You Lucky Dog
Vegas slot machines
clanged nearby as we
sat with 20 strangers,
linked only by our mutual
interest in gambling.
When others passed
around their children’s
pictures, my husband
proudly shared a photo of
Amy, our golden retriever,
who is a part-time therapy
dog. One woman did aMorning Gym Routine
At breakfast, my sister Rose announced,
“I need clothes for gym.” Dad just shook his
head and kept on eating. This went on for
several days. Finally, one morning Rose said,
“Dad, I have to bring clothes for gym today.”
At that moment, Dad pushed his chair back,
stood up, and said, “Listen here. I don’t know
who this Jim guy is, and I feel bad for him,
but I got five girls in this here house, and
I’m afraid Jim is just gonna have to get his
own darn clothes!”
—Raelene Rigg Newport, WashingtonHow to Cheer Up Mom
When I awoke from my
colonoscopy, I knew it
was cancer. The doctor’s
grim face—along with
that of my mom, who was
trying hard to smile for
me—confirmed it. There
would be surgery and
treatment later, but what
could I do now? Groggy
and weak, I gestured to
my abdomen and then to
my premature bald spot.
“Does this have anything
to do with this?” I asked
the doctor. It was a run-
ning family joke few would
get—but Mom did. She
burst out laughing. That’s
how I won the next year.
Find laughter, then fight.
—Andrew Elder Jr.
albany, new york
To read more true
stories and to submit
your own, go to rd.com
/stories. If your story is
published in the maga-
zine, we’ll pay you $100.
double take. “What a small
world,” she said. “I don’t
recognize you, but I could
never forget Amy. She
helped my son when he
was a patient at Tampa’s
Shriners Hospitals for Chil-
dren several years ago.”
As I appreciated Amy’s
far-reaching impact, I felt a
thrilling tingle: jackpot!
—Cathy Rebhun
valrico, floridard.com 49Reader’s DigestYOUR
TRUE
STORIES
in 100 Wordsillustration by Joana Avillez