Tramp:After hearing my son’s very sweet and touching words to us, I can’t help but notice that he might have become too nice a dog. As far as I’m concerned he is being too hard on himself. No doubt he has managed to mature and become a little less wilder than he used to be, but I still don’t think he understands that he doesn’t have to feel that bad about what he has done. He still has a bit to learn.

Lady: Yeah, I mean we really do love him, and there has never been a moment since we had our kids when the consequences of his actions have hindered our love for him. We love him because he is our son, no matter how much of a rascal he might be, because he is not mean or stupid. We do not want him to think that we love him less because deep down inside his heart has always been in the right place.

Angel: That is exactly what I like about him. He is good, decent and kind and he would never go as far as to put his friends or family in danger. Unlike some of the other street dogs that I have met, he is not one to try to hit on you with your charms or try that obnoxious and annoying sweet talk. He is considerate and has good manners, but he also loves to play around and have some fun, like an omega wolf. He might even become an “alpha of the omegas” to teach everyone about having fun (laughs).  

Trusty: When I first laid eyes on that sweet little pup, he was somethin’ adorable that I could not compare human babies with. He was just such a sweet little chip off of the old block and to have a little nephew with such a cute face makes me feel lucky. He hasn’t changed much in terms of his looks as he has gotten older. In terms of his behaviour, it is true that we had our paws full tryin’ to keep him under control, but he never lost his decency and he was never mean. He just wanted to have some fun, and as far as I’m concerned, he should remind us all to have fun. There are times when we are busy and we forget to take a break every now and then, and that is why we should all find time to enjoy ourselves with outdoor recreation to keep our brains under control. Scamp certainly made me realize that. But no matter what he does, we love him because he is family. We never wanted him to think that we didn’t.

Jock: It seems that the little Lassie is trying to change himself by apologizing to us and trying to change his ways, and he really is showing how much he loves us. Don’t get me wrong; he is doing the right thing, but he is also being too hard on himself. Hearing these words makes it sound like the little laddie has committed just about every one of the Seven Deadly Sins. He does not have to think of it that way. To me he never sinned; he just needed to play it a little safer than usual. If he could learn to take it easy, he would be benefiting his own safety, and that is all that Tramp wanted for him. Tramp is as streetwise as one could get, and because of that he knows that the streets can be full of traps; so therefore if Scamp follows in his father’s streetwise paw prints, he will face those same dangers and risk himself being lost. So all Scamp needed to do was to learn to play it safe.

Tramp: I think that I should have told Scamp about my life on the streets when he was younger. I only didn’t because I didn’t want him getting any ideas about going there. I know that I was very good out there and almost never got caught bar one, but I was not sure that Scamp could be as streetwise as me, especially at a young age. The ultimate test is that it takes years of experience to be able to survive out there. The tricks that you learn require great attention to detail and precision practical skills, and if you are going to succeed, you need to live your whole life on the streets. So there is a lot more to living a collar-free and footloose life than just playing around and having fun. Whatever you choose to do, an education is always required.

Angel: Living collar-free can be fun, but you really have to commit and train hard if you are going to survive. I don’t think that I could handle that for the rest of my life. I only stayed out because I could never find the right family and I had no choice but to stay with the Junkyard Dogs as it was the only home that I had. But after meeting someone gentle with a nice family who loves canines and could never turn them away, I finally found what I desperately wanted in my whole life: Family. I have Scamp to thank for that. He doesn’t have to feel so bad about what he has done because not only did I find a real friend, or love, in him, but he also gave me a wonderful life. So Scamp, don’t beat yourself up about letting me down or blowing my cover, because I know that you didn’t mean it. Your heart was still in the right place after you knew. Just know that I love you too, and you will always be my bright shining star. Thank you for what you have done.

Annette: Scamp’s words are so touching and heartfelt, and I swear they want to make me cry. He has become so sweet, and from what he has learned about the street life, I know that he has become a better dog. But it doesn’t matter to us, because he is our brother and we love him no matter what.

