Last night, the Mistress and Master took me to my very first festival - It was the May Flower festival. We did not ride their pick-up named Riboy. Mistress carried me on her shoulders while the Master held mother on a leash. We went to the nearest street where most cars and people pass (a highway - my mother said, but I have no idea why it's called as such when it's not even high...). Mama Meha and Party stayed to guard the house, despite their protests.
The festival was actually a procession that will end in the church. The Mistress and the Master have not been going to this "church" so we'll just be watching it from the highway. This place, as mother told me, is as sacred as the place where a dog would usually stash their bones. Humans, she observed, go there to pay respect to an invisible being they call "God." It is going to the church, she said, that makes humans kind to animals like us. I wonder how my humans could be kind to us when they don't go there. But I kept that question to myself, lest mother consider me bothersome like Party.
"I can see them, Uriel." Mistress said, pointing to a group of people approaching us.
I could smell something burning - like smoke and the rhythmic clanging and thumping noises.
"There's the band, Utoy." mother told me in DogSpeak,
"What's that supposed to be?" I asked mother,
"They carry contraptions that make the rhythmic noise we hear." she explained,
"Don't humans hate too much noise?" I prodded on,
"Oh, the band makes noise for humans to notice the procession." she explained further.
There it was, the band. We heard it before the other humans saw them. I saw young human girls with tight tops and short white skirts and high black boots carry colorful cloth hanging on a pole. They were playing with it, like it's an exhibition.
After them were the band. The band wore some kind of uniform. They had silly tophats with feathers of different color. I was at awe at how they managed to walk the same time to the rhythm they play and carry the heavy contraptions they either blow on their mouth or hit with sticks.
As they went past, I saw a bearded old man on a cart. He had very white hair and a wrinkled face. He does not look at the people staring at him. He's too busy toasting grains of grey sand on a shallow pan over red hot coals placed in a make-shift oven. Weird.
"He plays Methuselah," Mistress whispered to Master who was slyly grinning at the old man,
"Why does that procession need to have that silly character?" Master asked, still smiling,
"Well..he's a reminder that all that glitters will end up in dust.. Just like the sand he toasts over fire." she explained.
Then a woman with a red gown came after the old man. She was carrying a small triangular yellow cloth on a thin stick. She must be pretty popular because people joined her troupe.
"That's the Reyna Banderada," Mistress pointed out, "she represents the introduction of Christianity to the gentiles."
After the Reyna Banderada had passed, another group of children with curly black wigs. I can tell, they're not human hair. Their skin painted black with coal. They barely wore any clothes but they had makeshift wooden spears and big knives made of plastic. Their clothes are faux fur.
"The Aetas, I suppose." Master smiled,
"Yes, they represent the tribes that resided in the country before Spanish explorers introduced Christianity." Mistress added.
The children made war-like whoops and stomped their feet gaily as they followed the Reyna Banderada (Queen of the Flag).
Another woman in a simple, but glittering clothing followed the Aetas. She wore a sheer veil over her face and her arms were covered by the long sleeved sequined shirt she wore. Her long skirt was cut simply but richly embroidered with beads.
"A Muslim Queen, right?" Master asked,
"Right again. The Reyna Mora represents the religion that the country had before it was converted to Christianity." Mistress agreed.
"Mother, what are they talking about?" I asked,
"It's a kind of church, pup. Watch and listen, you'll get what they mean."
The next women that followed Reyna Mora wore billowy gowns of different styles but they all carried different objects to differentiate them from each other.
There were three women who are what Mistress called the "Christian Virtues." The first one was Reyna Fe, who represented Faith, and she carried a small cross. The second one was Reyna Esperanza, who represents Hope, and she carried a small metal anchor. The last one is Reyna Caridad, who represents Charity, and she carried a big red heart-shaped pillow.
After them, more interesting women came forth. They had more interesting costumes and had a lavish entourage. Master noticed that they all had a common theme: law.
The Reyna Abogada (the Queen of Lawyers, mom said,) wore a black flowing dress, a "toga" as mother said. She carries a heavy black book. She is said to defend the oppressed and the poor.
After her was the Reyna Sentenciada (a Sentenced Queen, Mistress said,). She's more interesting than the previous queen because her hands were tied loosely by a rope. The ends of the rope were held by men in "Roman soldier costume." Mistress said she represents the innocent who had been wrongly accused.
Then there was the Reyna Justicia (Queen of Justice, Master said,). She carried a foiled lined weighing scale and sword. She is said to embody justice.
The next group were said to be legendary women biblical characters of the 'old testament'.
There was Reyna Judith. Her costume is frightening. She carried a sword stained red (like blood) and a makeshift man's head. "Holoferns," Master guessed the beheaded man's name.
After her, there was Reyna Sheba. She carried a small wooden chest encrusted with shimmery stones. Mistress told Master that this was the queen that visited King Solomon (whoever he was) to test his wisdom.
From behind her was Reyna Esther. This woman looked queenly in her gown. She also carried a big stick with a stone at the end. (A scepter, mother corrected me, as I was trying to describe everything to Party and Mama Meha). This queen is said to save her countrymen from the hands of King Xerxes.
After them were another group. These were the women who were said to be mentioned in the 'new testament.'
The Samaritana wore a simple gown and a veil and carried a clay jar filled with water. She followed the Reyna Esther.
Then there was Veronica. This woman who plays Veronica had a big cloth with a man's face imprinted in red ink. She also had a veil on her head.
