I was very proud to be able to make a difference for children and adults who were experiencing some "down time."  The warmth and gratification I would receive stayed with me for weeks.  I loved the project, McDonald's loved the project, the kids and adults loved it and so did the nursing and hospital staffs.

    There were two restrictions placed on me during a visit.  First, I could not go anywhere in the hospital without McDonald's personnel (my handlers) as well as hospital personnel.  That way, if I were to walk into a room and frighten a child, there was someone there to address the issue immediately.  And second, I could not physically touch anyone within the hospital.  They did not want me transferring germs from one patient to another.  I understood why they had this "don't touch" rule, but I didn't like it.  I believe that touching is the most honest form of communication we will ever know.  Printed and spoken word can lie; it is impossible to ie with a warm hug.  Breaking either of these rules, I was told, meant I could lose my job.

    Toward the end of my fourth year of "Ronald Days," as I was heading down a hallway after a long day in grease paint and on my way home, I heard a little voice.  "Ronald, Ronald."

    I stopped.  The soft little voice was coming through a half-opened door.  I pushed the door open and saw a young boy, about five years old, lying in his dad's arms, hooked up to more medical equipment than I had ever seen. Mom was on the other side, along with Grandma, Grandpa and a nurse tending to the equipment.

    I knew by the feeling in the room that the situation was grave.  I asked the little boy his name--he told me it was Billy-- and I did a few simple magic tricks for him.  As I stepped back to say goodbye, I asked Billy if there was anything else I could do for him.  "Ronald, would you hold me?"

    Such a simple request.  But what ran through my mind was that if I touched him, I could lose my job.  So I told Billy I could not do that right now, but I suggested that he and I color a picture.  Upon completing a wonderful piece of art that we were both very proud of, Billy again asked me to hold him.  By this time my heart was screaming "yes!"  But my mind was screaming louder.  "No!  You are going to lose your job!"

    This second time that Billy asked me, I had to ponder why I could not grant the simple request of a little boy who probably would not be going home.  I asked myself why was I being logically and emotionally torn apart by someone I had never seen before and probably would never see again.

    "Hold me."  It was such a simple request, and yet... I searched for any reasonable response that would allow me to leave.  I could not come up with a single one.  It took me a moment to realize that in this situation,  losing my job may not be the disaster I feared.  Was losing my job the worst thing in the world?  Did I have enough self-belief that if I did lose my job, I would be able to pick up and start again?  The answer was a loud, bold affirming "Yes!"  I could pick up and start again.  So what was the risk?
    Just that if I lost my job, it probably would not be long before I would lose first my car, then my home...and to be honest with you, I really liked those things.  But I realized that at the end of my life, the car would have no value and neither would the house.  The only things that had steadfast value were experiences.  Once I reminded myself that the real reason I was there was to bring a little happiness to an unhappy environment, I realized that I really faced no risk at all...

    I sent Mom, Dad, Grandma and Grandpa out of the room, and my two McDonald's escorts out to the van.  The nurse tending the medical equipment stayed, but Billy asked her to stand and face the corner. Then I picked up this little wonder of a human being.  He was so frail and so scared. 

    We laughed and cried for 45 minutes, and talked about the things that worried him.  Billy was afraid that his little brother might get lost coming home from kindergarten next year, without Billy to show him the way.  He worried that his dog wouldn't get another bone because Billy had hidden the bones in the house before going back to the hospital, and now he couldn't remember where he put them. These are problems to a little boy who knows he is not going home.

     On my way out of the room, with tear-streaked makeup running down my neck, I gave Mom and Dad my real name and phone number (another automatic dismissal for Ronald McDonald, but I figured that I was gone and had  nothing to lose), and said if there was anything the McDonald's Corporation or I could do, to give me a call and consider it done.

     Less than 48 hours later, I received a phone call from Billy's mom. She informed me that Billy had passed away.  She and her husband simply wanted to thank me for making a difference in their little boy's life. Billy's mom told me that shortly after I left the room, Billy looked at her and said, "Momma, I don't care anymore if I see Santa this year because I was held by Ronald McDonald."

     Sometimes we must do what is right for the moment, regardless of the perceived risk.  Only experiences have value, and the one biggest reason people limit their experiences is because of the risk involved.  For the record, McDonald's did find out about Billy and me, but given the circumstances, permitted me to retain my job.  I continued as Ronald for another year before leaving the corporation to share the story of Billy and how important it is to take risks.

               -- by Jeff McMullen >> Grizzz58@aol.com

"I want to know how, as you travel about,
Giving gifts here and there, you never run out.
How is it, Dear Santa, that in your pack of toys
You have plenty for all of the world's girls and boys?
Stays so full, never empties, as you make your way
>From rooftop to rooftop, to homes large and small,
>From nation to nation, reaching them all?"

And Santa smiled kindly and said to the boy,
"Don't ask me hard questions.  Don't you want a toy?"
But the child shook his head, and Santa could see
That he needed the answer.  "Now listen to me,"
He told that small boy with the light in his eyes,
"My secret will make you sadder and wise.

"The truth is that my sack is magic.  Inside
It holds millions of toys for my Christmas Eve ride.
But although I do visit each girl and each boy
I don't always leave them a gaily wrapped toy.
Some homes are hungry, some homes are sad,
Some homes are desperate, some homes are bad.
Some homes are broken, and the children there grieve.
Those homes I visit, but what should I leave?

"My sleigh is filled with the happiest stuff,
But for homes where despair lives toys aren't enough.
So I tiptoe in, kiss each girl and boy,
And I pray with them that they'll be given the joy
Of the spirit of Christmas, the spirit that lives
In the heart of the dear child who gets not, but gives.

