Rachel glanced up from her math homework and sighed in disgust as she spotted the little black Chihuahua running through her yard. This was the fourth time this month the dog had ambled his way over to their yard. Knowing that she would not be able to focus on her studies until he was secured in their house or at the animal shelter, she got up and went downstairs to see what she could do. One of these days that dog was going to get lost permanently, or worse yet, hurt!
As she reached the bottom of the stairs, she could hear her mother leaving a message with the animal control officer, sounding worried and frustrated as well. Rachel’s whole family loved animals and had had numerous pets over the years. It was no surprise that her mother was as concerned as Rachel was.
Rachel couldn’t understand it. How hard is it to keep a dog in a yard or the house? Her own dog, Gus, had escaped from them once as a puppy. But after that, he was always on a leash or in their yard securely behind the fence. There is always a solution to every problem, Rachel thought, and most of the time, it didn’t take a genius to figure it out. Whoever had this dog was not fit to be a pet-owner, she mused to herself.
As she stepped out onto the back porch and into the yard, the little dog came running toward her. Rachel scooped him up, put a slip lead on him, and decided to try to figure out where he lived, although she knew this meant she would be up late finishing her homework. She let her mother know she’d be out for a while and set off.
When she was six blocks away from her house, she heard a feeble voice calling out. As Rachel walked closer, she spotted an elderly woman in a worn yellow housecoat. Was that Mrs. Carson? Rachel hadn’t seen her for years. Mrs. Carson was leaning on a cane and walking unsteadily around her overgrown yard. As Rachel approached the house, she was struck by its neglected state. A broken window had been repaired with tape peeling from age. The house badly needed a fresh coat of paint, and the stairs up to the porch were sagging. This, in addition to the weed-filled yard, made Rachel realize that Mrs. Carson probably lived alone and had no one to help her.
“Charlie!” exclaimed Mrs. Carson when she saw Rachel approaching the house. The elderly woman appeared to be crying tears of relief as she held out her arms to embrace the small dog. Charlie happily licked her face as she held him. She thanked Rachel repeatedly. Mrs. Carson explained that her son had recently passed away, and she had offered to take his dog. Otherwise, she explained, Charlie would have been sent to the animal shelter. As she was talking, Rachel looked down and noticed a very small hole in the fence, just about Charlie-sized.
Ashamed of her earlier harsh judgment, Rachel saw that Charlie was happy and loved being with Mrs. Carson. His staying there was a better alternative to going to the animal shelter. And maybe, Rachel thought, there was a way she could help make things a little easier.
Rachel gave the woman her phone number and told her to call if she needed help with Charlie. She could walk him sometimes or come over and play with him in the backyard. She bet she could talk her brother or best friend into helping her patch the fence to make sure that Charlie would not escape. Maybe she could ask some of the neighbors to come to Mrs. Carson’s house and address some of the basic repairs that were most needed. She was sure they would want to help.
As she was considering all the ways she could help the elderly woman and her dog, she felt her chest expand and her heart fill with happiness and gratitude—for her lovely home, her wonderful pets, and mostly for her family and friends whom she could count on to help her when she needed it.
Question
Which sentence best describes the conflict in "The Runaway"?
Responses
Rachel harshly judges a pet owner.
Rachel harshly judges a pet owner.
Mrs. Carson needs help around the house.
Mrs. Carson needs help around the house.
A Chihuahua runs through Rachel's yard.
A Chihuahua runs through Rachel's yard.
Mrs. Carson's son passes away.
Mrs. Carson's son passes away.