After her were three ladies who wore simple clothes and veils. They are the Tres Marias. They represented the three Mary's of Jesus: Mary the mother of Jesus who carried a hankerchief was flanked by Mary Magdalene who carries a bottle of perfume and has her long hair down, and Mary the mother of James who carried a bottle of oil.
"Look, the next group are the different titles of Mary, mother of Jesus." Mistress pointed out.
This group was led by eight small girls who all wore billowy white gowns with a wreath of white flowers on their hair. They carried letters that spelled out A-V-E-M-A-R-I-A.
The next woman who followed the girls wore a white tunic. She carried a wooden staff. She is said to be the Divina Pastora (The Divine Shepherdess).
Following her was a woman wearing a sheer gown and had a scepter (but it was actually a wand, mother said) that had a star on top. She is the Reyna de las Estrellas (Queen of Stars).
I smelled something sweet. Then I saw the next woman was carrying a bouquet of red roses. She walked under an arc that was also adorned with red roses. Every movement allowed the scent to permeate the air. She is the Rosa Mystica (Mystic Rose).
After the sweet smell of roses, I heard the soft cooing of a bird. If Mistress hadn't held me as tight, I would have run after it.
The next woman wore a white gown with a white bird. Her ark was adorned with flowers so white and and as fragrant as the Rosa Mystica. She is the Reyna Paz or the Queen of Peace.
Following her was the Reyna de las Propetas (Queen of Prophets), who carried an hourglass. Her ark as more colorful than the previous ones but not as fragrant.
The next woman, the Reyna del Cielo smelled just as sweet as the Reyna Paz. She is said to be the Queen of Heaven. She carried a bouquet of white flowers and she was flanked by two smaller girls whose gowns had wings.
"They're probably the angels," mother chastised me.
After her was the Reyna de las Virgenes. Like the Queen of Heaven, the Queen of Virgins had two small angels by her side and she carried a small bead with a cross at the end. (A 'rosary' mother pointed out.)
Then there was the Reyna de las Flores. She must be the Queen of Flowers because her grand ark had flowers of every imaginable kind.
The last woman in the procession was very majestic in appearnice. She had a crown of shining crystals and carried a cross. She has a small princely escort. She is said to be the Reyna Elena of the Queen Helena of the Cross. The boy is said to represent her son, Emperor Constantine.
"They kept getting prettier and prettier every year," Master commented as the Reyna Elena walked by.
"Yes they are." As Mistress threw Master a wicked look. She tugged at his hand, almost strangling mother. We headed home.
Mistress must be very smart for someone who does not go to church to know what everyone is supposed to play at that procession. Master kept his mouth shut afterwards. He focused instead on listening to Mistress explain who those people are and why they wear silly costumes and carry weird props.
"Humans like symbolism." Mother said when we got home,
"How do you know?" I asked,
"Why else would they dabble in religion?" she countered.
"Religion" is another concept that I have to learn. It must be very boring to be human to create something full of pageantry.
Saturday, May 30, 2009
My First Festival
Saturday, May 23, 2009
I hate Goodbyes
Today, my Mistress decided to send three of my best buddies to her mother in Pasig. I guess having 7 dogs (that's me, my mom, mama meha, victory, veron, parthas and dominion) is a strain in the dog food bucket. The other pack (mama meha and pups), despite Mistress' scheduled rations, seem to think the food insufficient and the water too little for them. They always act up when the Master comes home, resulting in having double servings of kibble and warm evening milk. That leaves nothing for us, which makes my mom really angry at mama meha for not disciplining her pups.
I don't mind having less food. After all, Mistress feeds me better food when I undergo obedience training. Whenever I perform the correct actions at her command, I get a piece of red meat (hotdog bits, Master said). One time, when I was really able to finish the whole routine perfectly, we ate bread with meat, cheese, something red and sour, peppers, etc. which I learned later to be pizza. That's just between the two of us - leaving the rest of the pack salivating.
Victory and Viron knew the moment they heard the green cart being loaded with plastic lining. They left mama meha and visited our table. Parthas hid under the reeboy out of fear. Dominion was whimpering at mom's paws. She knows that Mistress will dispose of her first because she's the one who got the most slaps from Mistress.
Anyway, despite mama meha's prostrations, the three got into the crate: veron, victory and dominion. I must admit, the three were very quiet as their crate was hauled to the back of the Reeboy. I could see Veron's hazel brown eyes brimming with tears. Vic looked angrily at Master like he's gonna bite (but he didn't). Dominion lay low. I could not see how she looked as she lay down on the plastic lining.
As the Reeboy drove away from the gate, I could hear Pathas' barking. She was saying goodbye to her siblings - like breathing a sigh of relief for not being on the crate. I could hear mama meha's cries for her puppies as she heard reeboy rev up. Her puppies never answered back. They were too scared to bark back.
After her futile attempts to get her puppies back, she started barking reminders: "Take care of your masters." "Bark at strangers always!" "Sleep lightly at night!" The usual barks that mom made to my siblings when they left in paper bags. I guess all mother dogs give that advice to their offsprings. I wonder if mom will ever give that advice to me?
When the Master and the Mistress left with my buddies, I heard mom sigh a breath of relief. "Thank goodness, I can have a good night's sleep." Mama meha looked at her with resentment . Parthas cuddled with mom in her green mat. I sat up straight at the garage and looked out the street.
