mongrel had a patch over one of his eyes!
The party got over and Jimmy’s mother collapsed on the sofa. The mongrel, however, did not go home. There, he was sitting in Patch’s basket. Jimmy’s mother tried everything possible to send him away. But each time, Patch would fetch him right back.
Now Jimmy had two pets: Patch and Pirate, the mongrel, who never went home! He didn’t celebrate Patch’s birthday any more.
