Slowly growing into adulthood, I have yet to learn the meaning of love until that very one day, the very day that has changed my perception on life and love. It was a dog, whom I have loved so dearly that I have learnt the meaning of all these.
It was 17th April 2004, a birthday cake with four big candles and five small candles were lit, indicating my dad's 45th birthday. He looked delighted, flanked by my mother , and my two other siblings, while my relativeswere seen clapping happily next to them. At another corner of my house, near the garden, lay 2-rat looking creatures wrapped around my dog, Bunny. It suddenly dawned upon me that Bunny was pregnant for a few months and on this special occasion, on my dad's birthday, two puppies were born. I looked at my mother, smiled and flipped through the photo album with enthusiasm. "I can't wait to go home," I told my mother. I was undergoing a National Service stint of three months.
I came back home after the three months stint and continued with my life. I never missed a single day of my puppies' growing process. From the day, my puppies named Pluto and Mickey started opening their eyes till the day when they could run, bark and fetch balls. My puppies were the stars of the house. Mickey grew up to be the more rebellious of the other puppy. It had a distinct dog behaviour and preferred freedom as compared to the other more homely puppy, Pluto. Having said so, Mickey, active as it is, often runs about, barks, and loved running outside the house compound.
On the third day of Chinese New Year of 2006, my mother, father and brother brough the two puppies for a walk while I was working. "It was after dinner, and the road was clear, the dogs were let loose. Suddenly, Mickey ran to the middle of the road, and with the blink of an eye, screeching sound followed by a big BANG, was heard. Mickey was hit by a car. The car stopped, Mickey gathered up all its strengh, and walked its last three steps on earth and collapsed to the ground. Mickey was rushed to the veterinarian but it was too late," My mum related the whole incident to me, tears swelling up in her eyes. Mickey's graveyard now lies in the playground, its favourite haunt. Its chain and red ribbon tied around its neck in conjunction with the Chinese New Year celebration was taken out from its neck. Mickey is now a free soul. The other dogs in my house howled in the middle of the night. I guess they might have missed Mickey's presence.
I tried to recall how soft Mickey's soft were and its barking voice. I have recorded its voice and deleted it before Mickey's death. Regret and remorse took over my body. I cried. How could I have deleted its voice. I could no longer hear his voice anymore. I took things for granted and believed that Mickey wold always be by my side, not leaving me, cheering me up when I was down. It's now months later, I learned not to take things for granted anymore. I spent more time with my family, helped more at home and most of all treat them with respect. Mickey will always be in my heart. It will always be part of my family. And hereby as my family name is Tan, its name is now Mickey Tan and will always be Mickey Tan.
Mickey
