Pawprints on the Sidewalk

September 8, 1990 Saturday.

You felt relieved to see that its a Saturday, you wouldn't miss or be late for your classes. At most, you'd only be late for 15 minutes if its Friday and you slept through until now. Your classes start at 8:30 am, and you'll only have ample time to eat breakfast, take a bath, wear your school uniform, and sort and stuff your Friday text books and notebooks in your stroller bag, which lay scattered on your desk along with the other weekday textbooks before you start brisk-walking to your school, which is just a couple of blocks away from home. You read through previous lessons last night, in preparation for next week's 4th quarter examinations.

As you sleepily closed your eyes to return to dreamland some more, you caught a glimpse of a familiar smiling face, huddled snugly with its soft, furry friends basking under the sunlight from your open wooden toy box. You remembered that today is a special day. You counted to three, and jovially rose from bed to the greet friendly smiling face.