Nome Meets Snob Hill, Pt. 1

Here is, arguably, THE most popular fan fiction I have ever done (to date), which has been very well-received in the Balto fan community! It's a "work in progress" (two of three parts have been completed...the third is nearing completion...soon. Heh). Enjoy!

TITLE: Nome Meets Snob Hill, Part 1

WRITER/AUTHOR: BaltoSeppala

CATEGORY: Crossover

RATING: G

SUMMARY: Balto and his team, while touring the United States with a vaudeville show after the serum run, find themselves in Snob Hill in New England. There, they meet and befriend Lady, Tramp and some of the other dogs and humans of Snob Hill, and have some exciting and romantic adventures! The foundations are laid here, and set the stage for adventure in Part 2!

NOTES: (see below)

CHARACTERS (in order of appearance): Lady, Tramp, Darling, Jim Dear, Junior, Aunt Sara, Jock, Scamp, Annette, Collette, Danielle, Trusty, Balto, Nikki, Star, Kaltag, Nulato, Koyuk, Pete, Rosy's father (called "Mr. Johnson" in this story), Jenna, Hans




By Earl J. Aversano

This story was inspired by the movies Balto (1995, © Universal Pictures and Amblimation/Amblin Entertainment), Balto 2: Wolf Quest (2002, © Universal Cartoon Studios), Balto 3: Wings of Change (2004, © Universal Cartoon Studios), Lady and the Tramp (1955, © Walt Disney Productions), and Lady and the Tramp 2: Scamp’s Adventure (2001, © Walt Disney Television Animation, Walt Disney Pictures), as well as the real history of the Great Serum Run of 1925.

The original Balto cartoon characters which appear, or are referred to, in this story: Jenna, Nikki, Kaltag and Star, Rosy (and Rosy’s dad), and the cartoon version of Balto are copyrighted property of Universal Pictures, Universal Cartoon Studios, and Amblimation/Amblin Entertainment, respectively. The original Lady and the Tramp characters which appear, or are referred to, in this story: Tramp, Lady, Jim Dear, Darling, Junior, Aunt Sara, Jock, Trusty, Reggie, Tony, Joe, Scamp, Annette, Collette, Danielle, Buster, the Dogcatcher (the version from L&T 2), Mrs. Mahoney, Mooch, Sparky, François, and Ruby, and location names: Snob Hill and Tony’s Restaurant, are copyrighted property of Walt Disney Productions, Walt Disney Television Animation, and Walt Disney Pictures.

Neither this story, nor any part of it, may be reproduced in print, or posted on a web blog, message board, or other electronic medium, without the permission of the author.

PREFACE

This story is a melding of fictional milieus of the Balto cartoon universe, and the Lady and the Tramp universe. It also blends with elements of the real events experienced by the real Balto and his team after the Serum Run of 1925. This is going to take some explaining, so that you understand the setting. If you don’t want to read it, then don’t. But I recommend that you do. I felt it was necessary to provide this preface.

The story itself is made up of many short chapters, meant to break up the action into segments, more in keeping with the flow of a cartoon rather than that of a book. I did this on purpose.

I would like to credit the following MySpace members, who are character role-players, with contributing to this story. They are the best at representing their characters on the entire MySpace community: http://www.myspace.com/baltostruelove (Jenna), http://www.myspace.com/collarfree (Tramp), and http://www.myspace.com/jimdearanddarling (Lady). (My RP profile on MySpace, for Balto, is http://www.myspace.com/baltoseppala.) Without their participation in the role-play scenario which was the inspiration for this, I probably would not have turned out a story half as interesting and entertaining.

In this story, we find Balto and his team (including Nikki, Kaltag and Star), and their musher touring the United States during the latter half of 1925 (even though the name of the team’s musher was never identified in the Balto cartoon movie, I have given him the name Gunnar Kaasen…that of the real musher of the real Balto’s team. The cartoon character is rather older in appearance than the real Gunnar Kaasen was at the time, and has an American accent and a beard. The real Gunnar Kaasen did not have a beard, was only in his early twenties, and was Norwegian). I have also given names to the last three dogs of Balto’s team (as you’ll see below). In the original Balto movie, their names were never mentioned.

