A Dog Named Christmas

Hallmark Hall of Fame A Dog Named Christmas Closed Captioned

It was late summer, I was told,

and even though he had been content with the Connor family,

his departure was predictable.

They'd found him resting on their front porch one winter.

They fed him, cleaned him and vaccinated him.

But the Connors knew that a walk on

could just as easily walk off.

He journeyed west away from the city,

along the river and across the fields.

He must have roamed for quite some time,

following a path that surely led him past many dangers.

Hand me that rock.

Hit the dog.

[laughing and chattering]

He couldn't have known how long it would take

or how far he would travel.

But he was being pulled in a very particular direction

to a very particular place.

He'd come a long way,

but his journey wasn't over.

Wow!

Yeah.

Hey.

Hey, Mr. Gopher.

What happened to your leg?

Oh, you're hurt.

Don't worry.

I'm gonna take you home and I'm gonna

take care of you.

Don't be scared.

It's okay. I'm sorry.

I'm sorry, I gotta... but you're sick.

I'm sorry, I'm sorry.

You can stay in my room.

We're gonna give you some food

and Dad is going to help me give you a bed

and we'll call a professor...

Todd.

Hi, Dad.

That's a good color. What do you call it?

Mr. Erdman's potting shed.

Mr. Erdman gave it to me.

Dad, I could paint all the way to the top

if I could use the ladder.

No, no. No ladders, Todd.

No ladders.

Okay, Dad.

You remember why?

Because I always climb too high

and I don't want to fall and break my collarbone again.

That's right.

I need you to help me fix the front gate.

All right.

I'll clean this up later.

Clean the brush first, son.

Crossing Trails is a small community in Kansas.

Our land, once occupied by the Shawnee Indians,

has been in the family

since my great-great-great grandfather.

All right, come back.

When I was seven, my folks died in an accident

and I came here to live with my grandfather.

I've loved it ever since.

There you go.

Mary Ann McCray, my wife,

teaches music and debate

at Crossing Trails Middle School.

We've been together

since before I shipped off to Vietnam.

Excellent job, guys.

Well, that's it.

Have a wonderful vacation, everyone.

I'll see you all after the break.

See ya. Bye.

She wrote me every day and married me when I returned--

patched up and kind of glued back together.

Together we've raised four children

and added four grandchildren.

Three of our kids are grown with lives of their own,

but... then there's Todd, our youngest.

Todd may look like any other 20-year-old,

but he has his own way of thinking about things.

Okay, I'll hold.

Hey, Dad.

Old Stubbs looks thin.

We should deworm her, right, Dad?

Yeah, I think you're right.

We need to go into town and get some tomorrow.

Okay.

I'm all done with my chores.

Can I take care of my hawk now?

Yes. Go ahead, sure.

Hi. Yeah, can I get 40 bales?

Square bales on Friday?

Hi, Jay. -That'd be great. Thank you.

Are you feeling better today?

I brought you some food.

'Cause Professor Stroud says you have to eat it

and then you'll get all better.

Think you can fly over here?

Come here, Jay.

Come here.

Good!

Your wing's so much better.

See you later, Jay.

Ornithology Department. This is Kim.

Ms. Dowell, this is Todd McCray in Crossing Trails.

Yes, Todd.

Don't I keep asking you to call me Kim?

What's up?

Have you found another injured bird?

No, I still have Jay.

Is Professor David Stroud in?

Just caught him.

Professor?

This is David.

Hi, Professor.

It's Todd McCray in Crossing Trails.

Yes, I heard.

Hi, Todd. How's the hawk?

Did you follow my instructions?

Yes. I think that his humerus is better

because he's flapping and flying around the cage.

That's good. Really good work, Todd.

And he eats all the time.

Sounds like you've taken good care of him.

I have.

Well, then you remember what we talked about--

what comes next, Todd?

See you bought out the store again.

Not quite.

Don't worry, I'll send you back tomorrow for the rest.

He's so much better than he was when I first saw him.

Well, if that's the case,

I think it's time for you to release him into the wild.

All right, I will.

Thank you.

Hi, Mom.

Hi, Todd.

Who were you talking to?

Professor Stroud.

Says it's time to let Jay go.

If I keep him too long,

he won't have a good life.

That's what Professor Stroud says.

Well, he's right.

You wouldn't be doing the bird any favors to keep it

when it can make it on its own.

Why don't you help Todd with that.

I'll get the rest of the groceries and start supper.

All right.

Come on, son, let's go.

It's okay, Jay.

Shh, shh, shh.

Let's put him up on these barrels, Todd.

Shh. Shh.

All right.

Hey.

It's okay.

Don't be scared, okay?

Professor Stroud's right, Todd.

You have to let him go.

Hey, go see your family again.

Bye, Jay.

Hey, hey, hey, you did good.

You did good.

He can be his own master again.

Because I set him free?

Mm-hmm, yeah, that's right.

Okay.

I think Mom's probably got dinner ready.

Let's go in, all right?

Okay. All right, good boy.

["Hark! The Herald Angels Sing" playing on radio]

Todd, when you're done clearing the table,

I'd want you to go upstairs and clean your room.

Okay.

No, Todd, look at me.

I know you don't like doing it,

but I want you to at least put away your shoes and clothes.

I want that room clean for the Christmas party.

I will.

If that song doesn't get you in the Christmas spirit,

I've got just the thing that will.

We have someone here in our very own studio, Hayley Ronaldson,

manager of the Santee County animal shelter.

Hayley Ronaldson? Don't we know her?

Yeah, Hayley Price. Hannah's friend, remember?

Oh, that's right, yeah.

What we've done is we've created a program

that we call Adopt-A-Dog for Christmas.

Now, our employees and volunteers