美国新冠疫情日记09/29

Our Puppy “Buddy” Has Gone. May He Rest In Peace.

When we came back home yesterday, we saw our “Buddy” lying in the driveway. His eyes were closed. 

Buddy has been with our family for the last fifteen years. Tonight, may he rest in peace. I just could not sleep as so many memories came back into my mind.

About one year ago, we visited the veterinarian. He found out that buddy had a lot of bad gum infection. Since then, we have prepared softer food and put him in an air conditioned room and changed all his blankets. Every morning when he woke up, he always expected a good breakfast from me.

Buddy was part of our family. Every time our grandkids came to visit they always wanted to play with him. In the past few years, Buddy got lost two times, but my neighbor called us to bring him back home. Since then we put an iron fence around our house so he would never go out again.

Last summer we had a beautiful peacock that arrived in our backyard. The main reason was the peacock wanted to share food with Buddy. They were so friendly to each other and the best of friends.

In the past few years no matter if it was late at night or early in the morning, when Buddy heard my car come in or out, he always watched for me, leaving or arriving. Every time when I came home I could expect a warm welcome from Buddy and suddenly it changed all my feelings, even on a bad day. This uplifting of my spirit gives me more courage to fight again tomorrow.

Today we moved Buddy with his small sofa to the Southern News Group compound. Hida had prepared a permanent home for Buddy there. Today when I touched Buddy’s bowl and table, I just felt so sad.

From now on, when the beautiful peacock visits our backyard, she will not see Buddy again.

Buddy was with us in the good days and in the bad days. Now we want him to Rest In Peace.

                   我们家的”小伙伴“走了

陪伴我们十五年的小狗 -- “小伙伴”今午走了， 牠长眠在后院的长廊上，走完了牠的一生，今晚令我彻夜难眠……

大约年前我带牠去见兽医时，发现牠的牙床已经溃烂，医生為牠开了止痛药方， 回家后我们就改变了较软的狗食， 我每晚都把牠的屋裡开上冷气和电灯 ，并且為牠重新準备了新的背垫和地毯，每天清晨当我开门时牠都会靠过来等待一顿丰盛的早餐。

小伙伴的身影已经是我们家人的一员，每次孙儿们回来总得和牠玩成一团，牠在过去十多年来，曾经走失两次，被隣居在狗牌上找到电话告诉我们把牠带回家之后，我们把大院装上了铁丝网，牠也就再未走失过了。

去年夏天以来，我们院中每天傍晚都会来一位不速之客 --- 漂亮的金孔雀，她来的主要目的是要分享為小伙伴準备的狗食，她毫无畏惧把剩下的狗食吃得尽光，小伙伴对於妖艷的访客不但不拒绝，而且还相处和谐。

十多年来，不论我们是早出或晚归，当牠听到汽车马达声，牠总会靠近车旁，多少黑夜及清晨， 我都看见牠一双烱烱有神的眼神，近年来， 牠的体力渐衰， 有天困在前院水池中一阵尖叫， 幸而譲妻聼到，把牠救起 ，上週颱风来时，倾盆大雨， 我到处找牠，未见踪影 ，牠却在大雨中坐在下水道旁，把牠赶快抱回来已经是全身湿透。

多少年来，我们走过了多少為事业拼搏的艰辛岁月，不论体验多少人间之冷暖 ，总是在回到家的长廊上，有小伙伴的等待，牠的忠诚、热情和温情，让我们再一次回到温暖的家， 重整信念再继续明天的奋斗挑战。

今午，我把小伙伴爱坐的小沙发一起把牠移霊到美南集团总部的园区内， 為我工作已二十年的工友韩特已為牠準备了墓地，我们把牠安葬在国际贸易中心大楼的后方， 让牠常眠於此，牠也是我们在这块汗水凝集的土地上留下过的歷史痕跡。

今午再次走近小伙伴的寝室居所，我以微微颤抖的手抚摸牠穿用过的名牌和器皿， 和一堆尚未食完的粮食，牠已离开我们远去了，每天飞到我们家后院的金孔雀， 从此也再看不到小伙伴了。

此时，我眼眶已湿，这份伤感如何抚平，我告诉小伙伴，我会常常回到他安息的地方，去黙念过去，十五载的岁月，牠曾生活在我们週围，牠也是我们的家人。

今夜明月高掛，人生之速变不断上演，我们要抓住幸福时刻，否则稍縦即逝。

2020年9月27日写於

美国德州 陇勤荘园