I am the alfa dog. I am invincible.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Push and Boot
Is it possible for cats to wear boots? I saw one on the "television" (which really looked like a moving picture box). It was a cat with yellow and white fur speaking in HumanSpeak. The story was about the cat, a small horse with very big teeth and a green man with small horns on an adventure. Mistress was entertained by this story. She laughed all the time. It's probably a ridiculous story because she rarely laughs when the story is a bit serious or important. I guess the story was like the bedtime stories that mother often told me about brave dogs and evil cats: purely to whit away boredom.
I'm not saying that bedtime stories are full of sugary trash...it holds a grain of truth in them. Cats are evil. It's true. Like for example, in my life, the new kitten, Neneng...is evil. She would purposely irritate mother and Mama Meha so that they would strain at their leash and bark. The noise generated will get Master's attention. He will come out with the floppy slipper and hit Mama Meha and threaten mother. They would get scared, especially mother, who knew how hard the Master could hit with such a soft slipper. But this devil-incarnate would continue to taunt them. She would return stealthily under the Riboy and tease Mama Meha with her twitching tail. Mama wants to catch her but since she is limited by her leash, she barks in frustration - earning her another hard slap from the slipper.
The horde has chased Neneng out of the gates one too many times because of her transgressions to her mother. I have yet to catch her myself and have her as my mother's dinner. Mother told me that Mistress isn't really as kind to cats as she would have wanted Master to believe. A "dog person," Mistress is.
I find that a bit hard to believe because Mistress is always a bit gentle towards Neneng. She would carefully lift the kitten up to her lap and caress its head until it slept. Why can't she be like that to me? She would always VIGOROUSLY rub behind my ears and my belly. It feels good at times but I want to feel like I'm as fragile as Mistress thinks of Neneng. I would also like to see how Mistress would find means to feed me with food I might like. She would often offer the kitten many food options, just to make her eat. If I refuse to eat kibble with milk, Mistress will give my ration to the horde and leave me hungry till next meal time. Mistress allows Neneng to loiter all day and sleep whenever she wants. But with me, I have to study commands like "sit," "stay," "heel," "crawl," etc. before I eat my lunch. I have to stick to my walking schedule or my bath time irregardless of what I feel like doing that time.
Why?!
I've often heard that proverb, "Curiosity kills the cat." But I might just have to re-write that. It would go: Jealousy killed the cat.
Friday, May 15, 2009
Newning
Tonight, Mistress and Master came home late as usual. Everybody greeted them happily in DogSpeak.
The Horde told Mistress a lot of things they did the whole day that they assume would interest her. As usual, she brushed them off as they tried to walk in front of her as she opened the front door. I have tried to tell them over and over again that it was a waste of time telling her everything in DogSpeak because she isn't a dog.
I was too busy following the Mistress who usually brings home treats for me in exchange for a trick or two that I can do that will make her laugh.
Mother was inviting Master, who stood nearby, for a walk. I suppose Master was a little suspicious because Mother usually prefers the Mistress for her night walks. When the Master unhooked Mother's leash, the latter rushed at something under the Riboy.
Mama Meha was also barking excitedly at whatever it is that was underneath the Riboy. I decided to leave the Mistress and investigate.
It was the smallest, frailest pup I have ever seen. It had thin, wispy fur, small ears that stand up like it was on the look-out for threat. Its grey eyes are very large - almost 1/3 of its face had those eyes. It also had a long tail. It uttered a shrill pitiful excuse of a bark. Almost hoarse.
"Ma, I think it's afraid of you. Quit barking." I said
"Get away from that kitten, son!" Mother barked, "I'm having that for dinner."
I backed off a bit and imitated mother's barking. Mother is really rarin' mad at that "kitten" whatever. Is a kitten supposed to be dog food?
Mistress noticed mother's barking. She picked me up from under Reeboy and saw the kitten.I got a snapping pat on the snout.
"Kitten are friends, not food." she admonished as she let me go.
I followed her inside the house. The kitten seem to know Mistress is a kind human. It got out of its hiding place and followed us. As the door shut, I saw the color of its fur. It was white, with a black tail and black cape.
After Mistress has prepared my evening milk, we got out. The kitten had struck a pitiful pose. Mistress was immediately drawn to it - and offered my milk!
I was angry, of course. But I learned from experience that I have to keep my cool, so I did.
Fortunately the kitten refused to drink the milk. It may not be that bad after all.
Mistress was really determined that it should have something to eat but still, it refused. Mistress fed Mama Meha first, as usual. Then Mother, then the Horde, and finally, me!
She did entice the kitten some food - a piece of burger patty. It ate, but a little. I think this kitten is not nice. It schemed on having a better offer.
Mistress was happy it ate something. She held it by its nape, like mother used to carry us.
"It's a female, Uriel!" she told Master excitedly
Master sighed. "Another female...that's not going to help."
"Oh come on, Uriel."Mistress held the Master's hand, "She's not that bad. Let's keep her for a while."
Master raised his brows. "Oh alright." he said, "But just for a while."
"Let's call her Neneng." Mistress declared.
The kitten looked at her with those grey eyes. She seemed to like the name.
"Prrrrrrrrrrrr..." it whispered to me as Mistress lulled her to sleep.
Sunday, April 19, 2009
I'm an Explorer
Today, the Master and the Mistress took me for a long, long ride.
Mother was apprehensive at first because Mistress started packing the green crate. She has experienced that same sort of feeling that she had before Pangga,Inday and Bunso were sent away. She was afraid that I might be sent away too.
