This is my dog, Riley

This is my dog Riley. She is 15 years old, and this story I'm about to tell is almost as old as she is. 15 years ago, I was at a slumber party with a group of friends celebrating the beginning of 6th grade. A mattress was brought into the living room for us to have wrestling matches, then we stayed up all night playing The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess on the Nintendo Wii. It was one of the best nights of my childhood, and I didn't know it would become one of the most impactful of my life.

Past midnight, most of my friends at the slumber party had fallen asleep, but come sunrise, another girl, the host's mother, and myself were still awake. The other girl and myself were awake from the adrenaline of a night of much fun, while the host's mother was fueled by methamphetamine. Nonetheless, it was a night for us sober people to remember. Our friend's mother smoked a cigarette and told us stories of what went wrong but also went right in her life as we watched the sun rise. It was not the best neighborhood, but the rise of a fresh dawn can make any trash shine like gold. And in that trash was a pit of gold; it was a dog, motionless in the road. Come to learn, it was Riley. How long she was there we didn't know. She could have gotten struck in the dark and silence of the night, only for her to shine with the incoming of day. But shine she did.

I was 12 years old at the time, and upon finding the poor, innocent, dog hit in the road, I begged my parents to help. I didn't have a birthday that year as my parents couldn't afford it. So in lieu of presents, I begged them to save this dog. And that's how I got my best present ever.

She didn't need much training, as being a good girl was designed in her DNA. She was never one for toys, but loved to play tag. She never liked to play in water, but loves hiking in the woods. She loves pets and butt scratches, but hates to share her bed. She is old and gray, showcasing her earnings as rewards. If you're looking for the goodest girl in the world, maybe check the middle of the road.

This is my dog, Riley :)