It is autumn, and now almost eight months since Balto’s team arrived in Nome, carrying the life-saving diphtheria anti-toxin. In the early summer, the team was invited to come to the U.S., by Hollywood producer Sol Lesser, to make a short movie about their experiences. After that, the team was convinced to go on a tour of the states by train, taking part in vaudeville shows across the country. Balto was now a bona fide national celebrity, and people wanted to see this heroic dog who had led his team through blizzard and treacherous terrain on their errand of mercy.

Accompanying the team is Jenna and her master, Rosy’s father. Being better-traveled than Gunnar Kaasen, and an accomplished businessman, he has offered to assist as a liaison. He has also brought Jenna along, almost as an after-thought (which pleased her and Balto very much).

The team has spent the entire summer touring the United States, starting in Los Angeles, California and working their way across the country. Now, with the advent of autumn, they find themselves entering New England. It is late September, and the leaves on the trees are turning a dazzling array of colors…brilliant red, yellow, pink and orange. It’s something to which the team is not accustomed. In Alaska, the seasons turn so suddenly (and usually harshly), that there rarely is a chance for such a marvelous display.

They have just completed a visit in Boston, Massachusetts, when they are diverted to a small town nearby. Some wealthy citizen has arranged a parade, to include a ceremony and picnic in his posh community (“Snob Hill”), and managed to exert enough influence to convince Rosy’s father to commit the team to an appearance.

Snob Hill is a rich neighborhood in an unspecified town in New England. Fans of the Disney movies Lady and the Tramp and Lady and the Tramp 2: Scamp’s Adventure have often speculated that it is either in Boston or New York. However, this has never been officially documented…and I have not tried to pin it down here. It’s best left to the imagination. Snob Hill, which sits on the “right side of the tracks” from a rough-and-tumble working-class neighborhood, is a mixture of beautiful Colonial, Victorian and Edwardian homes with preened lawns and gardens, wrought-iron, stone, brick, and white picket fences, and fine iron and brass gas lamps lining concrete and brick-lain walkways as well as cobblestone and paved streets. Further along, the business district is inviting and decorative. In between are expansive, bucolic municipal parks also bordered by wrought-iron fences polished off with brass fixtures. It is as far removed from the simple frontier gold mining town of Nome as any neighborhood could be.

An exact date was also never indicated in the Lady and the Tramp movies…though there is a very obscure shot of a newspaper, in Lady and the Tramp 2: Scamp’s Adventure, which mentions the sinking of the S.S. Titanic (which occurred in April of 1912). So the producers of the 2001 feature tried to pin it down generally to April/May of 1912 (maybe…those could just as easily have been old newspapers that Jim Dear and Darling kept for occasions such as that which is played out in that scene – bathing the dogs). Walt Disney himself (and the producers of the original 1955 feature), on the other hand, never seemed to have been interested in tying Lady and the Tramp down to a specific date…beyond suggesting (through visual imagery…vehicles, buildings, clothing) that the time period is either the 1910s or 1920s.

Either way, this story is meant to take place in late September of 1925, approximately eight months after completion of the actual historical Serum Run. And so that is where I have decided to place the date within the confines of this fan fiction. For the purposes of the Lady and the Tramp movies, I have set this after the first one, but before the second. Scamp and his sisters are still much younger than they appear in Lady and the Tramp 2: Scamp’s Adventure, though some familiar characters from that movie will appear (Buster and his pack, Mrs. Mahoney, and the dogcatcher…I like him better than the dogcatcher in Lady and the Tramp…he’s got a more comical vibe, and is clearly a take-off on the legendary comedic character actor Don Knotts). As concerns the Balto movies, it is set eight months after the events portrayed in the first movie, but still two years before the second (which is set in what appears to be the summer of 1927. If nothing else, the opening scene of that movie does indicate quite clearly that it takes place in 1927).