Collette: That is exactly right. Look, the punishments that he received for being wild he probably deserved, but his heart was always in the right place. No matter what he did, it never stopped us from loving him. He was very cute and playful, and that is what we would love to see in everyone, right? If you don’t at least try and have some fun, and if you don’t have a sense of humour, you are very boring and no one will like you very much.

Danielle: Brother at the start, brother to the end. He is family and always will be. He never did anything to let us down because he just wanted to have some fun and would not dare to put us in danger. He is not like that and we always knew. We also missed him so much when he was gone, and it just didn’t seem the same when he wasn’t there. I don’t want to lose him because I love him and it would be a great tragedy for our family to see him go. He is important to the family and I am so happy to have him back in our loving arms.

Lady: I don’t even want him to feel that he has let us down. He never wanted to hurt us; he just wanted some independence; and it is important for everyone to have their own freedom every now and then. But it is also important to be careful what you wish for, and whether that decision that you make is within a wise frame of mind; and the wrong decision can sometimes lead to something bad, which you would only have yourself to blame in the end. Scamp understands that well now and he has vowed to start playing safe both for his benefit, and for our own. The thing is that he was young at the time and he needed time to learn. But he has always had a heart, and that is why we love him. We are very proud of him.

Tramp: I will also say that Scamp has proven that he can tackle the streets out there the way that I did because he learned the tricks from those who used to be my fellow strays and applied them well. He has become very brave; and even though I could not believe that he stood up to me the way that he did to get what he wanted, I know that it took a lot of guts, and I admire that. That also counts for the courage that he showed when he semi-self-sacrificed himself by biting Reggie to hold him from attacking me, and by doing that he saved both me and himself. Again that took guts. But all in all I am proud of him for what he has accomplished.

Mooch: The little schnauzer is truly one canine hurricane, ‘Kay? To put on those moves on the streets at that young an age is a true feat of both skill and courage. He is truly awesome, and it’s not something that I could have dreamed of doing as a youngster, ‘Kay? I love that kid!

Francois: Zat little house dog is so cute and yet also admirable. I do not see why he has to feel ze way zat he does, because he has achieved a lot being on za streets and he should feel proud. He is lucky to have such a wonderful family who love him, and zat is something we never had ze chance to experience. He also taught us about decency and having a heart, and zat is why we all decided to quit ze Junkyard and find our own families. Scamp gave us a life, and we want to thank him. Magnific et tres bien Scamp.

Sparky: We all loved our free-collar lifestyle in a great kingdom like the Junkyard, and we were free at our own will to enjoy all the fun and games made available and cause as much trouble as one group could without consequence. But unlike our conceited and inconsiderate leader, we cared and looked out for each other and would never do anything to intentionally put ourselves at risk. Scamp is no different, especially seeing as he had such a cute personality and looked up to us like we were his own role models. But it was a lot more than that. He made a wise choice to go home with his family after suffering a one way trip to the pound that could have ended his life when he had barely begun to live. That was also partly because of Buster, and because we disapproved of what he did, we no longer wanted him in our lives. What Scamp gave us was inspiration in family, and so we all decided to follow suit.

Ruby: The truth was that working under Buster’s rules meant that we had to do what we were told if we were going to stay in the Junkyard. Fun, chaos and trouble was everything to us; and for a time being under Buster’s command wasn’t so bad; but there was one rule that became a motto of the Junkyard Dogs: It’s every dog for himself or herself. This means that none of us looks out for anyone but ourselves; and if we were unable to tackle the streets on our own, we could not survive. It was a tough one to follow because I think that we built a special friendly bond between us, and we never wanted to endanger our fellow “wolf-pack” and break that bond, but Buster’s rules stuck firm and we had to go along with it. But after both Scamp and Angel’s decision to go with family, we realized that we were fed up with Buster’s obnoxious treatment and lack of courtesy, and so we quit. If we were going to keep our bond, family was the only way.