Mother whined and even stood on her hind legs to help Mistress re-think that I should stay. I don't think Mistress even noticed her antics. The Baron did. He hit mother soundly with a broomstick that got mother whimpering in pain. Mistress ran to mother soothed her aching body with her soft patting. She also gave the Baron a scolding for hurting mother that bad.
Master and Mistress kept me in the crate lined with waterproof plastic and cotton cloth. They put my crate beside the Baron - which scared me to death. Probably Master wanted me to behave when I'm with them. Mistress put me in her lap after she had put on cheesecloth on her clothes.
I was a little offended. Could the mistress have assumed I might lose control of my bladder?
"This will keep your fur from sticking to my clothes, Utoy." Mistress reassured me.
When the big machine purred, I could feel the floor move underneath my paws. Mistress held me closely beside her soft, warm, tummy. I still felt giddy - I could feel my saliva froth in my mouth.
"Don't worry, Utoy, Riboy won't hurt you." she assured me as she wiped my frothy mouth. So Riboy must be the name of the big machine.
I crawled out of mistress' lap and onto her shoulder. She gladly let me stay there even though she had to restrain me at first. I felt her warm nape and the smell of her hair comforting. Her voice as she talked to the Master was like assuring. I drifted off to sleep for a while.
I awoke when a small hand grabbed my tail. It was the Baron's son. I never got to sleep again because I had to keep my tail underneath me.
When the Master chose to buy burgers for a fast lunch, I could not get myself to eat it. I was too thirsty to eat. Mistress allowed me to walk around a bit while they waited for the burgers to be served. After the burgers were eaten, we had to ride again and I was on Mistress' lap again.
When we got to our destination, they let me out of my crate. This new place we went to also had a lot of dogs. I can smell their scent - almost like Mama Meha's. I was also a little thirsty but the Mistress managed to give me ice cold (a treat!) water from a hairy wooden shell which reeked of dog smells.
I was not mistaken, because the resident dogs mobbed me - That's right, MOBBED me. There was this lean brownish gray dame with pointed ears but with kind brown eyes who sniffed my butt. I guess her pups, one male and the other female, followed her lead. But they bumped me and barked at me like I'm intruding their space.
When they saw my Mistress, the gray dog greeted her courteously in DogSpeak, "Mistress, you've come back for me!" as she licked Mistress' hands.
Mistress does not seem to understand the yearning of the gray dog to have her as Mistress again because she gave her my dog treats, which she ate greedily - not even giving her pups!
"Chiyo, this is Utoy, my pet." Mistress told the gray dog as she patted its head, "Utoy, this is Chiyo, Mama Meha's sister." Mistress turned to me
I cowered with fear at the look that the gray dog gave me. She realized that she's never going to be Mistress' pet anymore.
"So, you're the newbie, eh?" she hissed in DogSpeak, "When Mistress is through with you, you'll end up here too."
Then she left. I hid in my green crate. I think there's an event that the Mistress and Master celebrated with their pack. I knew because I saw the Mistress' sister Josette and her husband and son. There was the Yellow Baron's son and the Mistress' other pack members. They ate a lot of food (I can smell pretty well what they are!) and drank a lot of bursting liquid (which the Mistress' calls soda).
They left for a long time and when they came back, they were wet and their skin, a little darker than usual. The Mistress had red eyes like her companions. They also deflated a wet rubber bed which they loaded in our transport.
The Mistress fed me food but had to fend off the other dogs from eating my food. I wondered if the people here even feed them. Why are they so hungry? Why do they compete for food?
When we got into Riboy for the ride home, I could tell everybody was exhausted. I would have wanted to tell Mistress everything that I had done in that place and how the other dogs had treated me badly but she wouldn't understand. I will tell mother when I have the chance. She probably knows why.
After we had arrived home, the Mistress and the Master fed Mother and Mama Meha as well as the Horde with dog food. I was not that hungry, just thirsty. I lapped up water from the water bowl and settled in the crate for a short nap
Friday, April 17, 2009
Give aways
What's the point of giving Vic an accessory if Mistress does not want to keep him?
I thought a lot about what mother said to me yesterday about Vic. She assured me that Vic wasn't mistress' favorite nor was the mistress his human. She told me about Akamaru, the mistress' previous dog.
The Mistress had disappointed Veron, Dominque and Party. She did not give away neck accessories to them today (which Veron assumed was her day). The girls were more frustrated now that Vic teased them incessantly that they'll be sent away to other homes.
The girls had started venturing out the enclosure because of that. They believed that they can look for their own humans or that maybe, if St. Cerberus wills it, a human will take them home.
I could tell the humans have been fretting about the girls getting lost or run over by big wheeled monsters outside the grill. The Mistress' brother have been putting the girls with Mama Meha (the brown dame) who had a much higher enclosure than Mother's.
Since I'm bigger than they are, I would come and visit them at the enclosure and play with them. If the Master or Mistress arrives, I would simply return to my crate and get a pat on the head for being a "good boy".
Veron was deeply troubled about staying overnight with Mama Meha. She had told me before that they have been physically and verbally abused by their own mother. I don't think Mistress knows that - but I don't blame her. She can't even understand DogSpeak!
Veron would cry and whimper all night until the Mistress pities her. Mother does not mind their cries. She thinks Mistress is teaching them a lesson about discipline and remaining within the pack's areas.
Thursday, April 16, 2009
The Favorite
I was asleep the whole morning after mistress gave us breakfast of grains and milk.
