When I was 5 years old a puppy was brought in my door. My 23 yr old sister's neighbor dog had puppies and I dont remember how but a white, brown, black with a touch of grey puppy came in my door and was put in my arms while my 9 yr old sister snuggled up close to me so she could see the puppy to.I went through a list of names for the puppy and finaly my dad said " Bandit." I looked at the small skinny puppy and said "Bandit." she looked up at me with her huge trusting brown eyes. I knew it fit her. She slept in the bathroom and had cryed the first night. I woke up early and went in the bathroom to talk to her and hold her. We had a ever lasting bond. She could be a brat at times but we were like sisters. We had our argumants but always had gotten back together to play. When I went to play with my friends in "the hole" in my apartment complex Bandit was right there with me. Around the time I was six I took Bandit for a walk and disaster hapened.A huge dog came over and lifted me fragile Bandit off the ground a shook her by her neck. We rushed her to the vet's. All the while I sat in the back of the car holding my precious Bandit singing to her and she cryed. When I looked in her eyes I seen pain and confusion. Why was she hurting? She had only been going potty. Well we rushed her into the vets and my night-mare came true. My baby, my best friend had to stay overnight at the vets and was expected to die. When the vet asked my parents if they could put her to sleep I gave them THE LOOK. At 13 yrs old I still have that look today. We went home crying and I stayed up all night waiting for the next morning. As the sun went high in the sky we raced to the vet fearing what we would here. I went to her room and she lie down panting, with a white bandage on one paw and on one of her sides. The vet said with a lot of tlc she just might make it. We took her home gave her the pills she was on and let her rest. In the ten days that followed I got little sleep staying up with Bandit in my arms. I got her through her illness and a few months later I got a horrible disease ( I forgot what it ws called). I was in the hospital 2 weeks and the only thing that kept we going was knowing my sisters (Jenny and Bandit) were at home. I got to see Jenny everday of course since she was a human but not Bandit.I kept trying to fight the illness so I could run with Bandit and play with her soon. With that in mind I dropped the illness and went home. You see, after Bandit had gotten loose a couple times in the apartment everyone loved her. A man that just moved in had a dog (Jypsy) whom Bandit and I adored. We'd play hour after hour fetch, get the bone if you can, and chase and tug-of-war.I loved running on the side of the rode with Bandit by my side. And oh boy did she ever like snow. We let her run around in the snow and she ran on end to the other letting the snow fly up underneath her small but fuzzy paws. A little after my 7th birthday I went to the store to get shoes. I took about an hour deciding what pair to get. When I got home I called my lovely puppy to me.When she didnt come I thought she was locked in the house. I went on and called but she didnt race up and jump on me showering me with kisses. The man that had Jypsy helped us search the house and then he took me on a drive looking for my lost puppy. When I was at home alone I screamed for Bandit told her the game wasnt funny anymore. I could just picture her, with the long hair over her eyes, her tail tucked come over and laying on her back apologizing for the hurt she caused.But she never came. I waited for my parents and sister in my room waiting for them to gently place my preciously loved baby into my arms. They came home with nothing. I cryed that night and slept in my parents room and had the most vivid dream of Bandit sitting on the carpet whinning for me to wake up. That morning we began our search putting up posters for my dear lost friend. I know if Bandit had been within hearing she would have come to me. A week later we were told my dog was seen by the store up the street. She wasnt there. I cryed. I waited on the porch everday for her familiar face to peer at my from under the bush.Her soft gentle eyes never peered back when I looked under anything. As the weeks grew into months my parents bought me a half grown choclate lab. I tried to run and play with her but she was shy and didnt bond with me at all. I couldnt feel even a quarter of the way I felt about Bandit. As the months grew into a year my sister blamed the lady next to us. Her mother had been fond of my Bandit and now she was gone. I couldnt entirely believe what my sister claimed. How could the woman not see how much that dog and I had been through? Had she not cared how much fun Bandit had had with me? In the end she didnt take me Bandit. I fear very much my baby was hit by a car and killed or stolen like my bunny, taken out of the hutch. Had the same boys that stole my rabbit and kitten, had they stolen my wonderful dog to? We moved two years after Bandit disapeared (and many more of my dear animals)into a different appartement. Part of me was happy (no more animals stolen) part of me was sad because I still hadnt given up hope that my long lost friend would return. Two years after that we moved four hours away and I still look in yards and windows for my friend who disapeared but in mm heart I know shes gone. But I also know that I will never stop looking for her even if shes at rainbow bridge. I hope she'll wait there for me, not for someone else as I fear if she was stolen. She will always hold a place in my heart.