Tuesday, November 2, 2010

Rest in Peace sweet manook baby




Yesterday when I got home from school I was greeted by two happy puppies fighting for my attention, just as I always am. And just as I do every day, I picked up my precious manook baby and gave her a hug before going inside to eat lunch. In the evening I went outside to visit with the dogs, but only Jack came over to me. I called and called for manook, but she did not come. Finally I heard a sad little whimper, manook was trying to get to me but couldn’t walk to well, her stomach was swollen.
I told my host family she was sick and we agreed that she should come stay with me in my room. She slept on my chest as I prepared the lessons for the next day. She didn’t seem to feel well but she also didn’t seem to be in pain.
This morning when I woke up, manook was really weak. Her stomach swelling had gotten worse. I knew things weren’t looking good, but my host mom pushed me out of the house and told me not to worry, that she would put manook by the heater and keep her warm and take care of her.

When I came home today, Jack was the only one to run up to me. I walked into our basement looking for manook but she wasn’t there. I looked inside and she wasn’t there. My host mom came up to me, eyes sad and puffy and told me manook was sleeping. Ok, I said, show me where, I’ll stay with her. She pointed far out into the field. She’s dead she told me. Ok I said, and I walked into my room. I didn’t want my host family to see me cry over a dog. Life is different here, I know animals don’t mean as much to them here.
Thirty minutes later my host mom comes into my room. Don’t cry she tells me. Here come eat lunch. As I go to the table my host brother comes in, he seems me and immediately starts crying a lil too. Lunch was pretty silent; turns out they really loved manook too.
After lunch we all sit at the table sad, starring off into space, when my papik walks in. My papik loved manook the most, he is the one who got her for me. Why so sad Alyssa jan, he asks me. I burst into tears and tell him manook died. He had no words to say for a good 5 minutes. Do you want me to get you a new manook baby, Alyssa jan, he asks. No Papik, I loved manook baby, I don’t want another dog. We all stare at our plates. There is nothing to say, all we can do is be sad.

2 comments:

  1. I have no words either:( He was loved by the best sister in the world though and was lucky for it.

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  2. aw you made me cry. I agree with Scotty, and you also got your armenian family to view your little puppy as one of the family and not just a dog that they don't care about. See the little dog accomplished alot in his short little life. I love you, sorry sweetie and give your little host brother a hug for me. Love you, mom

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