I woke up to see Vic tugging at my neck lace. His sisters are yapping excitedly at what's Vic got.
"Look, Batutoy!" Vic was bursting with happiness. He strutted his chest and put his chin up. I saw a short, chain neck lace.
"You see that?" he asked me haughtily, his eyes glistening with pride.
I yawned. "Yes, I see that neck lace."
"Do you want to know who gave it to me?" Vic prodded me
I was not really interested, but I knew that Vic will not let me rest without informing me who gave that to him. "Ok. Who?" I asked,
"Mistress!" he exclaimed while running in circles.
"Hush, pups!" mother reprimanded the noisy pups. She stretched out from her mat and sniffed Vic's neck lace.
"Well, what do you think, Mama? Do I look good in this neck lace? Mistress has good tastes." Vic gushed while mother was sniffing him.
"It looks good on you." Mother said in a bored tone. She licked Vic's unruly fur and returned to her green mat.
I felt a tinge of jealousy. Mother never told me my neck lace looked good on me. Maybe, Vic was mistress' favorite after all. Come to think of it, it took the mistress time before she gave Vic's accessory. She intentionally waited for me to sleep before she gave him that.
I hated the mistress but I felt bad at the same time. How could that be?
I crawled beside mother. She let me lie down on her mat. Her long black tail surrounded my body. She licked my mane. She put her wet nose beside my ear and whispered, "She's not his human."
I turned my head towards mother's snout. I felt a glimmer of hope. "How could you tell?" I whispered back,
"Because it's a Wrist Lace." Mother said mischievously, "Mistress is so devious."
I don't know what she meant. Mother's tail was fanning me towards another afternoon nap.
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Neck Lace
Today Mistress called me in their house.
"Utoy, come here." as she waved her hand toward the door.
Mother's ears perked when she heard the mistress' voice. She rose from her green mat. "Go find out, Utoy, why mistress calls for you."
She need not tell me twice, because I could sense in the mistress' voice that she's excited over something. I was running towards their door.
Mistress took me in her arms. She often does that.
She had me sit on the blue divan they had. She was putting something on me. It was a long, whitish, cold something.
"You look so cute!" mistress whispered. She brought me outside and put me down near Mother. Mother sniffed the long shiny thing that hung from my neck.
Vic, Veron, Dominique and Party got curious. I was sunk in the middle of the sea of inquiries, when mother told us what is it.
"It's a neck lace." she said.
"What's a neck lace, Mama?" Vic asked,
"It's something your masters put on your neck when they own you." she answered knowingly.
"Own who?" Veron inquired,
"Whoever puts the neck lace on you is your human." Mother said.
"So the mistress' is Batutoy's human?" Dominique inquired,
"Yes, she is." mother patiently replied.
"If mistress' used to be Mama's human, but now Batutoy's, who is Mama's human now?" Party asked aloud,
Mother looked at her sternly. She crawled back on her mat and yawned.
"Who owns us now?" Party asked.
Sadly, no one knew the answer to her question.
Vic was too busy inspecting my shiny neck lace to bother. Dominique and Veron were preening themselves because they believed my fur got me the accessory in the first place.
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Dog Age
I asked Mother last night how old the mistress was. She doesn't know. But she assumed that in DogYears, she must be 4 and a half years old.
I was amazed. Mistress must have had lots of puppies if she were a dame! (Mother told me that female dogs can be called "dames" and male dogs are "sires." The B!@$H term for female dogs are totally offensive, so she says.)
If I were a young human, I would have been 4 months and 9 days old. That would be quite young, compared to Mistress' age.
Mother told me an interesting detail. DogYears are different from HumanYears!
1 HumanYear is equal to 7 DogYears. So since I was born on March 6 this year, that makes me - as mother said - a human infant.
I have posted a picture here. DO I LOOK LIKE AN INFANT AT ALL?
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Eyes Open
Today, I was able to see unusual brightness. Mother had been licking our eyes and we saw bright light.
"Your eyes have opened, Utoy." she said in a gentle voice.
Her licking woke me up. It was a beautiful world after all - bright and warm, just like I had imagined it.
My siblings have been exploring our kennel. After sniffing through everything, including mother's mat. They have left its confines and went towards the brown dog Mameha, despite Mother's warnings.
A sharp series of barking and growling ensued. It seems that my sisters have crossed the territory of the brown meanie.
"Stay away from my litter!" she kept saying, "Keep your clumsy pups out of my area!"
My sisters ran as fast as they can on Mother's mat and never left it the whole day. Bunso and I took our time observing the litter from a distance.
The barking woke up Mistress and the Master. When she saw us strolling, she squealed in delight and came back with something in her hand.
"It's a camera," Mother pointed out, "Mistress wants to remember how you looked like with your eyes open."
She nudged the girls out of her mat, stretched out and pretended to sleep.
Anyway, this is how we look like. The picture below is me. Master was holding me, like how he did when he found me.
This is Pangga. She looks cleaner and kinder than I am but believe me, she does dirtier, nastier things that I could never do in my whole life. Mistress thinks she's beautiful. I think her nose needs to be more dark.
This is Inday. She was really scared of the camera. Somehow, Pangga had convinced her that she would become like Mameha if she ever looked straight into the camera. She's really gullible but fun to be with. Mother likes her very much.
Bunso did not believe a thing that Pangga said to Inday. He struck a pose (to the delight of the Master) and looked straight into the camera. He's Master's favorite. He's still taking the thick, white liquid for his neck.
