Grover, Stretch and the Broken Leg

by Claire Garth

  ‘Calm down, Stretch. I promise you will have a new family, but it might not be today,’ Grover explained. He really hoped Annie would know for sure about Stretch’s new forever home soon. He didn’t know how much longer he could keep it a secret!

  ‘How long will I have to wait? Is there a queue or something?’ Stretch asked, confused.

  ‘There’s no queue, kid,’ said a calm voice from above. ‘But we need to make sure they’re the right family for you, and that can take time. Patience, kid. You just need a little patience.’

  ‘Who said that?’ Stretch asked, craning his neck to find the owner of the mystery voice.

  ‘I did – I’m Banjo, the Office Cat.’ Banjo was lying across the highest shelf in the office.

  ‘A CAT!’ screamed Stretch. He barked ferociously and stomped around beneath Banjo. ‘RUFF! RUFF! RUFF!’

  ‘Whoa, kid, what’s with all the barking?’ Banjo replied, staying high up on the shelf.

  ‘Well, you’re a cat and I’m a dog, so I’m supposed to bark at you. Isn’t that right, Grover?’ Stretch asked, looking at Grover for approval.

  ‘Not really, Stretch,’ Grover replied. ‘You see, when we bark at cats, we usually get yelled at by humans. That’s why Mr Tibbles is always trying to annoy me, so I’ll bark at him and get in trouble with Annie. Then he gets to watch me being told off!’

  Grover was so annoyed, but it was true. And Mr Tibbles won most of the time.

  ‘That neighbourhood cat still giving you hell, Grover?’ Banjo asked.

  ‘Yeah, but it’s okay. I can handle it,’ Grover replied, gritting his teeth.

  ‘You wanna know how to annoy him? Like, really annoy him?’ Banjo asked with a smirk. ‘Be nice to him.’

  ‘Be nice to him? Is that it?’ Stretch asked, disappointed.

  ‘Yep,’ Banjo replied. ‘That’s it. If you’re nice to him, he won’t know what to say because he won’t be expecting it. Bullies don’t like it when you surprise them.’

  ‘What’s a bully?’ Stretch asked.

  ‘Someone who puts you down,’ said Grover, ‘and intimidates you.They do things to make you feel bad.’

  Stretch paused for a second, and then said, ‘The man who took me from my mum was a bit of a bully.’

  ‘I think you’re right, Stretch,’ Grover replied.

  ‘Well, I won’t be bullied by that mean old Mr Tibbles! Thanks for the tip, Banjo. You’re a nice cat, not a bully at all,’ Stretch said, smiling.

  ‘It’s the least I could do, kid. Grover has protected me from my fair share of barking dogs, so I owe him. He’s a good friend. Now, if you’ll excuse me, it’s time for my next nap. I’ve only had six today so far,’ Banjo said with a loud yawn.

  Six naps! Grover thought. Man, cats have a good life!

  During the entire car ride home, Grover and Stretch plotted how they would be nice to Mr Tibbles and catch him off guard. As Annie pulled up to Cavendish Lane, Grover peered through the car window towards the house. Mr Tibbles was nowhere to be seen.

  Oh bother, Grover thought, perhaps we’ll have to wait until tomorrow.

  As they walked up the front steps, Grover was just about to tell Stretch that it looked like Mr Tibbles wasn’t going to appear when they heard a familiar voice.

  ‘Tough day at the office, Dog? Working hard because you can’t afford to live a life of luxury like me? HA, HA, HA!’ Mr Tibbles jeered, as he jumped up onto a chair and lazily stretched out across it.

  Grover and Stretch glanced at each other quickly and smiled.

  ‘Why, yes, thank you for asking, Mr Tibbles,’ Grover said in the most polite voice he could manage. ‘How kind of you. Stretch and I did have a tough day at the office, but we’re glad to be home now.’

  Mr Tibbles stopped twirling his whiskers in his paws. Shock crept across his plump face.

  ‘What’s that, Dog?’ he asked. He sat up in the chair.

  ‘Grover was just saying that we did have a tough day, and it was very nice of you to ask. Thank you,’ Stretch said, with a big grin.

  As the two dogs walked towards the front door, Grover turned to see Mr Tibbles still lost for words. ‘Good night, Mr Tibbles. We hope you have a lovely evening,’ he called.

  Mr Tibbles all but fell off the chair.

  Once inside, Grover and Stretch burst out laughing. They were so proud of themselves for not letting Mr Tibbles bully them.

  Tomorrow I might just have to clumsily knock a can of tuna onto the floor for Banjo, Grover thought with a smile. That office cat just made our night!

