Bear, Forever a Hero

Bear, Forever a Hero(Gary Karibyan) It was on a breezy September evening that I met this five-year old dog: he had small ears, long jaws and a black shiny coat. My friend (who happens to be my sweetheart now) introduced me to Bear, a Newfoundland.

I never owned a dog; I thought it was costly and too much of a maintenance. As he took part in my life, I realized he was not just an ordinary dog, he was unique. I was amazed how smart he was: he was obedient, he executed the basic commands, he gave high-fives, he swam for hours, just to name a few. He was the master of chasing balls. We had fun for hours and I never complained.

When I first started dating my friend, I must admit, he got under my skin at times. He would always bark and wander around us as he was constantly seeking for attention. He’d bark every time I’d sit with her; when we’d dine, or when we’d make out. When our focus was not directed at him, he would howl incessantly and release intestinal gases of magnified proportions. Sometimes he would bite me to show his level of affection. I still have his teeth marks in my hand! Our relationship improved gradually as we played often together and he dropped the continuous barking.

I recall a particular incident which triggered an alteration of my insight on life. It influenced me deeply although the circumstances weren’t favorable at that moment. It was the time when we walked Bear in a quiet residential neighborhood. He was rarely leashed, except when advised. I was having a conversation with my friend and we checked on Bear from time to time. At one point, I saw him sitting facing the door at the entrance of a stranger’s house. It was impossible not to laugh as we were wondering what the hell was he thinking of? He then began to strike repetitively his paw on the door and we heard the clashing of his claws against the door. We called him but it was one of those rarest moments that he wouldn’t listen. We grew tense and jolted toward him.

The stranger opened the door and made a sudden leap: the lady, who seemed to be in her thirties, shouted at Bear. We approached the stranger while a calm Bear stood still facing the angry resident. I will never forget the innocent expression on his face, it was of such magnitude that I froze and appreciated the piece of art that stood in front of me. The homeowner, however, kept on shouting at us to take (him) off. We were about to grab Bear’s harness to leave, but the abrupt change of expression on his face piqued my interest: he had inquisitive eyes and his little ears stood straight, it was a sign something grabbed his attention. Bear saw and heard the tennis ball rolling toward us. One of the kids on the lawn, probably the homeowner’s children, sprinted toward the ball. Although they hadn’t really noticed our presence, I sensed the kids were calm and projecting a neutral expression. Bear did not hesitate a moment: he sprang toward that kid. The kid caught the ball before Bear could reach to it and he then threw it to his friend who happened to be on the side of the house. Bear then leaped toward the kid’s friend who was about to catch the ball.

We ran after Bear to grab him. The homeowner seemed more than angry as she followed us while cursing. We were surprised to see Bear with the kids exchanging the ball a few times. The kids’ neutral expression manifested into smiles; they enjoyed every moment of it — so did I. I called Bear and he turned to me: he had his tongue out of his mouth which was wide open; it was a rare moment of absolute joy. I couldn’t recall of when the last time I saw him so happy. I wondered, why disrupt this moment that we were enjoying? I heard the homeowner spitting epithets about dogs and that’s when I concealed my smile to avoid transforming the moment of joy into a battlefield. It was one of those rarest moments I had to grab Bear and lead him off someone’s property. Bear didn’t want to stop playing. We apologized to the homeowner — thank God he didn't do his business.

When we left, I had an awkward feeling as some old memories came to mind. I remember that September evening when I first met him, it came to me as a shock learning Bear had a rare disease and was in a terminal stage. Bear reminded me of some close friends and relatives who lost their battles with diseases in such a short life span too. I pounded this mantra into my head: enjoy every moment life has to offer while the clock is ticking.

Sometimes people turn dogs off but sometimes a man’s best friend could be a dog.