SYNOPSIS:

Mavis grew up poor which molded her character with great compassion. Her compassion led her to helping abused homeless women. Ironically she lost her job and now she is out of unemployment benefits. Making matters worse the benefits she did receive make her ineligible for public assistance. Now, Mavis faces homelessness herself. Despite this she continues her holiday charitable work uplifting the spirits of the hopeless. As Christmas approaches and despite not knowing her own fate, she is determined to continue her work with food and toy drives. She never lets on her own time of need. Life and her profession taught her there are always people in her sleepy town that need more than she. She never managed to save money either. She always helped her neighbors, often anonymously. After being denied assistance she returns home that evening knowing she has one meager meal left for her to eat only to find a puppy on her doorstep. Reminding her of the dog she had many years ago she brings him in and feeds him her last meal instead. Soon, this dog “that came to dinner” brings home more “friends” and the help she needs from the least expected places. This begs the questions: Do good deeds really go unpunished or does Jesus’ teaching that caring for the least among us is the same as caring for him include a dog?

THE DOG THAT CAME TO DINNER

This work is in process. There are fourteen pages of the first draft which is copyrighted and available for interested parties.