Here’s a final note concerning my use of colloquial English. I have tried to stick strictly to the characters and the way they spoke in their respective movies…including any regional accents or regional grammar. To those reading this, for whom English is not their native language, it may appear a bit odd (especially with Nikki, Jock, Trusty, Buster and some others). I hope this doesn’t present too much of a problem. Remember that Nikki and Buster speak with a heavy Brooklyn/Bronx accent (that of a working-class New Yorker). Jock, the Scottish terrier, speaks with a Scots accent and colloquial manner. And Trusty, the old blood hound, speaks with a southern drawl, of course…and the colloquialisms of the old South (what in America is known as the ante-bellum South…pre-American Civil War). So you will see their lines purposefully misspelled (and some purposeful grammatical errors as well), which is meant to bring out their accents on the pages.

The cozy yet demure streets of Snob Hill were packed with people and dogs alike, the former dressed in their Sunday best. Autumn had come to this quaint New England town, and multi-colored leaves tossed and twirled in the cool, blustery breeze. Painted banners offered welcome to Balto and his team. There were also decorations of red, white and blue, the remnants of the summer’s Independence Day celebrations, which adorned the buildings, gas-lamp posts, and fences along the street. People clamored for the best viewing spots for a special parade down Main Street. Those people who could not find room on the street leaned out of the second-story windows of apartments or those few shops which remained open for the day. It was no ordinary parade which drew this kind of a crowd. Today a group of canine heroes, and their human musher, were to be honored for helping to save the population of a small, far-off Alaskan town from the grips of the terrible disease known as “diphtheria”.

Into the crowd stepped a fair-faced young woman, her gentlemanly husband at her side. Behind them followed an older, well-dressed woman with a toddler in her arms. A tad farther down, the family’s two dogs worked their way through the crowd of human legs and into a fantastic spot for viewing the parade. One was a beautiful brown cocker spaniel with a faded blue collar decorating her slender neck. The other was a slim, gray mutt with tufts of unruly fur scattered from his head to his tail. The mutt sat down next to his purebred mate and began scratching at his new shiny red collar with zeal.

“Ow, ow, ow, ow! Gosh, Pigeon, I don’t know if I’m gonna be able to get used to this silly thing. I know I said I’d do anything for you, but this is murder!”

He paused for a moment.

“So tell me again, Pige, who’s this dog that everyone’s carrying on about so much?”

The cocker spaniel, known by her owners and the other dogs of Snob Hill as “Lady”, looked sidelong at her mate. “Oh, Tramp! He’s a legend! He and his sled team saved the children of a small village in Alaska from a horrible disease! I saw his picture on the front page of this morning’s newspaper…the one Jim Dear was reading. I just can’t wait to have a chance to see him! He sounds simply wonderful!”

The mutt laughed, and began scratching again at his collar. “Weeeeell, he’d just better not get too friendly with my special girl!”

As the two dogs talked, from down the street came the sounds of a marching band, and soon they caught sight of it. It was led by two people carrying a banner, bearing the band’s name, and before that, another banner emblazoned with the words “Paw-rade of Heroes – We welcome Balto the Wonder Dog and his Sled Team!” Cheers and applause rose up from the crowd.

Lady perked up with anticipation. “Ooh, it’s starting, Tramp! Now where did Scamp and the girls get to? They won’t want to miss this!”

Through the forest of legs came Scamp, tumbling head over heels. And right behind him the Scottish terrier, Jock, nudging him along. Following behind Jock were Lady and Tramp’s other puppies, Annette, Collette, and Danielle. Jock nudged Scamp one more time, and then sat down beside Lady. “Here they are, lassie. Found ‘em sniffing near a push-cart full o’ funnel cakes.” Tramp shot a glance at Scamp, who bowed his head in embarrassment.