  CHAPTER 10

  The next morning, after a quick trip to the park, Annie took the two dogs to the café for a puppacino and toast. Stretch seemed to be very content with his new life filled with parks and outings and cuddles. He still got frustrated by his broken leg, but he was definitely the happiest Grover had ever seen him.

  Now all Stretch needed was a new family to love.

  ‘So, Grover,’ Stretch asked once they were back in the car, ‘do you think I might get a new family all of my own today?’

  ‘I’m not sure, Stretch. We’ll have to wait and see,’ Grover replied. He was BURSTING to tell Stretch what he’d overheard Annie say on the phone that morning. She’d been telling Stretch’s potential new family that they were going to meet them today. And Grover thought he’d heard Annie mention something about a swimming pool!

  As the car drove on, Stretch seemed to suspect something was up.

  ‘Geez, did Annie miss the turn off this morning? It’s taking ages to get to the shelter today,’ he whined.

  ‘Just be patient, Stretch. We’ll be there soon, I’m sure,’ Grover replied. He had to turn away so Stretch didn’t see him smiling.

  But Grover was nervous too. What if Stretch is naughty? What if he misbehaves?

  After a few more minutes, Annie slowed the car and pulled over. ‘Finally!’ Stretch yelled as he jumped out. ‘Hey, where’d the shelter go?’

  The street was lined with houses. Standing in front of one of them was a woman with golden hair, and a man with a big smile who was holding a dog. At his feet was another dog. The humans waved at Annie as she walked over to them.

  ‘Well, Stretch,’ Grover said, ‘we’re not at the shelter. We’re somewhere I think you might like, though.’

  But before Grover could tell Stretch they were meeting his potential new family, Stretch suddenly started running towards the house and its open door. It took Grover a second to realise why Stretch had bounded off: wafting from inside the house, through the front door and out to the street, was the smell of ROAST CHICKEN!

  ‘Stretch, nooo! Stop! Come back!’ Grover cried.

  Annie, the two other humans and the two dogs stood there stunned, watching Stretch lift up his heavy cast and run straight into the house.

  OH NO! I have to stop him! thought Grover.

  He ran as fast as he could up the stairs, through the front door and into the house. He opened his mouth to bark at Stretch, but then he stopped suddenly. There was Stretch, sitting patiently in the kitchen doorway, his tail wagging and his nose twitching, waiting for someone to say ‘Free’.

  Grover couldn’t have been prouder!

  Annie and the two humans came up behind Grover and started laughing. The woman said, ‘My, what a well-behaved little puppy! Maybe he can teach his new brother and sister how to be good!’

  Stretch’s tail stopped wagging for a second, and he was completely still. He looked at Grover, who nodded his head slowly.

  ‘Stretch,’ Grover said, ‘this is your new family.’

  Stretch was in shock. ‘They are? They’re my family?’ he asked.

  The two dogs were now circling around Stretch and having a good old sniff. Grover wondered if they were rescue dogs too. Their tails were wagging and they seemed very friendly and kind.

  ‘So, guys, this is Stretch,’ Grover explained to the two dogs. ‘He’s also called Mr Stretchy Pants. Don’t let his broken leg fool you – nothing stops
this guy! Do you think you can handle him?’

  The two dogs looked at each other, and then back at Stretch. ‘Yeah, totally! Welcome to the family, Stretch!’

  Before he knew it, the woman had scooped up Stretch and cradled him in her arms. The man cut off a bit of chicken and fed it to Stretch.

  ‘Oh, Grover,’ Stretch cried, as he licked his lips. ‘This is the best feeling EVER!’

  ‘Hey, Mr Stretchy Pants, do you like to chase birds?’ one of the dogs called out.

  ‘Oh, do I!’ Stretch replied, wriggling free of the woman’s arms.

  As the three dogs ran towards the back door, Stretch yelled to Grover, ‘C’mon, let’s go!’

  ‘I’m afraid I can’t come with you, Stretch,’ Grover said sadly. ‘I have to go to the shelter now, so I can help the next dog who needs extra special care.’

  Stretch stopped running. He slowly walked back towards Grover. ‘So I’ll never see you again?’ he asked, his voice quivering.

  ‘Oh, Stretch,’ Grover said, nudging Stretch’s chin, ‘I’m sure I’ll see you again. Until then, you’ve got a new family who’ll take really good care of you.’

  ‘Promise me you’ll visit?’ Stretch whispered.

  ‘I promise. Now go and play with your new brother and sister, Stretch. You deserve to have some fun!’

  Lifting his cast up in the air, Stretch began to run back towards the door.

  ‘Oh, Grover,’ he called out just before he went outside, ‘I hid Mr Piggy behind the chair in the lounge room, and there are three tennis balls under the bed, and Raccy Raccoon is outside in a fern!’

  That kid! Grover thought, rolling his eyes. But then he smiled. I’m really going to miss him.