"If only God hears me and answers my prayer,
When I visit next year, what I will find there
Are homes filled with peace, and with giving, and love
And boys and girls gifted with light from above.
It's a very hard task, my smart little brother,
To give toys to some, and to give prayers to others.
But the prayers are the best gifts, the best gifts indeed,
For God has a way of meeting each need.

"That's part of the answer.  The rest, my dear youth,
Is that my sack is magic.  And that is the truth.
In my sack I carry on Christmas Eve day
More love than a Santa could e`er give away.
The sack never empties of love, or of joys
`Cause inside it are prayers, and hope.  Not just toys.
The more that I give, the fuller it seems,
Because giving is my way of fulfilling dreams.

"And do you know something?  You've got a sack, too.
It's as magic as mine, and it's inside of you.
It never gets empty, it's full from the start.
It's the center of lights, and love. It's your heart.
And if on this Christmas you want to help me,
Don't be so concerned with the gifts `neath your tree.
Open that sack called your heart, and share
Your joy, your friendship, your wealth, your care."

The light in the small boy's eyes was glowing.
"Thanks for your secret.  I've got to be going."
"Wait, little boy,"  Said Santa, "don't go.
Will you share?  Will you help?  Will you use what you know?"
And just for a moment the small boy stood still,
Touched his heart with his small hand and whispered,  "I will."

~by Betty Werth>> Grizzz58@aol.com

Well when I first started feeding her it was last winter.Around the beginning of April, this year my neighbor decided to move. Well I just assumed that she would take Nikki with her but sadly that wasn't the case. Two days after (neighbor) moved I heard whining out back when I went to investigate here was Nikki, tied up to the back porch without food water or shelter. To top it all off she was very very much pregnant in fact she gave birth to six puppies on Good Friday.

Well I was totally distraught because I had absolutely no idea on what to do. So I put the whole family in my basement and called around till I finally found somebody who was willing to help me find homes for these wonderful puppies. So needless to say I found great homes for all of the pups and ended up keeping Nikki myself. Since my experience with Nikki I have taken it upon myself to help other homeless and abused animals in my neighborhood and immediate area I may not be able to help them all but I wont ever give up trying!!!!!

ozzy8@hto.net

I went on an errand one day, and before I ever reached my destination, I stopped at a Petco store. They were having a 'pet adoption' day, and because I have always loved dogs, I wanted to just pet the animals.

I did so, and was about to leave when I heard a whiney, sort of 'pitiful' cry, followed by a happy little yelp. I turned in the sound of the doggie noises, and saw a pet carrier that I hadn't noticed before. I walked to the pet carrier, and saw a gorgeous black and white cocker spaniel with the biggest, saddest eyes I had ever seen, wagging everything from his ears back, and PLEADING with me to pet him.

I did....and my heart melted. I went to a phone, called my sister, and got very 'dubious' permission to bring a dog home. I then went through the necessary paper work, and rescued my angel.

I honestly think that JJ singled me out of all the people in that crowd that day, because he knew we belong together. I think he knew exactly what he was doing when he summoned me to that cage he was in. He has been my friend, companion, secret-keeper and most ardent supporter and admirer ever since the first minute I loaded him into a shopping cart in the pet store and loaded it up with food, toys, treats, leashes, and tennis balls. He has happily adjusted himself to MY schedule, and if he's not sleepy when I am, he guards me while I sleep. He watches out for me.

I found out after I adopted JJ that he has had extensive training by his one-time owner, who abandoned him in her back yard when she moved. JJ is a 'therapy' dog, having completed all the required training. We often visit nursing homes in the area, and it's amazing to watch him 'work'.

I recently moved to an apartment, and it was well worth the extra money required to find one that would also accomodate JJ. I would no more have left him behind than I could have left one of my kids. Thank God there are some apartment owners who allow people to keep their pets.

If you would like to visit JJ, he has his very own web page. The url is:

https://www.angelfire.com/mo2/mgquigley

Thank you for letting me tell JJ's story. I hope even just one other
person might read it and decide to adopt a rescue dog instead of
patronizing a pet store.

Barbara Lutz

We have two cats in our lives, Bookie and Mystik.
Bookie adopted us the week before Thanksgiving. He was a stray cat that followed my boyfriend home. He was the smallest kitten I ever seen - with a tail longer than his entire body! He is all grey with just two tiny spots of white, one under his chin, the other on his belly. We cleaned him up and fed him, took him to the vet to got his shots and to get him neutered.

He is the most wonderful cat in the world. So loving and sweet. But he seemed lonely so this past April we went to our local SPCA to get him a friend. How difficult it is to go there and be able to only adopt one! There were so many beautiful cats and so many kittens. We spent almost an hour there playing with all of them. We finally decided on this tiny little furball with the biggest mouth there! We took him home and named him Mystik. He is part Siamese and weighed only 4lbs. We scheduled an appt. at the vet to get his shots and to neuter him. The Vet told us he was neutered - he then said he probably had his shots too, but there was no way for us to be sure. So he received his shots plus had to get dewormed and put on medicine for a cold.  Since the SPCA told us he was found on the streets, we  just assumed he was also born on the streets. I can't believe this little guy had a home at one time. How anyone could have put him out is beyond me. He is a little ball of love! He purrs constantly - even when he is at the Vet! 

I feel so blessed to have these two beautiful cats as part of our family. When I watch them playing or just sleeping in the sun it gives me so much joy. There is nothing in this world I wouldn't do for my two furry friends. 

Thanks,
Leone
leeleey@home.com
http://www.relivonline.com/leone