Lady nodded. “Thank you so very much, Jock! I was so swept up in all the excitement about Balto, that I must have lost track of them! But I should have realized you’d be there to keep them out of trouble!”

A murmur of frustrated human voices came from behind them, and soon old Trusty, the blood hound, appeared, pushing right through the sea of legs. “Thaaaat’s right, Miss Lady! They was never in any trouble, not with ol’ Trusty on the job!”

Jock cleared his throat in protest, and shot Trusty an angry glance.

Down the road, further back in the parade marching order, came Balto’s team. They were harnessed to the same sled they pulled in the Serum Run, only now it was propped up on wheels. Behind Balto were Star, then Nikki, then Kaltag, and three other dogs behind him…Nulato, Koyuk, and Pete.

Star, the Alaskan husky, was amazed by the beautiful Victorian and Edwardian buildings and finery. “Boy oh boy! Talk about living the good life, huh guys?”

Nikki, the big chow chow, chuckled. “Yeah! Dey sure got it made here on ‘Easy Street’. Ain’t dat right dere, Balto?”

Balto, like the others, marveled at the scenery, the well-dressed people and well-groomed dogs. It was practical sensory-overload. “Well, it sure isn’t anything like home! Even Jenna’s family doesn’t have it this good! But it is…well, it’s nice. These people sure do make a fuss!”

Kaltag, the other Alaskan husky on the team, broke in with his usual exuberance. “Oh I’ll tell ya, this is the best, the gaudiest, the richest, the most fantastic celebration I’ve…”

And then Star interrupted excitely “It makes me wanna dance! Ha ha!” Kaltag let out a low growl, and shot a glance at Star, who just giggled and shrugged.

Tramp stretched his neck to look past the legs of the people he stood by, in order to try and catch a glimpse of the team. The parade continued by…bands playing patriotic tunes…baton twirlers prancing in a choreographed routine, and even clowns cavorting and showing off with their silly antics. And through it all, the people just kept talking about Balto, and how they longed to catch a glimpse of him.

“Man, this Balto really must be something! He’s all that these people keep talking about!”

“Well, dear, he did save a whole town after all!” Lady sighed wistfully. “It all sounds so wonderful!”

“Yeah,” Tramp mumbled worriedly, “wonderful.”

A shadow played across Lady’s face. “Oh, but he probably wouldn’t be interested in meeting dogs like us. I mean, what have we ever done that could compare with his heroic adventures?”

Jock, who had been listening to the conversation, tried to offer what he thought would be words of comfort to Lady. “I wouldna worry yourself about that now, lassie. This parade wi’ be over before ye know it, and they’ll be off t’ another city.”

Lady hung her head. The parade continued along, a few horse-drawn carriages passing by with dignitaries sitting in them (as well as Rosy’s father, with Jenna sitting at his feet), and at last, at the very end of the parade, the team itself. As the cheers of the onlookers grew, Tramp again cast his eyes down the street. “Hey! Hey look Pige! Here comes Balto and his team now!”

The dogs perked up and looked down the street to see Balto. Trusty, ever eager to make an impression, sat up at full attention, muzzle held proudly, high in the air. Lady and Tramp’s puppies scurried to the very curb of the street, prancing about happily as the team came ever closer, with a crowd behind. Alongside of them, children trotted at respectful distance, laughing with glee.

As the team approached the end of the parade route, Nikki caught the scent of fresh, warm funnel cakes in the autumn breeze.

“Oooooh, now dere’s a lovely scent! Do youse t’ink dey is gonna have somet’ing nice laid out for us when we is t’rough with dis parade?”

Balto laughed. “Oh I’m sure they will, Nikki. It certainly seems like these people don’t do anything small!”

Balto looked down the street, and his ears perked up. “Hey, it looks like we may be coming to the end! There’s a park up ahead, and the bands up front are turning into it!”

Star looked up momentarily. “Thank goodness! My paws are killing me! Oooooooh!”

