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Hello! My name is Buddy, sometimes also called “Buddy No!”.
I’ve been living with Eiji for five years. I thought you might like a little insight into what our life looks like today.
I was still just a pupper when Eiji picked me up from an alley in Chinatown. I remember Eiji had a nasty smell, steeped in sadness. I find it curious that most humans don’t notice this bitter smell; they don’t play when they’re sad, they don’t eat, they don’t even chase balls or squirrels. The same happened to Eiji the first year we were together.
Eiji took me to his home in New York. It was very nice and he had everything you could wish for: a bed, food, and toys. Still, when he came back home, he barely smiled. The smell of sadness makes us dogs very anxious, so we try really hard to cheer humans up so that they get their usual scent again. I tried licking his hand, playing with him, and even giving him pretty leaves I found when he took me for a walk in the park. But it didn’t matter how hard I tried, Eiji always smelled of sadness and something else, a scent that made me howl from the very bottom of my heart. I could see a different color radiating from him whenever he opened these books with images of different people. He would stare at some of them longer than others. He flipped the pages and sat by the window distractedly scratching my head. People came to visit, but I could never see their faces since Eiji never let them walk inside. I could feel how worried they were, but that didn’t cheer him up either. I sat beside him every time he seemed too tired to even cook, but I eventually took the initiative and tried to open some cabinets in the kitchen to remind him of his own food. It took a while, but he was eating on a schedule again.
Everything changed one day, just when I had turned one. Eiji was about to go to sleep and someone knocked on the door. I immediately sensed a huge amount of energy on the other side and barked loudly trying to let Eiji know he needed to open the door. When he finally did, another man came into the apartment and swept Eiji off his feet. I remember that day vividly. It was a chaotic mixture of scents stimulating my nose. Eiji’s sadness was suddenly gone and he smelled sweet and fresh again. I barked excited and ran all over the place as I saw happy tears run down Eiji’s face. After the initial commotion, I approached the stranger and sniffed him. I decided it was safe for both of us to let him live with us.
I later learned that his name was Ash. He was the same person from the photographs Eiji cried while watching. I think he was sad because Ash was lost, but apparently, he had found his way back home. At least that's what I understood from their conversation that day when they were still hugging by the entrance.
"You were gone, you were gone!" Eiji repeated frantically.
Ash smelled a bit guilty when he heard Eiji say that. "I know, I had to... I had to fake it so that I could come back safely"
They cried and kissed a lot after that. I was just glad that Ash had taken all of Eiji’s sadness away. He stayed with us and our days just got better.
Eiji would go out every day some months after that, but I was not alone anymore. I had someone to take care of now. I would go every morning and jump on the bed where Ash was still sleeping, trying to wake him up. At first, he would just ignore me, but since us dogs are patient and persistent, I eventually woke him up. I licked his hair and sniffed near his ear, and even barked a couple of times. Now, I must confess Eiji always fed me before going out, but I always finished my breakfast before waking Ash up. That way I could get food again and just make Ash some company as he had his breakfast. He always smiled at me and talked to me in the morning.
“Did you sleep well, Buddy?” he would ask me as he drank a cup of a bitter liquid. I tried drinking it once when Ash left his mug on the floor, but I regretted it immediately.
One day, he sat on the floor next to me and just petted my head. He looked at me for a long time with a smile, and for a moment I thought he could understand what I was thinking.
"Thank you for taking care of Eiji, Buddy" he said.
I wagged my tail amused. There was nothing to thank me for. We took care of each other, just like friends and family do. Now he was part of the family too, although it seemed he was part of Eiji long before I arrived. In any case, I tried to get close to his face and lick his worries away. Sometimes Ash's aura changed a lot during the day, only because of the silly things he was thinking.
After that, I would take him for a walk in the park. I knew the way by heart, so he always attached a leash on my neck so he didn’t get lost. I constantly looked back to make sure he was still following me. Actually, I really enjoyed taking Ash for a walk. He was fast, and he would usually run by my side.
Other days, Ash would just sit on a bench and look around. It seems he has many friends from other houses. They would come and talk to him about things that I don’t really get, but they would laugh and have a good time. I remember Kongs, Alex, Sing, and Bones. I like Bones, especially his name, although to this day he still hasn’t given me any bones.
Misleading.
My favorite days, however, are those mornings in which both are home. It’s the only day they seem to understand how happy dogs live. They sleep until late and they let me sleep with them. Ash always says he likes it when I sleep on his feet, so I try to do that more often. Sometimes they wake me up when they start moving below the covers, so I get off the bed. I get it, I’m heavy.
In the afternoon, Ash and Eiji cook together. I try to help them too, quickly disposing of any food that happens to land on the floor. On those occasions, Eiji addresses me by my full name “Buddy No!”, clearly proud of my job. After some hard work, they sit to have lunch and I get a special treat like chicken or bacon. It’s always Ash who gives it to me, but I don’t really get why it’s always under the table.
Five years have passed since the day Eiji found me on that cardboard box. I know he was looking for someone else on that alley, but I’m glad he found me and I think he’s happy too. His hair is longer now. He smiles way more often, and I have rarely sensed that terrible smell on him again. As for me, I have everything I could wish for and more. I know I don’t have opposable thumbs, but I can see love emanating from people’s bodies when I look at them. I can smell people’s real intentions a mile away. This is why I know we’re fortunate. I can see how much they love each other, and how much they love me too. I really hope they get that every time I wag my tail at them.
This is all the information I can give you about how Ash and Eiji are doing. I have recently spotted Ash hiding a small box with a metallic thing on it. He keeps staring at it, but I still don't figure out what is all about. I'll let you guys know if I ever discover it because he seems nervous about it.
Take care and keep wagging your tails.
Buddy.