Scratchy: I want to personally thank Scamp for the inspiration, because if I had not followed suit, I would have become so plagued with fleas that I might have lost all my fur. It was tough for me being out there because I could not stop scratching when the fleas got to me, and physically I was a mess. I am not even sure whether or not my health could have withstood it before an early exit to the afterlife. Luckily when we moved away from Buster, I found a family who took me in and put me in good health with medication and flea powder. Physically now I am feeling better than ever, and my fur has grown back. So thank you again, Scamp. You are a really cool kid. And don’t beat yourself up too much, because you are a lot better than some of us thought you were: Total admiration.

Sparky: I will agree with Scamp about the hard knocks of the street life. We didn’t want to let go of our freedom, but over time things got a little risky when the dog catcher was constantly after us because we were, as Buster described it, the “rulers of the town”, and we were the common targets. I knew then that it was only a matter of time before one or more of us would be thrown into the pound and be on death row, and then we would only have ourselves to blame. Plus counting the fact that Buster’s strict rules made it even tougher for us to enjoy our freedom, we all decided that it was time we moved on. We are all in secure environments now with “dog catcher restraining orders” and absence of command. We still get to have some fun with our owners every now and then; while at the same time catching up with each other when we go outside; but we also play it safe inside our houses if we are to stay with our owners. Scamp’s inspiration saved all the now Ex-Junkyard Dogs, or the Ex-JD’s, by giving us a life, and we thank him again.

Ruby: But we also give credit to Angel because she is probably the most sensible stray out of the Ex-JD’s, and even though she tagged along with the action, she knew her limits and never went too extreme. That was probably from her experience with family. She has a heart of shining gold, and she would never let the street life turn it to filthy bronze. We were too wrapped up in our own world to notice it; but once we knew, most of us became admired by her. Her connection with family further inspired us, so well done on playing it safe, Angel.

Angel: It is just flattering to hear those words from the Ex-JD’s. I just want to apologize to them for not thinking of them as family. Truth to be told, we had our fair share of fun times together and we looked up to each other. We were like a wolf pack who relied on each other to survive, and that is how we managed the hard knocks. When you get friends like that, they become your extended family, and you always stay in touch to keep that special connection. As for Scamp, he brought me to the family that I always wanted and proved that he was better than what others might have thought. I know that the Ex-JD’s are giving me credit for inspiration, but it was Scamp who gave me the key to my life. He is not just my extended family, but is my true love. Again, Scamp, I tell you from the heart that you are what I live for, and I love you.

Tramp: Of course we all forgive him. Through all that Scamp has done, he doesn’t have to feel too bad about his decisions, but I am just glad that he is playing it safe. I was worried for him and I didn’t want anything to happen to him. I know very well about risk from walking the streets; and if you choose that road for life, you never know the life expectancy from the average stray. The truth is that I love my son so much, and I just want the best for him. He understands that now that he is older, and I am proud of him. I also admire the Ex-JD’s for following the safe road from Scamp and Angel’s inspiration. I wish the best for them.

So my final words to Scamp are: Well done for playing it safe, showing courage, and showing the light at the end of the tunnel to those who need it most. Best wishes, my boy!

Lady: You have not let us down. Know that your family always loves you.

Jock: Keep having fun, little Lassie.

Trusty: Don’t change you cuteness.

Angel: Keep your decency, and know that I love you.

Annette: Join in on our fun and games!

Collette: Don’t forget that you have a heart.

Danielle: Don’t beat yourself up too much. You’ll get depression, and trust me, it’ll destroy you.

Mooch: We love you because you are a cool kid, ‘Kay!

Francois: Show us zee way out of zee darkness.

Ruby: Know who you are: the son of the Great Tramp.

Sparky: Know that your father is a true legend and you carry those genes. You will be granted true respect.

Scratchy: Thank you for showing us the way out and giving us a life.

All: We love you, Scamp!!!

END.

© BlackJack16; November 2011.

ALL characters belong to Walt Disney. I do not own any of the characters and I respect the laws against copyright violations. 

