Dear Perro,

Dear Perro,

Perroooo, how are you? It’s been so long… I miss you. You will always have a special spot in my heart as my first puppy, my innocent Golden Retriever, and my furry best friend. Perro, I miss you so much. I hope you are still hyper as ever up there, playing with Mickey, Sakura, and Momo! Have you met Nun and Charro too?

Perro, I just want to tell you I am so sorry we didn’t treat you better. I am so sorry for the times we got mad at you for jumping on the sofa when it was thundering. You were just scared, huh? I’m sorry that we got that stupid leash for you. I’m sorry for the times we fed you late. I’m sorry I can’t tell you one more time how much you mean to me. With all our faults, Perro, I know you loved us and I know you knew we loved you too.

I remember all the fun times we had together: all those walks we took together and the giant poops you’d drop, all those times I sat on the floor with you after I came home from school because we missed each other, all those times I tried to calm your fearful shivers during a thunderstorm. Perro, you were such a good boy. I wish I could pet, hug you, run around with you again. Do you remember running around and hitting your leg on a mailbox so hard you started limping? You were so silly.

I know towards the end was very hard for you. Those seizures, being in the vet away from us, being unable to control your body… But you still used your last strength to let us say bye to you. Perro, I will never ever forget that. The vet called us in because it wasn’t looking good and you waited. You waited until we could get to your side and pet you one last time, to feel your fur one last time, and say goodbye to you and tell you how much we love you. Perro, to the end you thought of us and loved us; such a good, loving boy.

A lot has changed since then. We planted a tree in the garden that you loved running around in in your honour. It reminds us of you and it’s proudly growing in a beautiful shade of deep green. Charro rested a lot next to it after his walks; you guys would’ve been the cutest brothers. But I don’t live in that house anymore… and soon that house won’t be ours. But Perro, I want you to know that you will always have a home with us no matter where we are. In fact, you will have more homes to go to now since we’re all over the world! Come visit us and you will see!

Perro, come play with me any time you want, come cuddle with me when there’s a thunderstorm, come hug me when I’m sad. I hope you are taking care of grandpa Charro, he’s an old baby but he’s your brother! Stay your rowdy and hyper self but learn a lot from that wise old Chihuahua! Say hi to all the other goldies for me too.

ぺろ、大好きだよ。また一緒に遊べる日が来るの待ってるよ。

Sincerely,

Images by K From the Mountain.