Read Teacher's Pet for Free Online Page B

walk with Nugent. He doesn’t say much, like his mind is somewhere else.
    â€œHow is Scout?” I ask. “Did the vet agree with Gran?”
    Mr. Carlson nods. “Yep. The swelling of his paw has already gone down a bit. He’s fine.”
    â€œThat’s good,” I say.
    â€œUm-hmm,” he replies.
    What do I say now? I can’t just leave. That would be rude. I think about it for a minute.
    â€œWhat did you mean yesterday when you said that you and Scout got lost?”
    â€œOh, that.” Mr. Carlson gives a little laugh. “It would have been funny if it wasn’t so awful. I didn’t think I would have any trouble finding my way around the school. I taught there, sighted, for ten years.”
    â€œAnd? ”
    â€œAnd I couldn’t find the upstairs conference room. Talk about embarrassing! I felt like an idiot.”
    I don’t say anything.
    Mr. Carlson continues. “And then the way I stepped on Scout’s paw and hurt him... well, it wasn’t a very good way to end the first day of school. Coming back here,” he waves his arm to show the campus of the guide-dog school, “makes me realize how much I’m doing wrong.
    I lean forward and put my elbows on my knees. He sounds serious. Scout turns around to look. I bet he can hear the defeated tone in his companion’s voice. I wish I could pet him and tell him it will be all right.
    â€œIt can’t be that bad,” I say.
    â€œYou don’t know the half of it,” he says. “I’m too busy for Scout’s obedience lessons. He was upset when we got lost. He thought it was his fault, but it was mine. I wonder... ”
    â€œWonder what?”
    He takes a deep breath. “I wonder if I should have waited a year—gotten into the swing of teaching, then applied for a guide dog.” He pauses and smooths his beard. “I wonder if I should give him back.”
    â€œYou can‘t!” I exclaim. “You can’t give up! I know about dogs, Mr. Carlson. Scout is amazing. He’s like a genius dog, I swear. He wants to work with you. You just need more time together.”
    â€œThat’s what they all say.”
    â€œI know you think I’m just a kid, but I really do know dogs. You just have to ... ”
    I stop. Who am I to tell a teacher what to do?
    â€œNo, go on,” he says. “What were you going to say?”
    Gulp. Go ahead, MacKenzie.
    â€œFirst, you have to tell Scout when he does a good job. Praise him. If you don‘t, he thinks he messed up. It’s like if you gave us a test, then never told us what our grades were. That wouldn’t teach us very much, would it?”
    Mr. Carlson feels along the bench until he finds Scout’s long leash. He holds it loosely in his hands. “I hadn’t thought about it like that before.”
    Scout sits up.
    â€œPet him. Give him a hug,” I suggest. “He knows something is bothering you. He wants to help. He wants to make you happy and proud.”
    Mr. Carlson gingerly puts his hand out. Scout leans into it. Mr. Carlson pats his dog once, then puts his hand on the bench.
    â€œYou’re being very helpful, Maggie, but I don’t think you’re old enough to understand how complicated this is. I want the best for Scout. That’s why I think that maybe he should go to someone else. I’m not ready for him.”
    The stubborn part of me flares up. “You’re going to quit?” I ask angrily. “Don’t you believe in that stuff that teachers always tell kids: ‘Try your best,’ ‘You can do it,’ ‘Don’t give up’? Is it all a lie?”
    Scout looks at me anxiously, his tail turned in, his head lowered but in a submissive posture.
    â€œSorry, Scout,” I apologize. “I’m not mad at you. Mr. Carlson, you have to give yourself a chance. Working with Scout, obedience training, learning to love and respect