The Friendly Ghost

— Pet Tale by Lauri Richardson —

One day Pippo the pug was feeling uncharacteristically afraid and unsettled. Often the comedian, today he was nervously pacing in a small room inside the large, abandoned house by the rolling sea. This room had a great view of the little brown squirrel he was trying to befriend, but something was throwing him off. The problem was, things were not always so joyful in such a large spooky house. In fact, oftentimes it could feel downright haunted.

Thankfully for Pippo, he was a loyal companion to Pluft, the Little Ghost. Although Pluft was very friendly, he could at times be timid, so it was often Pippo who propped him up with his funny antics. But such was not the case today, as it was Pippo who needed help.

“What’s wrong, Pippo? You seem very agitated today,” asked Pluft. “Indeed I am,” he replied, barely above a whisper. “Oh?” replied Pluft, looking concerned. “Tell me more.” “Shhhhh! We have an intruder dog in the house–in this very room–and I’m frightened of them! I caught a glance, and the stranger seemed pretty scared too!”

At that point Pippo’s owner, Maribel entered the room, winked and said laughingly, “Silly, it’s just a mirror!” Pluft then fully understood and further explained to a relieved Pippo, “It’s a mirror for them, but a friend for you! Have the courage to overcome your fears, and approach the mirror with a big smile. You’ll gain a new friend – I promise you!”

Illustration by Viraj Raol – Through visual art and thoughtful storytelling, Viraj weaves a tapestry of multi-layered expression. A Toronto-based writer and illustrator, he releases his creativity and emotions in ever-surprising ways, from poetry to brand marketing to cartoons. He has, in fact, been creating a daily doodle since 2016 and sharing his art on Instagram. His versatility extends to writing jingles for brands and collaborating on marketing campaigns as a copywriter. Whether working in English, Hindi or Gujarati, his art seamlessly blends playful illustrations with an engaging narrative. CONTACT VIRAJ RAOL: Illustration | Multilingual Copywriting | Marketing | Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meyotov

This content is part of the 2025 Wave Pets Illustrated Calendar-Planner, where talented Canadian artists were invited to illustrate each month using a blend of techniques inspired by selected pet photos. Each unique piece captures the charm and personality of beloved pets, with storytelling that brings them to life month by month.

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