Dog and Me echo97 文学城

echo972010-05-19 01:51:08

This speech won me the Best Speaker Award at a Toaster Master Club in the summer of 2007.

There was a thirteen-year-old girl living in a small town in the north east of China. Her brother had a female dog and you know at that time dogs were owned mostly as door guards but not pets. Therefore people would not neutralize a female dog to avoid dog pregnancy. That year the brother’s dog had a litter of 5 adorable puppies. Of course he couldn’t afford so many dogs and he had to give the puppies away. The day when the friends came to take the puppies, the girl came to the doghouse to say goodbye to the dogs. The moment she stood at the gate of the doghouse, she saw something she would never forget in her life. The mother dog was staring at the girl with tears rolling down and rolling down. The girl suddenly realized that the mother dog was begging her silently “please do not take away my babies. Do not take away my babies”. The girl felt heart broken for the first time in her life and she cried running away.

Madam toastmaster, fellow toast masters and most welcomed guests, the girl I was talking about is now standing in front of you. Yes, that was me. I think you already have the clue that today I would like to share with you the stories about my dog and myself. Actually, after they took away the puppies that day, I could not look into any dog’s eyes for many years. Whenever I saw the eyes, I saw tears and I felt so guilty because I was unable to do anything when the mother dog was separated from her babies. I promised myself that I would never raise any dog in my life. Many years passed. I went to university. I got my first job in a bank. I got married. I was happy with my life without any pet. I even seldom talked about dog or pet although I knew my hu*****and is a dog person. In 2001 we immigrated to Canada and in 2004 we moved into our first house with a backyard in Canada. After we put a patio, flowers, trees and shrubs in the backyard, my hu*****and started asking me the same questions. “Honey, do not you think we need something more energetic, more living in the back yard? Don’t you”? I knew he was talking about a dog. His ideal life is sitting in the back yard full of sunshine with a beer in the hand and a dog sitting beside him. But I could not erase the miserable eyes from my memory and I did not need a dog to remind me of that every day. So I ignored his questions although he said honey we can name our dog Toyota or Yota. (You know, I like to drive Toyota very much).

Then there was a sunny Sunday in the mid of July of 2005. I was cleaning the bedrooms and I heard my hu*****and shouting at me downstairs: “honey, come down and look what I got from the street.” “ He better has not brought a skunk home”. I said to myself. “ I found a lost dog.” He said. “ What? Would you send her back and I don’t want to see her”. I told my hu*****and. “I will try to find her owner. But I can’t leave her alone on the street. Come and have a look first. She is so cute”. I was curious and I went to the powder room. Then I saw the little cutie standing in the corner with some cereal in front of her, which my hu*****and wanted to feed her. I looked into her eyes and I saw curiosity, loss and she looked very scared. I suddenly realized that this time I could protect the dog. I could find her mommy and make her feel safety. I petted her gently and told her “Don’t worry doggie, we will find your mom”. It seemed she understood me because she started wagging her tail constantly. I fell in love with her immediately. That evening, we walked her in the neighborhood but could not find her mummy. Trust me, I was happy secretly that we could not find the owner because I already wanted to keep her although I knew I should not. Unfortunately we found the owner the next evening. Beyond our expectation, the owner said she was looking for a family to keep the dog because they don’t have time to look after her. Fellow toastmasters, did you ever hear the old saying that gold falling down from heaven? That is what I was feeling that day. So I have a dog again in my life, and her name is Cookie. Now when I go back home everyday from work, Cookie always welcomes me warmly. She is always in a happy positive mood no matter how bad my mood is. That will cheer me up quickly. I am trying my best to provide her a loving and safe home in return.

A long time ago I learned the lesson from a dog that there are always some very difficult moments in my life such as the departure or death of the beloved. Cookie helped me learn the lesson that we have to face all the situations bravely and try to let it go when things are beyond our control. We got to move on with our life. I also know one fact that I cannot live without a dog any more.