CHAPTER ONE

On a moonlit night on the Italian island of Sicily, a tiny car speeds down a lonely country road. The driver hurries, swerving past carob trees and stone farmhouses. When he reaches a garbage dumpster by the side of the road, he screeches to a stop, climbs out, and looks around, making sure no one can see him. The dumpster is overflowing with trash. Beside it sits a stack of dirty mattresses. Alone in the darkness, far from prying eyes, the man opens the trunk and grabs a small burlap sack. Grunting, he heaves the bag onto the garbage heap and shouts, “Good riddance once and for all!

The man slams the trunk shut, climbs back into his car, and speeds off into the silent darkness of the night. For a moment, all is still at the dumpster. Then there is a stir. 

A pack of hungry cats, startled by the strange object, emerges. They pounce on the bag hoping that it’s food. But when it starts to move, everyone jumps back! Something is alive inside the burlap sack, and it is desperate to get out. For the next few minutes, there is clawing and scratching. Then something pokes through. It’s a white and brown furry paw with tiny claws. Next to emerge is a small brown nose, twitching and sniffing the night air. The cats pull back, unsure of what will appear. Finally, the creature bursts forth. It is a small dog with brown fur and a tail as curly as a monkey’s.

The dog shakes her head, looks around, and has no idea where she is, except that she is surrounded by cats. The cats, relieved that the bag contained nothing more than a helpless young dog, and not some wild beast, close in on the stranger. The biggest of them, with orange fur and glowing green eyes, turns and hisses to his fellow felines. “Great. Another mouth to feed! Just what we need around here.” Then, to the little dog, he snaps, “I don’t know who you think you are, but I’m Mimmo, and I’m in charge of this dump. Don’t get too comfortable. There are already too many of us here!”

Confused and scared, the little dog asks, “But where am I? Why am I here?” “Isn’t it obvious? No one wanted you. No one loves you!” declares Mimmo. “You were dumped here like the rest of us. This is where cold-hearted humans leave us when they don’t want us anymore.” “That’s not true! Someone loves me. I know it,” cries the little pup. “Ha! That’s what we all said, and look around! We’re still here!” sneers Mimmo. 

As Mimmo and his gang watch, the little dog surveys the garbage dump, wondering what to do next. She spots the stack of mattresses, climbs on top, and tries to figure out what has happened.

I know I’m not meant to spend the rest of my life in a dumpster….right? she thinks.

It’s getting late, and with nothing familiar in sight, the dog has no choice but to settle in for the long night to come. But as soon as she begins falling asleep, the cats at the dumpster all spring into action once again.

Another visitor has arrived. This time it’s not another heartless human, abandoning another helpless animal. It’s Valentina, a young girl who lives down the road. 

The cats know and love Valentina because every night she brings them leftover food.

Some nights there are slices of pizza. Other times, she brings arancini, little balls of rice stuffed with cheese and meat.

As the cats meow, waiting for their dinner, Valentina spots the newcomer. “Ciao!” she says, which is the Sicilian way of saying “Hello.” From a small paper bag, Valentina removes a half-eaten loaf of bread and a small hunk of cheese. She places the food at the edge of the mattress, expecting the dog to greedily devour the treats as Mimmo and his cat friends always do. But Valentina is surprised when the little dog approaches the food slowly, sniffs it, then begins to eat, savoring each morsel. When she has finished, she licks Valentina’s hand in gratitude.

Valentina sighs. “You’re so sweet. And such manners. I wish I could take you home, but I already have five other rescue animals, and there’s no more room.” Frustrated, the young Sicilian girl wonders aloud, “When will people stop dumping precious animals here? You can’t just throw a dog in the garbage!” 

As Valentine leaves, an uneasy quiet descends upon the garbage dump. The cats retreat to their corner of the trash pile. And the little dog makes a bold decision. “This is no place for me,” she says to herself. “Now that I’ve eaten something, I must try to find my way back home.

Maybe I can convince them to take me back. But the Sicilian countryside at night can be a scary place, with other creatures much more intimidating than a ragged band of stray cats. As if to confirm this, a pack of wolves can be heard howling in the distance.

Taking a deep breath, the little dog summons all her strength and sets off into the darkness. Watching her curly tail disappear into the night, Mimmo laughs, “I’m glad she’s gone! More food for the rest of us!” 

As the little pup sets out, hoping to find her way back home, little does she know her life is about to change again, thanks to a young American couple named Bill and Judy who are on their way to Sicily at that very moment.