Finally, this is my mother, Josephine. I have yet to meet my father but Mistress kept scolding mother whenever she sees her with a white dog with a brown patched eye. Could he be my father?
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Where'd they go?
It was so dark and the chilled air made my nose dry and itchy. As I was about to scratch it, I heard clicks from inside the Master's kennel. My ears stood up and strained where the clicking sounds are coming from. I heard the shuffling of human feet on the stone floor.
"Mother..." I wimpered, for mother's eyes are still closed although I could sense she's also awake.
"Don't mind them, pup." she said, "They're up to no good, our humans."
"Aren't you going to make them know that you know they're awake?" I was a little surprised at her nonchalant attitude.
"No. Most probably they're just eating something. Hear the slamming of the rubber door of dog heaven." she explained.
I listened for such sound. All I could hear now is the creaking of some metal based packaging stuffed into a soft container.
I think Mistress and Master are up to no good.
I started barking.
"HUSH PUP!!! My newborns are sleeping." Mameha hissed.
I continued barking. Mistress should know that we know what's going on and that I'm hungry too. I want to be fed with whatever they're eating.
"What was it Batutoy?" Bunso asked me.
"Just bark like me. There'd be food for sure." I barked.
Inday and Pangga joined in the ruckus.
Mother is so embarrassed because Mameha was trying to lull her puppies back to sleep. She had managed to calm down Pangga and Inday from barking. It was only me and Bunso, barking out lungs out.
We stopped barking when we heard the door swing open.
"Oh Uriel! We've awaken the puppies." Mistress exclaimed as she picked me and Bunso.
"Feed them while I haul our bags in the pick-up." I heard Master said.
The Mistress put us down and went inside their house. She came back with a warm liquid. "Here, brave puppies...drink milk so you can go back to sleep again."
She poured the warm, sweet milk on our steel bowls. "Wow Batutoy, you're smart!" Bunso said as he happily lapped down the milk. I didn't react. I continued drinking milk.
I think Mistress put us down farther from Mother and the girls because I could sense they want to drink milk too but can't reach it.
I could hear Reeboy's rumbling and another gate swung open. I felt Mistress' warm palm smoothen my forehead as well as Bunso's tuft of hair. She returned us beside mother, who dutifully cleaned us up with her large, wet tongue.
"Goodbye puppies." I heard Mistress repeatedly say, "Be good to my brother."
As Reeboy's rumblings and her voice faded away, I kept thinking. Where did they go?
Saturday, March 14, 2009
The Yellow Baron
The pack with our humans live in this very big piece of land. It's lined with jackfruit trees in the
front and cashew trees in the side. At the back is a neglected vegetable patch with lots of weeds, ferns and mushrooms growing on dead logs. I don't know how the Master grows vegetables there but sometimes he harvests leafy vegetables he cooks in stews and broths. Mistress often grows plants with very strong smells. Mother identified some of them as sage, cinnamon, mugwort, vervain and patchouli. Mistress puts them in pots of clay but we can sniff on them when they're put on the ground to catch morning sunlight. Mother cautions us not to nip the leaves because some of them are poisonous to us canines. We have a concrete fence with metal
spikes. Mother loves to climb this fence to get over to the other side which is full of sweet smelling flowers like jasmine, ylang-ylang, frangipani and dama de noche. She rubs her fur on the flowers which gives her a weird smell that makes us sneeze. I guess Mistress must've
loved smelling mother's fur because of that. Mother lives under a rectangular plastic table that has a jagged hole in the center. She has a small, warm and furry mat where we all sleep especially on cold nights. Her water and food bowl is placed outside. We puppies love drinking at her water bowl because Mistress often places ice cubes especially on hot afternoons. On top of that table, Mistress places our supplies. I can tell because it smells like food upstairs. I have yet to grow up and get there to find out if it's true. Mother often told us that Mistress' house is much better than ours. She has a couch in front of a moving picture box where Mother and Mistress would watch and eat chips together. She often told us about Mistress' big box with a swinging
door that has food and cold water and ice. This gate of dog heaven has been opened to Mother one too many times, I think. She would rave about it especially in between meal times. "Have you ever seen where Mistress and Master sleeps?" Inday asked mother one time "Oh yes." Mother quickly replied, "It had a big soft mat that was slightly raised from the floor. I have often slept under it especially when Master is out." "Have you tried sleeping on Mistress' mat?" asked Pangga dreamily. "Mistress has often invited me, pup, but I declined. Master sleeps there and I think he will mind having my fur on his side. Besides, decent dogs with breeding don't step over
that boundary."she lectured. "Is Mistress' house as big inside as on the outside?" Bunso asked,
"Yes. There are many rooms. Mistress and Master sleeps on the biggest room to the left, nearest to the corner. The Baron sleeps on the big room on the right. The smaller room
used to be the sleeping area of my former human. The smallest room contains Mistress' papers and paints." I think I forgot to mention that in our pack, another human takes care of us aside from the Mistress and Master. Mother calls him the "Baron". This Baron is Mistress'
sibling. Mother said he used to live there with his family but after Mistress and Master got married, the Baron's family left him and moved out. The Baron stayed with Mistress and Master, occasionally visiting his family. Mother does not know his real name. He is called by many different names so we dogs often refer to him as the
Baron. He is not as kind as our Mistress because punishment is swift with this human. He does not talk to us and instead uses motions to make us do what he wants. A little mistake will cause pain - as Mama Meha has often experienced. He hates it when Mama Meha's poop is all over
the garage where we stay. He hits her with a stick, barely missing her
puppies.
