Welcome Home Mario!

Losing Whitie last year, my furry best friend since childhood, was one of the many devastating events I've ever had in my life. My friends sent their condolences and sympathies, a few online enemies (a.k.a insecure people who are either as bitchy as I am or just plain jealous of something I don't know about) criticized my method of mourning, and my family moved on thinking I was doing okay. Truth of the matter was, I could hardly function normally for two weeks.

Rant Alert
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I realized how much I missed my dog after a shocking accident, when I got out of a cab and the door hit a motorcycle that was trying to squeeze through the traffic with space that could only be filled by one person (he rode over the elongated island so he could overtake the other vehicles) at an illegal speed, sending the driver off his stupid vehicle and sprawled on the ground. If you know physics and had he been moving the motorcycle slowly, he would have enough time to stop it. The motorcycle came out of nowhere! (I'm not surprised why there are so many vehicular "accidents". Feh. There are a lot of irresponsible drivers here in my country. The only hope these accidents could bring is that there will be less idiots in the world if they die.)

Anyway, what was that motorcycle doing in a narrow space like that in the first place? It's an obvious violation of the traffic laws such as overtaking at an unsafe distance and illegal overtaking. Motorcycles should stick to their own lanes. Plus there's a maximum width where motorcycles could pass through. Coming from a country where motorist violations occur frequently and law enforcement is poor, I should have seen it coming. But my heart was too heavy to even carry the shock of what happened that day.

The bastard cab driver hissed and started droning about who would pay for the damages to the motorcycle, and started saying things like, "Nako, paano kung nasira yan ha? Anong gagawin mo?" He's a fucker. I hope he contracts HIV and die toothless, money-less, homeless, and penis-less, which is a pretty good possibility considering his way of thinking. Har.

The best empty reply I could come up with was, "Fine. Let's go to my school's guards so I could contact the office. They can help." Afterwards, I sought the counselor's advice who told me, "Alam ng driver ng morcycle siya ang mali kaya di na niya tinuloy pumunta sa pulis. Siya mapapagalitan. At naka-ID ka pa non kaya involved ang school. Sa ganyan, unahan lang sino ang unang magsasalita. Nagkataon lang you're undergoing through an intense period."

Had I been my normal self that day, I would have demanded to seek the authorities and prove to the policemen (with a little emo for better results) that the driver of the motorcycle violated the law.

This incident had me shaken and guilty, which eventually turned to disappointment for allowing myself to act like a weakling and be treated like a doormat by lesser demons.

Moving on to the good news...

I thought I'll never get over the loss. Even Doggy Black looked like she was undergoing her own canine mourning. She kept visiting the cemetery area in our garden, where my baby for exactly 17 years (akala 12, 17 pala, naabutan pa ni Whitie si Lady. It's been so long na kasi. I regret not taking down the exact date I got her. -.- ) has crossed the Rainbow Bridge. Thinking about her until now brings tears to my eyes.

Rainbow Bridge

Doggy and I bonded and became closer. We went through
the loss together, and I gave her all my attention. People said I could get a
new dog if I wanted to, but I wasn't ready yet. I convinced myself that no dog
could ever replace Whitie, and it will be unfair for the

new dog if he or she becomes some sort of a canine equivalent of a "rebound".

Little did I know my life will change the following year, when I stumbled on a website for homeless animals and saw this picture.

Love at first sight does happen, because if it doesn't, the dog you see in this picture wouldn't be spending his time creating memories with us at home today.

WELCOME HOME MARIO SWEETIE!

One big smile.

Mario and his dinner.

Mario walking beside the cobbles.

The best thing about this? I was able to get to know him while he was still in the shelter. This dog's not my Whitie, but he's my Mario (my new best friend, besides Doggy and my hamsters); and there will only be one Mario in the world and he's the dog you see in that picture right there y'hear?

The same logic applies to Doggy and my hammies. Mommy loves all of you cupcakes munchkins sweetie pies baby-kins!

Like all the other animals in the shelter, he's got his own tragic story, and he's been staying in the shelter for three years too. I wanted to reach out and build his self-esteem before he goes home with me. (Knowing Doggy, she's got enough self-confidence to rival a feline's. She'd boss Mario around and if Mario didn't trust me enough, I figured there might be a disaster. I didn't want to risk it.)

Some people told me I did a good thing, that I gave Mario a home and a chance at a better life, but I think - this I emphasize to every potential adopters out there - the benefits are mutual.

Adopting a dog, especially an older one, is one of the greatest experience you'll ever have. The dog's love for you, depending on how you accept it, will make a mark in your life history; the love you share will be like an ENERGIZER battery, it goes on and on and on....and until death do you part. (Honestly, I'd rather not think of the death part. Live life to the fullest!)

Mario, together with Doggy and the hamsters, gave me two special and irreplaceable gifts: love and devotion. They turned me to a more resilient, and even more strong-willed person.

Oh! And Mario already knows the "UP" command! (He's picky with his dog biscuits, but he goes CRAZY over CHEWY SNACKS!)

To think it took him less than one week to settle down AND learn a trick. Wooohoo! I'm so proud of you baby! (It's amusing to see Doggy and Mario go "up" at the same time too. :3 )