The nurses were preparing him for anesthesia when, suddenly, the child whispered softly:
— Maybe… maybe Archie can come to me?
— Who is Archie, dear? — asked one of the nurses, surprised.
— My dog. I’ve missed him so much. Please… — the boy’s lips trembled.
— You know, sweetheart, animals aren’t allowed in the hospital. You’re already very weak, you must understand… — she tried to explain gently.
The boy turned toward the wall, tears gathering in the corners of his eyes.
— But I… maybe I’ll never see him again.
Those words pierced the nurse’s heart. She looked at her colleagues and then, unexpectedly even to herself, said:
— All right. Just for one minute.
An hour later, the boy’s parents brought the dog. As soon as Archie saw his owner, he jumped straight onto the bed and pressed against the child.
For the first time in many weeks, the boy smiled and hugged his friend tightly.
The doctors and nurses watched the scene with tearful eyes. True friends — stronger than pain or fear.
But suddenly, Archie tensed up. His fur bristled, he jumped off the bed and rushed toward the corner of the room.
There stood the surgeon who was supposed to operate on him. The dog barked furiously, as if ready to bite.
— Get that creature out! — the doctor shouted, stepping back in fear.
Colleagues tried to calm Archie, but one of the doctors looked closely at the surgeon and suddenly understood the dog’s behavior.
He sensed a sharp smell of alcohol.
— My God… — the anesthesiologist whispered, staring at the surgeon. — Are you drunk?!
A deadly silence filled the room. The parents turned pale, and the nurses looked at each other in horror. Archie kept growling, placing his small body between the child and the doctor like a living shield.
After a few minutes, everything became clear: the surgeon had come to work drunk.
He was immediately suspended and his license revoked.
The surgery was postponed, and the boy was entrusted to another doctor.
A few days later, the operation was successful. Everyone said the same thing: Archie had not only been a loyal dog, but a true guardian angel.
If it hadn’t been for him, the ending could have been tragic.