Despite the dislike, Mother does not give up on the Baron. She welcomes him with a loving bark when he arrives but gets a snort or a gruff greeting in return. She tries to
lick his feet when he gets near her, especially when giving us food. She gets a smart blow, instead. He does not take us out for walks nor does he even look at us. I wonder how Mistress could ever put up with this obnoxious sibling. I wonder, is he this bad on Mistress? Is this dislike targeted on dogs only? What had dogs done that made him that brutal? Many questions run in my head...but I guess, I'd rather imitate my
mother's kindness. Maybe the Baron heart's will melt.
Friday, March 13, 2009
Litter Fool
We woke up today when we heard yipping noises. Mother was also barking. Surprisingly, Mameha was unusually quiet.
Pangga and Inday sniffed in the air. Bunso sniffed long and hard on the ground.
"Smells like us!" Inday concluded
"How could that be? We're here but the scent comes from far away.." Pangga replied, puzzled, "We smell from afar?!"
"It smells like mother." Bunso said
"That's more confusing." Pangga countered, "How could that be? I can smell mother. But I smell mother from afar?"
Mother chuckled. She was clearly enjoying how my siblings are analyzing the scent from afar.
"That's not me. That's Mameha." she said, licking her wet nose.
"How come she smells like you?" Inday asked,
"Because she became a mother just now." Mother replied.
My eyes are barely opened and I try to peep. I see Mameha's hazy image, but with smaller figures with tails on her chest.
"She has puppies too?" I asked mother.
She licked my head. "You're too smart to be my puppy."
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Uh Oh!
I think the other dog has a big problem. I have heard her paws clawing near her pen. She would get easily irritated when humans get too near the grill(I can smell them clearly now!) or when mother is lapping water or munching something. She would bark at us angrily when we play noisily with Mother's tail. She would whine and yelp whenever the Master or Mistress is near.
Mother is worried about her, too. I think Mother is afraid that Mameha has a certain disease that might infect us. Earlier, Mother kept telling us to drink milk a lot so that we'll not get sick. The Mistress has also been giving me, Inday, Pangga and Bunso a sweet, thick liquid every night. She would often drip it slowly in our mouth and then make us drink something cool and sweet. "Honey water" it was, she said.
Bunso has also been experiencing throat problems. He would cry and cry when Mistress and Master carry him by the neck. Mother is also worried about him. He would sleep panting for breath. Mistress has been giving him another liquid that smells weird. That is in addition to the honey water and the thick liquid she gave us.
Inday has noticed that Bunso's neck was swelling everyday. I hope mother or the mistress would do something about it.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Breeding Injustice
The brown dog, Mameha, kept barking invectives at mother. (I have to call Josephine "Mother" because Bunso and Inday imitate whatever I say or do and Josephine kept me away from her teats often.)
I have never seen her fully. I know she has brownish fur because I can see her fuzzy forelimbs from under the vehicle that the masters kept. I think she's smaller than mother because her legs are thinner than mother's.
I don't know what breed she is but mother also doesn't know. The mistress' brother called her a "mutt." Mother said, those are dogs that are mixed breed.
Her incessant barking woke up the master. We all heard his footsteps as his feet shuffled to wear the slippers on his feet. When the door creaked, he got out with something in his hand.
I assume that the master hit Mameha because the dog yelped in pain. She cowered so low to prevent being hit again by the master's slipper. I saw her thin, emancipated body racked in pain at the slightest touch of the floppy slipper.
"I don't want you barking over nothing, understand?" came the master's hard tone.
Mameha whimpered softly. She and master seem to understand each other.
"What was that Uriel?" it was mistress.
Mother tried to explain everything in DogSpeak but I think all mistress heard were a couple of whimpers and yelps.
"Oh!" mistress seem to understand, "You evil, terrible Meha! How dare you bark at my Josephine?"
The mistress rubbed the fur behind my mother's ears. Mother growled in satisfaction.
Mameha could only cower in fear. Master still holds the slipper.
"Let's go out for a walk, Josie." Mistress said as I heard mother's leash unhooked from its latch.
Master followed them to the wide unknown. Mother seemed to be happy to have her humans with her.
I can sense Mameha. She seemed angry and hurt as she gazed at the three of them walking away.
I have no idea what being "mixed breed" means. I guess humans treat dogs better when their breed is not that complicated.
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Fated
It was warm when I woke up. I assume my siblings Inday and Bunso have long been awake because they have been prodding me with their paws to wake up. I had been sleeping on Pangga's backside the whole time and she hardly stirred, although awake.
"I had to call you Batutoy," Pangga told me as I got up,
"..because you are our Big Brother, mother said." she continued as she gazed up my knotted brows
"Alpha Male, the mistress said. Batutoy is our alpha male, whatever that means." Inday gushed.
"What does 'alpha male' mean, mother?" Bunso asked Josephine,
"Alpha male means he is the leader of the pack." Josephine replied as she smacked her lips after drinking water.
"What does that make me?" Bunso asked again, his voice strained.
"That makes you the mistress' favorite." she said, licking his stray fur put in his head.
"Oh, that's good." he sighed happily.
"What about me?"Pangga whined,
"Pangga means beloved...according to my previous master." Josephine assured her, "Therefore, you must be mistress' beloved pet."
"What about me, mother?" Inday asked
"Inday is a common pet name for human girls. Maybe the mistress liked you too much to give you a complicated name." she answered
"Josephine is complicated name." I heard the other dog say. Her voice was dripping with contempt.