“You weakling”, Kaltag teasingly replied, “why, if we weren’t all harnessed up, I’d give you one good! We’ve gotta look our best here! It’s only a little farther, and we certainly went a lot farther back home, didn’t we?”

Star grimaced. “Yeah. In snow…not on cobblestones and pavement! Ow! OW!”

“Come on, fellas”, Balto replied firmly, “hang in there! We’re doing this mostly for them, not for us! Besides…can’t you feel the love?” He laughed again.

The team finally reached the end of the route, and turned into the wrought-iron and brass gateway to the town park, all bedecked with colorful banners, American flags, and garland, and signs welcoming the team. A large brass band was seated by a decorated, raised platform, playing patriotic American tunes.

The team was halted before the platform, and permitted to rest and drink water. As the town’s citizens filed into the park, the band continued playing. Then several well-dressed dignitaries, including the mayor, ascended the stairs of the raised platform and seated themselves there, behind a podium. As the band completed its final tune, a bearded man stood up and walked over to the podium, and welcomed the townspeople. He then gave a special welcome to Balto’s team, extending his hand to point them out to the crowd as he spoke. Then he began an introduction to what would be a round of speech-making and the presenting of ribbons. Some of it was short and interesting, the rest rather long, dry and boring.

This allowed Jenna an opportunity to walk up to Balto, and for the dogs to interact with curious children who approached the team. Gunnar Kaasen, the team’s musher, unhitched the dogs from the harness, and allowed them to lay down or wander.

Jenna walked up and gave Balto a loving lick on the nose. “You really deserve all of this, Balto. I can’t wait to mingle with some of the neighborhood kids, and to see what the dogs are like here. Everyone seems so sophisticated and well-mannered!”

Balto looked down and pawed at the ground. “Awww…heck Jenna. You know how I feel about people fussing over me! Besides, I wasn’t the only dog on the team, you know. These other fellas worked pretty hard themselves. I just think that they often get lost in the shuffle, you know?”

Jenna smiled. “Oh Balto! I wouldn’t worry so much. Besides, they seem to be having a pretty good time.”

Out of the corner of her eye, Jenna spotted a young family near the front of the crowd. At their feet were two dogs – a scrappy-looking mutt and a beautiful brown cocker spaniel. There were also a few young puppies playing at their feet. She was curious to meet some of the dogs of the neighborhood, and this seemed as good a place to start as any.

Jenna started to walk towards the family. “Balto”, she said, “I want to say hello to that cocker spaniel over there. Come with me, will you?”

Balto sized up the family, and the dogs at their feet. “Oh…sure Jenna.” He looked back for a moment at the team, some of them tilting their heads out of curiosity, and others totally bored and disinterested. He shrugged, and then turned and followed Jenna.

Lady was sitting quietly, and very properly, next to Darling, who was standing arm-in-arm with Jim Dear. Behind them, their Aunt Sara held their son, Junior, in her arms. Tramp, meanwhile, was busy trying to keep the puppies corralled, as Jock and Trusty had momentarily wandered off. As Lady sat, listening to the speaker at the podium, she occasionally glanced over at the team, and particularly at Balto. She was truly overwhelmed by his proud bearing and handsome features, and thought to herself “My…he looks every bit the hero they say he is. How could he not be?”

Lady’s thoughts were interrupted by the sounds of Tramp working to keep the puppies in close. She turned around to scold them. “Hey now! All of you! You should be setting a good example! It’s not every day we have heroes come to town! Now sit nice!”

They all stopped and turned to her with surprised looks on their faces. The puppies each sat down, one after the other (and in a neat little row). In unison, they replied “yes mommy.” Tramp, a little embarrassed, rolled his eyes and sighed, and then joined Lady at her side.

“Gosh, I’m sorry Pige”, Tramp replied softly. I’m trying my best here!” His brow furrowed, and his muzzle wrinkled. “Sometimes I wonder how Jock and Trusty do it!” He sat and scratched at his collar again. “Darn this thing!” he grumbled to himself.

