Let There Be Light
We just emerged into the light, after spending the previous night in total darkness and most of this day without electricity.
May ushered in the season of heavy rains, howling winds, and deafening thunderstorms and with it, the intermittent power interruptions. So yesterday when we suddenly lost power, we thought it was one of those interruption again. However, it lasted longer than we anticipated and when Mark went out to get something, he was dumbstruck to find we were the only unit in the building spending a quiet night in obscurity. He checked the circuit breaker but could not get anything as to what may be causing the problem. We had to wait til morning to get some help.
Morning came and the day slowly faded into afternoon. Our landlord who promised to call the electician seem to have forgotten all about it and I drifted from a state of slight to severe annoyance. Mark took matters into his own hands and proceeded to check the circuits, only he needed one instrument to complete his investigation – the Multi-Tester. That instrument burned a deep hole in my pocket; I was expecting the building owner to do something about the problem, not us spending so much to resolve it. Anyway, Mark made a dash to the nearest DIY shop and got himself a nice package of the tester. I watched as he inserted the two pointed probes into one of our electrical outlets and interestingly, it detected a flow of current but insufficient to keep the lights and appliances running. Mark explained that our electric meter is possibly defective; not a short circuit nor a damage in the breaker but we needed to have Meralco confirm if this really is the case. I dare not repeat the explanation here; for sure I wont get the facts straight. I called Meralco and waited for a few more agonizing hours for the serviceman to arrive. When he did check the meter, true enough there was a damaged part and some connections were loose. He quickly replaced it and at around 6pm, there was light in the house!
The Muti-Tester cost alot but it showed us where to look and who to call. Solutions, sometimes, come at a steep price.
Wilson On A Mission
If you think our doggie days are over, think again. A few days after we lost Perere, our friend from whom we got him, offered to lend us one of their dogs to help us recover. We battled with the idea, thinking it might turn out as a constant reminder of our little doggie and then like rubbing salt to a still open and fresh wound. Mark decided that if we are going to have another dog, it will be one of Perere’s siblings. Nothing else will suffice. And so we travelled to the distant land of La Loma and checked the soon to be dog on a noble mission of helping us out of our grief. He’s got a funny name for a dog – Kitkat - or simply, Kat. Yeah, a dog named Kat.
It wasnt love at first sight. He was taller, bigger than Perere and my first thought was — is this really a purebreed Maltese? While Perere was cute and cuddly, he looked awkward moreso for the uneven haircut and brownish feet discolored by his own urine. He is a decent dog but could not be a replacement for our free spirited Perere. We spent a few minutes there considering if we are ready to take him home. In that few minutes, we learned that his appearance belied his love to be carried and cuddled. You can carry him all day or put him on your lap and thats enough to send him into a blissful mood.
Alright, so we got him. One of the things we had to deal with was his unacceptable potty habits In the first week, he relieved himself in every corner of the house driving the place stinking with urine! At one point, I got so pissed that I threatened to hit him, and with a stern voice told him to straighten up or else, it will be a return trip to La Loma. He looked at me with those eyes of deep hurt and retreated to the kitchen where he stayed and ignored me until I picked him up. But coming from the intelligent lineage of the maltese, he quickly learned where the potty area is and that watering the entire house is not the way to go.
Unlike Perere, Kat is a very laid back dog. He doesnt bite hands and demand for play time. He just sleeps on the floor until you carry and squeeze him in a hug. He doesnt like Dentastix that much. He munches on a stick and leaves half of it uneaten. Perere can devour a whole pack in a few minutes. He is not so much of a picky eater. He eats and eats.. just leave the bowl full with eukanuba, please. Perere was even prescribed an anorexic’s vitamin to divert his appetite to other nourishment aside from Denta. Kat was easy to be around. And slowly, we accepted him into our home and gave him a little space by the foot of the bed for his personal sleeping quarters. He will never replace Perere, but he is lovable in his own sweet way.
Just one thing that we were not comfortable with — calling our dog KitKat or Kat. First, wouldn’t that cause an identity crisis? He’s a dog, not a cat! And second, Perere abhors cats! The reason why he ran out of the gate resulting to his demise was the neighbor’s slinky cats who lured him. We just got to change that name but Mark and I could not come up with anything fit. Until I told our new dog story to my officemate Iyrin who wittily made a comparison to Tom Hanks’ Wilson in Cast Away. People get so attached because dogs listen without any questions. They accept every argument without a fight. Treat everything you say as if it is the only truth in the world. How clever! Our new dog’s name turned from Kat to Wilson in an instant. He shares the name with a close friend of mine, but what the heck! Wilson it is.
Its been three weeks now. Wilson has also integrating himself into our lives, adapting to our routines, and doing what all dogs do best — loving us unconditionally. It does hurt to lose a pet, but that doesnt stop us from loving one all over again.
We wont be returning Wilson; we are keeping him for good.
The Ones That Matter
It is when you are at the saddest, gloomiest, darkest moments that you recognize who your real friends are. The loss of our dog was one of the most painful experiences we had to go through but thanks to all those who extended their condolences and understanding, Mark and I are slowly coming to terms with what happened. The recovery is not instant but we are glad to be on that road. We still miss Mokie; we still talk about him; nostalgia is still thick in the air but we know that this too shall pass. Time with our maltese ran out on us but that time is forever etched in our lives springled with colors of happy memories; we could not be more grateful for the sunshine brought by the little creature.
To all our friends, distant or near, known by real or code names 
, your thoughtfulness meant alot to us. Thank you for cutting our grief short and helping us smile again.