  A few months later, Grover and Annie returned to visit Stretch. As Grover bounded up the stairs, he remembered all the places Stretch had got stuck in while living at Cavendish Lane. He couldn’t wait to hear what other mischief he’d got up to! But as Grover searched through all the rooms, Stretch wasn’t there. Where could he have got to? Could he have got stuck somewhere again? Grover wondered.

  Then he heard a loud SPLASH. Grover hurried through the back door and found Stretch and his brother and sister playing in the pool.

  Grover almost didn’t recognise Stretch: he was now so much bigger and stronger, and the cast was … gone! His front left leg looked exactly like his other three legs – long and skinny and paddling quickly under the water.

  When he saw Grover, Stretch jumped out of the pool. ‘Grover, you’re here!’ he yelled. ‘I knew you’d come back!’

  Stretch was so happy and excited that he leapt all around Grover until – WHACK! – he knocked Grover into the pool.

  ‘Oops! Sorry, Grover! At least now I can teach YOU something – how to swim!’

  Grover spluttered and laughed. ‘Oh no! Stretch!’

  MEET GROVER McBANE

  AND HIS FRIENDS…

  GROVER

  AGE: Three

  BREED: Border collie

  LIKES: Warm beds, travelling in the car, playing hide and seek

  DISLIKES: Rain, water, baths

  FAVOURITE FOOD: Roast chicken, and a sneaky roast potato

  NAUGHTIEST TRICK: Chasing cats

  STRETCH

  AGE: Ten weeks

  BREED: Greyhound

  LIKES: Chasing birds, exploring

  DISLIKES: Bullies

  FAVOURITE food: Roast chicken

  NAUGHTIEST TRICK:

  Hiding Grover’s toys

  MR TIBBLES

  AGE: Twelve

  BREED: Domestic cat

  LIKES: Attention

  DISLIKES: Dogs

  FAVOURITE FOOD: Salmon

  NAUGHTIEST TRICK: Teasing dogs

  BORIS

  AGE: Eleven

  BREED: German Shepherd

  LIKES: Routine

  DISLIKES: Rule breakers

  FAVOURITE FOOD: A sneaky sausage from the barbecue

  NAUGHTIEST TRICK: Barking loudly

  FINNEGAN

  AGE: Two

  BREED: Golden retriever

  LIKES: Chasing Grover’s tennis balls

  DISLIKES: Being hungry

  FAVOURITE FOOD:

  Anything he can find

  NAUGHTIEST TRICK: Eating old sandwiches he’s found in the bushes

  BANJO

  AGE: Five

  BREED: Domestic cat

  LIKES: Sleeping

  DISLIKES: Bullies

  Favourite food: Tuna

  NAUGHTIEST TRICK: Lounging on the reception desk

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  Claire Garth is a former primary school teacher. She now works as the General Manager at the Sydney Dogs and Cats Home.

  Claire adopted the real Grover in 2013, and together they work to raise awareness about animal rescue.

  ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATOR

  Johannes Leak is an illustrator and commercial artist who specialises in cartooning, magazine illustration, music album artwork and storyboards. He lives and works on the New South Wales Central Coast, where he can also be spotted surfing and walking his dog, Calvin.

  SYDNEY DOGS AND CATS HOME

  The Sydney Dogs and Cats Home (SDCH) is an animal pound that has been taking care of Sydney’s lost and abandoned animals since 1946.

  Each year, the Home helps over 3000 animals just like Grover to find a new family. Dogs, puppies, cats, kittens, rabbits, birds, chickens, guinea pigs and ducks – even occasionally sheep and llamas! The Sydney Dogs and Cats Home searches far and wide to find new homes for the animals. Sometimes they fly them to other parts of Australia or even overseas. Animals stay at the Home as long it takes to find them new owners.

  The Sydney Dogs and Cats Home is open 365 days of the year. If your family is looking for a new pet, consider adopting a lost animal from the Home instead of buying one from a pet shop. Adopt, don’t shop!

  www.sydneydogsandcatshome.org

  By purchasing this book, you are supporting the work of the Sydney Dogs and Cats Home.

  DID YOU KNOW GROVER

  McBANE IS A REAL DOG?

  Author Claire Garth adopted him from the Sydney Dogs and Cats Home.

  You can see more photos of Grover on Instagram: @grovermcbane

  READ MORE OF GROVER'S ADVENTURES IN:

  GROVER FINDS A HOME

  Grover McBane escapes from his owner’s yard and is taken to the animal shelter.

  GROVER’S NEW FRIENDS

  Lots of surprises are in store for Grover as he meets some of the other dogs at the shelter!

  GROVER, BENJI and NANNA JEAN

  Grover McBane has to find a new home for his friend Benji. Where is the perfect place?