Lady softened her expression. “Well, you needn’t worry about that now. Let’s just try and make a good impression!” Lady turned back to glance at the team, and discovered, to her surprise (and with a noticeable gasp), that they were now unhitched, and that Balto was walking towards her, alongside of a beautiful red lady husky. She stood up, eyes wide, and turned quickly to Tramp.

“Oh, oh my goodness! T-Tramp? He’s coming this way!”

Tramp was still scratching at his collar. “Huh? Who is, Pige? Jock? It’s about time too! It’s so hard to find good puppy sitters these days!”

Lady was becoming more excitable. “No, not Jock! It’s Balto, Tramp! He’s coming over here!”

Tramp lifted his head quickly, glancing to and fro. “What, where?”

Lady nodded towards the direction from which Balto and Jenna were approaching, and started nervously prancing. “Over there, with that pretty red husky! Here they come!”

Tramp, however, just rolled his eyes. “Great. Well, I guess we’ll finally get to see what all this fuss is about, huh?”

Lady glanced hard at her mate. “Tramp! Please!”

The speech-making, from the podium, continued. Balto and Jenna had almost reached Lady and Tramp, when another dog, a German shorthaired pointer, approached them.

“Pardon me, folks.”

Balto and Jenna stopped to acknowledge the pointer.

“My name is Hans. It is a privilege to meet you both…especially you, Balto! You’ll forgive me for saying so, but I couldn’t help overhearing a bit of your conversation, about the pretty cocker spaniel and her mate.”

Balto nodded and smiled. “Well, thank you Hans.” Balto half-turned to Jenna. “This is Jenna, my sweetheart. She is curious about the cocker spaniel. She carries herself so properly!”

Hans nodded in response. “Yeeeeeees, that’s our dear Miss Lady. Prettiest girl on the block! I dare say in all of Snob Hill, really!”

Jenna tilted her head to one side. “Snob Hill?”

Hans laughed. “Oh. Well, you see, that is what this neighborhood is known as. At least, it’s called that by the dogs and humans over on the…well, if you’ll forgive the expression, the ‘wrong side of the tracks’. We’ve all come to call it that - as a term of endearment, after a fashion. The neighborhood’s very well-to-do, you understand.”

Jenna looked around at it with a touch of awe. Yes, I’ve noticed that. It’s very nice!”

“Thank you, Miss Jenna.” Hans quickly replied with a smile. “Er, as I was saying, Miss Lady’s a real gem, and loved by all! The other dog there, the mutt, well that’s her mate, Tramp. He’s quite a legend himself, at least with the dogs around here.”

Balto observed Tramp with some interest. “Hmm!”

Hans continued. “Yes, his story has a touch of the dramatic. He was a junkyard dog, you see. For some time, too. And he was a hero to the street dogs. And then, one day, he chanced upon sweet Miss Lady, and fell madly in love!” The pointer looked over at Tramp with a respectful gaze. “It was said that nothing could tame the Tramp. But love does strange things to even the toughest of legends.” He turned back to Jenna, and then looked at Balto out of the corner of his eye. “Wouldn’t you agree, Miss Jenna?”

“Oh, I suppose so”, said Jenna, with a coy smile.

Hans motioned for Balto and Jenna to follow him. “Please, allow me to introduce you to them. It would be my pleasure!”

Hans, the German shorthaired pointer, stepped a couple of paces ahead of Balto and Jenna, and walked right up to Lady and Tramp. “Excuse me, Miss Lady? Tramp? There’s someone I’d like you t…” But he was interrupted, rather abruptly, by Tramp, who popped up and sauntered over, and gave Hans a nudge on the shoulder with his paw.

“Weeeeeell, Hans! How are you on this fine day, ol’ man?” Tramp carried on boisterously, which shocked and embarrassed Lady. “The family good? Dig up any good bones lately?”

