Foley's Tails From Rainbow Bridge: Oliver, the Groundhog with a Dream

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• Oliver was a groundhog with a dream.
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• He lived in the woods by the Ocean Park mini golf course and arcade. Every day he would hide in the woods watching families play mini-golf.
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• Often they would bring their dog. It would watch the family play like Oliver did, sitting still, not chasing the ball, and getting lots of love and scratches.
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• Oliver knew he could be just as good a pet as any dog, he just needed a chance.
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• One day he decided to take it.
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• While a family was playing he slowly snuck up on them. He was almost at the fence when a dog began barking at him, warning the family. Oliver had to hand it to those dogs, they knew they had a good thing and wanted to protect it.
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• Oliver realized the straight-ahead way wouldn’t work for him.
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• He developed another tactic: He would use the arcade.
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• He sat outside an open doorand watched. Soon he had a plan.
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• Hesisterinside while the low-paid and less aware workers cleaned. When they left he put his plan in motion. By the next day, he would be living with his new family as a beloved pet.
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• As he waited for the arcade to open he wished he had brought a snack.
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• Soon the playroom was filled with kids. Oliver became excited as he heard footsteps outside of where he was nestled. Then the click of coins, and a whir.
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• The claw had been activated.
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• Oliver waited until it was lowered into the plushies and hopped inside then claw.
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• The boy brought up the claw: “I got something, I got something,” he yelled and his little brother and siter came over.  The claw emerged from the stuffies, and seeing family, Oliver smiled.
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• “It’s a rat!” the little girl yelled.
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• Oliver was about to explain that he was a groundhog when he saw people running around and screaming.
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• Scared, Oliver screamed along with them., 
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• He only wanted to get out but he could not find the exit.
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• Men arrived with big, sharp tools. They ripped apart the claw machine and gently lifted Oliver out.
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• They began to discuss what ton do with him when he broke away from the men and ran through the people, out the door, and back to his hole.
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• He had decided that humans were a species better enjoyed from a distance.
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