In the novel Because of Winn-Dixie, Opal goes to the store to purchase two tomatoes, white rice, and macaroni and cheese. Upon entering the store, however, Opal finds something particularly special that she was not expecting. When Opal enters the store, the manager is yelling a large, adorable, and super messy dog who is causing a ruckus in the store. When Opal looks at the mischievous pup, the dog is thrilled and excitedly wags his tail, causing more groceries to spill out onto the floor, which causes the manager to become even more angry. When the manager gets knocked to the floor by the over-excited dog, he has had enough of the situation and demands that someone call the pound to collect the dog. Opal immediately intervenes to save the dog from the pound and brings the dog, now called Winn-Dixie, home with her.