The Unkind Photo: A Puppy Kisses Story
The Beginning
Jacob was incredibly proud to be the editor of the new class blog, “The Pine Grove Pup Press.” Mr. Flock had given him a special tablet to take photos and post updates, and Jacob took his job as a journalist very seriously.
“A good journalist is truthful and thoughtful,” he reminded himself, quoting Mr. Flock.
His posts were a big hit. He wrote about the class science fair, the books they were reading, and all the fun things they did at recess.
The Problem
One day, the class was rehearsing a short play about the seasons. Tess, who was playing the part of an autumn leaf, had a special scene where she had to twirl and fall gracefully to the ground. During one practice, her foot caught on the rug, and she took a comical tumble, ending up in a silly, tangled heap with her paws in the air.
Everyone, including Tess, burst out laughing. It was a funny, unexpected moment. Jacob, seeing a great photo opportunity, quickly snapped a picture with the tablet. Click! He had captured the perfect shot of Tess in her mixed-up, giggling pile.
The Build-Up
That evening, as he was writing a post about the play rehearsal, he remembered the funny photo. He thought everyone would love it. Without thinking to ask Tess, he uploaded it with the caption: “Our friend Tess is really ‘falling’ into her role! 😂”
The post immediately got lots of likes and funny comments from pups in their class. Jacob felt proud. He had captured a moment that made everyone smile.
The next morning at school, however, he saw Tess by her cubby, looking at the blog on her phone. She wasn’t laughing. Her ears were drooping, and she looked embarrassed.
The Big Moment (The Turning Point)
“Hey, Tess!” Jacob said cheerfully. “Did you see all the likes your photo got?”
Tess looked up, and he saw that her eyes were a little watery. “Yeah, I saw,” she said quietly. “It was funny when it happened in class with all of us, but… I didn’t know you were going to post it for the whole school to see.”
Jacob’s cheerful feeling vanished, replaced by a cold knot of guilt. He had been so focused on getting a funny photo that he never stopped to think about how Tess might feel. A moment that was silly and private among friends had been turned into a public joke. The picture was truthful, but it wasn’t thoughtful. He knew what he had to do.
Winding Down
“You’re right,” he said, his voice soft. “I’m really sorry, Tess. I should have asked you first. It was your moment, not mine to share. Do you want me to take it down?”
Tess looked up, a wave of relief on her face. “Would you? I’d really appreciate that.”
Jacob took out the tablet right then and there and deleted the post. “I’m going to post an apology, too,” he said.
The End (The Lesson Learned)
Later, Jacob wrote a new post. It was titled “A Note from the Editor.” He explained that being a good digital citizen means respecting your friends’ feelings and privacy, and that he was still learning. He finished by posting a beautiful picture he had taken of the amazing set Tess had designed for the play.
His new post didn’t get as many laughing emojis, but it got something better: comments from his friends saying he did the right thing. He had learned a modern journalist’s most important lesson: asking for permission is just as important as telling the truth, and a friend’s trust is worth more than any number of likes.
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