Little Edward had gathered all the children of the playground and had marched them to the poster.

"This is Alex," spoke the boy, pointing at the puppy's picture. "He is not lost. Worse, he doesn't have a family!"

Gasps were heard from the little crowd.

"Was he abandoned?" Asked a girl with a small, curly, ponytail. Edward quite liked Lisa. She always shared her chocolate eggs with everyone.

"He is in a shelter, for homeless pets that don't have humans," supplied Edward, and Lisa placed a small hand over her mouth.

"But, daddy told me that pets go to sleep there and never wake up!" Protested Lisa, and a worried murmur spread around the crowd.

"Everyone who doesn't have a pet, rise your hands," urged Edward, and he got five hands in response.

"Bobby, lower your hand. You are allergic," Edward looked pointedly at the skinny, blonde, boy until Bobby lowered his hand.

"Alex could be one of those puppies that I don't get allergic to," protested little Bobby, and he received pats on the back from the surrounding children.

"We can't risk it. What if your face gets swollen and Alex is forced to go to sleep as a result?" Chastised little Anne, who had a hamster and so, was one of the few people Bobby could visit in their homes.

"Ok, so, Albert, Lora, Beth and Jon. You have an important mission," Edward motioned with his hand, and the four children came closer. "You have to look at his poster, and you have to be able to get your parents to it, so they could read it and agree to take Alex." 

"But, Edward, what if we can't get our parents to adopt Alex?" Asked Lora. She had tried to get a dog, once, but it had chewed up the furniture and got returned to the store.

"We will have to tell them every good thing that Alex can do. It is written on this poster, but," Edward coughed, embarrassed. He was just learning the alphabet. He didn't know how to read.

"Let me see, then," Bobby went to the poster and put on his glasses.

"It says here that Alex likes to chew things," said the blonde boy, and Lora deflated.

"He can't come home with me, then," Edward did not despair, there were still three candidates left.

"It also says he likes taking baths," Jon perked up at that.

"Daddy said that if I can find a well-behaved pet, he might let me get one!" Edward grinned at the brown-haired boy. His hopes rising.

"It also says he likes belly rubs," Beth squealed and went to the poster to take a closer look at the puppy.

"Alex is perfect! Does he also like walks?" Beth gushed over the photo and Bobby nodded.

"Yes, he likes plenty of walks," Albert looked down at his feet.

"I am not let out too often. My parents just don't have the time to come out with me. I guess I can't bring Alex home," Edward nodded. He saw that Albert had looked at the poster with longing. Clearly wanting the puppy. But, at least Alex had a chance with Beth and Jon.

"Ok, Beth, Jon, bring your mothers here," Beth and Jon rushed back to where the parents were chatting. They came back with two women who were nodding along to what they were saying, but didn't seem to be paying attention.

"Beth, what is this about?" Asked, a curly haired woman who looked at the gathered children in question.

"This is Alex," Beth pointed at the poster. "He likes baths, and belly rubs and walks. Bobby read the poster for us."

The woman was hit with twenty hopeful gazes, and she shifted from one foot to the other.

"I see," she went and looked at the poster. "But, Beth, we can't afford a puppy right now. You just entered kindergarten."

Beth's eyes teared up, and she looked at her feet.

"But we can go visit the puppy in the shelter. Would you like that?" Beth narrowed her eyes.

"Alex will be made to go to sleep, and he will never wake up!" The little girl ran to the car park, her mother in hot pursuit.

"Oh, my. Jon, are you trying to get me to adopt the puppy?" Jon nodded, looking hopeful. His mother bent down and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"You know as well as I that we simply don't have the space. We live in an apartment, Jon," Jon, unlike Beth, looked his mother in the eyes and gave her his best puppy dog eyes.

"Can't we help? Get Alex into a home?" Mrs. Adams looked at the poster and sighed.

"I suppose I can bring it up during my book club meeting tomorrow. But I make no promises," Jon hugged his mother and he looked back to the other children.

"Alex is getting adopted!" He yelled, and the children cheered.

Then, all the children ran back to the park. Lenore Adams looked at the poster and took out her phone. She snapped a photo of it and went back to the parent's corner.

 She was sure, that, with enough buttering up, granny Patricia would take the puppy home. Not only that, but she even had a big garden. Perfect for a dog house and a small pond for the puppy to swim in during the hot summer months.

Meanwhile, Frank was getting into bed. He heard the pitter-patter of paws, and he looked up to see dog Frank with his bed in his mouth.

"You can't sleep alone, can you, buddy?" The pooch placed the bed next to Frank's and got in. Frank reached out a hand and petted his new companion.

"I met a nice kid who promised to help get your son adopted," Frank informed the dog, who yawned. "I think we are off to a good start. Sweet dreams. Dream of bones and walks."

Frank turned off the lights and cocooned himself in the blankets. Tomorrow would be a new day. And he would still have twenty-nine days to get the puppy adopted.