"Oh, Mameha is a beautiful Japanese geisha which mistress read. Compared to my French name, that's more complicated - and ironic." was her rebuttal.
Barking ensued. She, the brown dog, was angry, I could tell. Mother was the mistress' favorite.
Monday, March 9, 2009
Pregnant Silence
"Utoy, are you awake?" I heard Josephine whisper.
I turned my head away from her. I could feel her wet nose gently blowing the fur from my head.
" You should not be angry at me." she continued whispering, "Uriel, the one with big hands, has a bad temper for dogs that bark in the dark...with no humans in sight."
My ears picked up. So, "Uriel" is the one that had calloused paws.
"Guinevere, the one that had small hands, will be distressed if you're missing." she added softly.
"Would you like me to tell you a story to help you sleep?" she asked.
I wanted to reply but I assumed she just wanted to make me feel better after she growled at me. I scratched my cheek.
I felt her long, black tail fan my back.
"We are from a breed of Labrador Retrievers. Our ancestors come from a place called Great Britain. We are a cross of the lesser breed of Newfoundland dogs and Bloodhounds.
We are working dogs, Utoy, do not forget that. We track what we are told to track and we help our masters retrieve their prey.
We are born to love and serve our masters...they be deserving of our affections or not. I do not know if the masters intend to let you all stay here with me or give you away, like my mother's master did to me."
I moved closer to her neck - the only place my siblings did not occupy. I could feel my sibling stir as she stretched her forelimbs.
"Does this mean we will not be together for long?" I mumbled, hoping she'll not hear.
" We won't." she said so softly, I could hardly hear it. "Once your teeth comes out and I am not feeding you, masters usually give you away."
"Will you feel sad after we've all gone?" I asked.
Josephine did not reply. Instead, she used her chin to bring me closer to her. I heard the thumping rhythm of her heart as I gradually dozed off.
Sunday, March 8, 2009
Twilight
It was cold. I was shivering. I had slept on the cold hard floor away from my siblings and my mother.
Everything was dark except for the lone light outside. It emitted fuzzy amber light. The light looks warm and comforting. I must go to it.
As I scrambled to get up, Josephine whined, "Where are you going?"
"I'm going to the light. It might be warm there." I replied.
"Come here," she growled, "it's warmer."
"It's crowded." I argued. I sensed my siblings are still lying in piles near her teats.
Josie growled, "Don't get me started..."
I felt my blood curdle. I had never imagined her that irritated. I could hear the other dog bark. She was rarely irritated.
My siblings stirred. Josie was really angry.
"Are you going to come back here or do you want me to get you?" she hissed angrily.
With my tail between my legs, I cuddled beside her, hoping that my siblings won't crush me to death.
Saturday, March 7, 2009
Family Pack
I looked up at Josie, the Big Furry Shadow who probably owned the warm wet something that kept licking me.
"Utoy, meet your siblings..." she said.
She nudged each of them as she introduced them to me.
" ..this is Pangga," she said, "she came out after you."
I smelled and felt someone that had similar features like mine. She must have had thick and curly mane, and her eyes are probably glazed like mine.
"...this is Inday," she continued,as she nudged another that had thin but lush fur and smelled like sweet, sticky liquid. Inday was a little shy as she seem to scurry closer to Josephine.
"...and this is Bunso, the youngest." The last one mentioned had similar fur like that of Inday. But this one seemed a bit uncomfortable with introductions.
"Come, Utoy..." Josephine invited. I walked towards her voice and my stomach growled.
"Drink." she helped everybody near her teats. My siblings, who were as hungry as I am, scrambled towards them.
I felt my mouth latch on to one full nipple. As I sucked, sweet warm milk flowed from it.
The more I sucked and pressed, the more milk flowed out of it. Bliss!
After I had my stomach's fill, I felt myself dozing off.
I felt a warm, wet tongue licking me to sleep.
Friday, March 6, 2009
Genesis
Who is "Francis M"? What does "dead" mean?Why do I keep hearing that name in droning whispers?
I can feel my pack mates jostling me and the walls where I'm in collapse.
I'm free. But I feel cold. Does that mean I'm out of my sanctuary?
Then a warm, wet something released me from the compartment I am in. I feel the cold more. But the warm wet something licked my whole body dry.
I stretch out. The licking continues.
I try to open my eyes but I see a hazy shadow of something dark. I think it's a kind being who's so intent on getting me dry and warm.
I feel strength in my limbs. I try to stand up. I fell. But the warm wet something prodded me on. I managed to stand up.
I try to move about. Wobbly but still moving, I walked gradually - away from the warm wet something.
It tried to stand up but I think, my pack mates are going out as well so it did not follow me.
I reveled in this ability. I can barely see but I walked and walked. I hit something soft and warm and wet. I got sleepy.
I woke up. I was being carried by a big, warm, calloused something carry me from where I was. The owner had a warm soothing voice. I felt myself transferred to a much smaller, but softer, smoother something. Its owner had a shrill voice. It was saying...
"...Awwwww...this must be the eldest"
"What do we name him?" asked the Calloused One
"Hmmmm" the Smoother One thought..."Let's call him Utoy!"
The Calloused One agree. "Ok. Let's bring him back to Josie."
They brought me back to the Wet, Warm Something called Josie.
Josie licked me lovingly. She whispered softly in DogSpeak, "Utoy...my son. I'm your mother, Josephine."