AUTHOR’S NOTE

This particular fanfic is based on certain personal experiences for me as a kid. There were times in my childhood where I had it through the good and the bad times, and there was so much that I could do to have fun in-between schoolwork and hard work. But I had parents who were very strict about certain things and I was told that I had to take it easy when it came to being too wild.

This also counted for schoolwork, because I wasn’t very committed to my work at kindergarten and the first two years or grades. Consequently, I got in trouble from mum and dad for such constant poor report cards that I had to start committing while at the same time receiving help to complete my schoolwork when I needed it. I started to perform slightly better after that, but I still had a long way to go because come 4^th grade, I made the situation even worse for myself for failing to complete about 75% of my weekly homework and fibbing to mum and dad every week about how I was able to do it myself and I didn’t need their help. Of course they found out at the end of the year and they were not pleased, so I was punished in two ways: First, my games console was taken away from me and hidden where I could not find it until I made a satisfactory commitment to my work again. Second, for the entire summer holiday that year, I was given about 25 sheets of homework to complete and hand in at the beginning of the following school year in 5^th grade to get my scores up again, prevent me from repeating a grade, and fix my record. I did that successfully, and come 5^th grade, I performed much better and got C to B averages; and so mum and dad rewarded me by giving me back my console which was absent from me for 6 months; and even after playing it again, I still performed well throughout the next two years at primary school (not to mention the fact that I was only allowed to play it on weekends otherwise it would distract me from work).

But I never fully understood about commitment until 8^th grade when I repeated pretty much everything that I did at 4^th grade by slacking off on my assignments and ended up receiving too many NAS’s (Not Assessed Due To Non-Submission’s) on my report cards just because I didn’t like the work that we were being given to complete. Mum and dad were further displeased but decided not to punish me. Instead, for the following year, I had to write down my weekly homework and assignments and get it checked on Mondays by my tutor to prove that I was committing to my work. It worked well and from then on, Grades 9-12, I went very well and received good Year 10 and 12 certificates, which got me entry in university.

So from all that, I learned about commitment and hard work to earn the fun that I was desperate to have in-between times; but it was also because I hated being yelled at; even though I knew that I deserved it sometimes. So I knew that if I wanted to avoid conflict, lectures, and confrontation, I had to please my parents. Ever since that horrible year in 8^th grade, I have tried year after year to impress them and do the right thing without causing an argument or stern lecture. Every time I feel that I have under-performed at anything, I get the impression that I have let my family down and I feel bad. From this moment on I keep trying so hard to prevent that from happening.

But it’s a lot more than that. As a little kid I watched a lot of TV, and certain things that kept getting mentioned was the risks to human health and well-being from smoking, alcohol, tattoos, drink-driving, speeding, drugs, sex, drug-dealing, theft, depression, loss of self-control, and even suspicious passengers at airport customs. I paid attention to all those things and got inspired. From age 6 I made a vow that I would try really hard to control myself and stay as clean as possible. To this day, miraculously I kept it: I have never smoked, never touched heavy alcohol, never got caught drink-driving, never got caught speeding, never touched heavy drugs, and never acted too wild. I know very well about playing the game safe.  

I also realized that I performed poor in certain years at school, but unlike certain idiots and jerks there, I never sank to their level. As much as I wanted to fight back after they picked on me, if it turned out wrong, I would become someone I’m not. I knew that I had to be better than that, and I was.

So from Scamp’s apology and Responses to Scamp’s apology, these fanfics are based around those facts. Scamp as a youngster is an example of who I did not want to become because he went a bit wild at times and he could have sunk to a new low; although for all the fun that he wanted to have, I respected that. So Scamp’s apology is an example about taking life easy and showing respect for your family while trying to please them so as not to lose their respect; and Responses to Scamp’s apology is an example of how much your family and friends love you no matter who you are or what you have done and that they are always there for you when you need them; not to mention the gift of inspiration towards a better and safer life.

I hope this helps, mates. Thank you for reading my fanfic.

Cheers,

BlackJack16.