Hans stood for a second, flabberghasted. “Well, I…”

Tramp interrupted him again. “Thaaaat’s what I thought! Now, while I’d like certainly like to…”

“TRAMP!” Lady was clearly angry, and her eyes gleamed. She sighed hard, and turned to Hans. “Oh, I’m very sorry, Hans. I really don’t know what’s come over him!”

Hans cleared his throat. “I say, it’s quite alright my dear. I suppose he is still adjusting to being a member of polite society.” Hans let out a short, loud sniff at Tramp, and then continued. “May I present Miss Jenna, and the distinguished hero, Balto.”

With that, Hans motioned them forward with his paw, and stepped aside. “You’ll excuse me. I suppose I have some bones to, er, dig up.” With that, he shot a glance at Tramp, stuck his nose up in the air, and trotted off.

Jenna walked right up, and Balto followed behind, a little hesitantly, sniffing the air as he did. Jenna smiled at Lady and Tramp. “Hello! It’s a pleasure to meet you both.”

Lady stepped up confidently, but her eyes were fixed on Balto. “Hello, Jenna. The pleasure really is all ours. When we learned that Balto was coming to our town, well, we simply had to meet him!”

Balto stepped up next to Jenna, and gave a respectful and friendly nod to Lady. “Thank you very much, Miss Lady. Everyone’s been very kind, and we’ve had a wonderful time so far!”

Lady gazed up into Balto’s eyes adoringly, giggled and wagged her tail. “Thank you, Balto. But I’d like it if you just called me ‘Lady’.” Her eyes were fixed on his. “You’re even more handsome up close than you are from a distance.” At that, Balto bashfully bowed his head.

In that moment, Lady found that Tramp was not standing with her. She looked back to find him trying very hard to look disinterested. She cast a frustrated glance at him, and cleared her throat.

Tramp sighed, walked up and, with feigned enthusiasm, blurted “Hey there, friend! Glad you could stop on by! Well, it’s been good meeting ya!” With that, he turned and walked off. Lady’s jaw dropped. She was speechless.

Jenna, rather taken aback, muttered “he’s…nice.”

Lady turned back to Jenna. “Oh, I am so embarrassed! Please forgive him. He doesn’t really mean it. I think it’s my fault. I’ve been carrying on about meeting Balto since we first heard he was coming to town, and I suppose I went a little too far!”

She glanced back at Tramp and then turned back to Balto and Jenna. Shaking her head in embarrassment, she continued. “Tramp’s always been rather sensitive about losing his image as a local hero, and I’m afraid he must feel a little threatened.”

Balto walked up to Lady, and smiled at her. “It’s okay, Lady. I think I know what to do.” Balto left them, and walked over to Tramp, who was now standing off by himself, watching the puppies. They were now a short distance away, playing with Jock and Trusty.

“Sssooooo, Tramp. I hear you’re quite the legend around here! I’d sure like to hear some stories about your days as a junkyard dog, if you have some time later.”

Tramp glanced quickly at Balto, a look of surprise on his face. Then his features tightened, and he nodded silently in agreement, and turned away again.

Balto hesitated for a moment, and then continued. “You see, I sort of live on my own, like you used to. It’s tough, sometimes, but I manage. And the townsfolk up where I’m from are really a lot nicer to me than they were in the days before our little adventure. It’d be nice to have a chance to talk to a veteran like yourself.”

Tramp laughed softly. “You know, I miss those days...no leash, no collar…a surprise in every trash can!” He paused for minute, and then broke back into his usual boisterousness. Jumping out in front of Balto, he went down into a classic play bow, with his tail wagging and tongue hanging out. “But hey”, he mused, “there’ll be plenty of time for stories later on, old buddy! Isn’t it about time for them to start presenting medals? It wouldn’t do for a hero to miss that!” Tramp smiled at Balto, and they both walked back over to Jenna and Lady, who were both now happily talking like they were old friends.

They walked back over to the team, just as the mayor was giving his final comments, and about to present a medal to Balto himself.

END OF PART 1