Karlam Chow - Buddys Story: A Novel Based on a True Story of a Homeless Dog

Copyright 2013 by Karlam Chow

ISBN: 9781626757752

All rights reserved

No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the author.

Requests for permission to make copies of any part of the work should be mailed to the following address:

Karlam Chow

129 Voluntario Street, #A

Santa Barbara, CA. 93103

USA

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Chow, Karlam

Buddys Story, a novel about a dog and homelessness

p. cm.

Includes biographical references and index.

1. Childrens Stories

2. General fiction

3. Education

All proceeds received from the sale of this book will be donated for the care and welfare of dogs in need

Printed in the United States of America

Cover painted by Jerry Lu Wright.

I dedicate Buddys story to Mr. and Mrs. Chapin Nolan, and thank them for all their encouragement, love, and support for the dog shelters and rescue services they have supported throughout the years, and for the altruistic ways of improving the quality of life for so many animals.

Ill never forget the day I first laid eyes on Buddy. And in thinking of him over the years what a truly unforgettable dog he turned out to be.

His will to live and to love, and his perseverance throughout all the twists and turns of his life; his unconquerable will to one day go home again and shower his unconditional love over everyone in his life are qualities humanity itself would do well to emulate.

I hope you will enjoy Buddys true story as told through his own eyes and voice, his own triumph over all the slings and arrows of his existence and our own.

I was born during late spring in Santa Barbara, California, which is a beautiful city by the Pacific Ocean with mountain views, lots of grand looking palm trees around, and a warm climate that allows colorful flowers to grow all year round.

When I came into this world as a newborn puppy with my eyes closed shut. I couldnt open them for two weeks. Also, I couldnt hear for four weeks. When I was able to see and hear, my first awareness of life was hearing a loving human familythey didnt look like me, my mother, or my siblingslooking down at me saying, How cute, how cute! as I looked up into their sweet smiling faces. I felt welcome to the world.

My owner, Larry, is a good man, and so are his wife, Betty, and two teenage daughters, Stella and Patti. We live in a large comfortable house, and we all sleep in the bedroom on the family beds. The most wonderful thing is the big backyard that looks like paradise. There is a lovely bridge and fountain surrounded by trees and flowers, exhibiting how beautiful nature is. We can run as much as we like, and what fun we had.

Our mother, Arron, gave birth to us when she was already eight years old. We were her first and last litter. She is a beautiful, sweet and quiet girl, and she has the most tender voice when she barks, it would sound like she is singing us a lovely lullaby. She is smaller then the rest of us, and is our owners favorite girl.

Even before my eyes opened I could feel the gentle warming rays of the sun, and my mothers loving, licking caresses and reassurance that this was a good new world of love and wonder. The soft furry warmth of my littermates enveloped me, and all hunger and thirst never lasted long as mother was always there. During those first days, it was a magical world filled with many wonderful loving feelings and light, dreams and imagination. It felt like unconditional and unending love, and I had so many ideas I could never have guessed what life was going to bring my way.

Our father, Guinness, belonged to another family in Pasadena, California. Unfortunately, we never had a chance to see each other, even though its only a few hours away, which saddened our little hearts. It always seemed unfair that our family members were apart. I believed our father felt sorry too, as he didnt even know what his children looked like. It seems humans dont think about such things. My brother Tyler looked just like our handsome father. It was mother who told us.

I had three brothers and only one sister, but one of the brothers died right after he came into the world. It was sad. I could feel my mother cry for a while. I crawled close to her, and licked the tears from her eyes, kissed her gently, and told her I loved her. After some time passed, time healed some of mothers grief, and she was very busy raising and nursing us to thriving health, and she slowly recovered from her sorrow. It took some time, but day-by-day the joy mother felt from her puppies restored her happiness. We all had a wonderful time together under mothers loving care and sweet milk We also felt the owners love; but four puppies were more than our owner could care for and they could only keep one of us. I wonder who will be the lucky one in the family, and staying with dear mother.

When we were about ten weeks old the rest of us had to start going away to new homes one-by-one. It was really painful for us to be without each other and to leave our loving home, especially as we were only puppies and we needed our mothers sweet milk, care, and love. I just dont know why our dear owner couldnt keep us all together. Why did he let each of us go by ourselves to a strangers home and not stay with our own family, and only keep one of us, for our mother?

Also, we didnt know where we were going and what kind of new owner we would have. Anyway, we have to be with strangers and face the future even though we were still only puppies. Sadly, from then on everything is different for us and all the good times we use to have were gone. My brother, Nick, was the first one who left. His new owner was a student of Bettys, and I didnt feel too bad as long as he was still in Santa Barbara. Maybe one lovely day well both have a big happy surprise and see each other again somewhere, and I hope it wont be only in my dreams.

Nick and I look very much alike. We have the same kind of face, and the same color of fur. The only difference is his size, as he is a little smaller than me. Actually, Im the large one in the family. My sister, Anacapa, was the next to go. She went to a female singer who stayed with her boyfriend back and forth between Los Angeles and Canada. So it is even harder for us to see each other anymore. She is a beauty, and she has soft fur and her face looks just like mine. She smiles most of the time and her smile is as sweet as candy. I love her and loved to play with her. But where is she now? Is she happy with her new owner? I wonder if she likes the way she always goes back and forth from home to home? Does she still remember and think about us, and miss the times we use to spend together when we were puppies? There are a lot of questions on my mind.

Another brother, Tyler, is the luckiest one in the family. He is a handsome boy with pretty gold curly hair and his ears are much longer than mine. He is the only one who stayed with mother and Larrys family during this period of time. The reason they kept him was because he constantly wagged his tail and ran to Larrys daughter Patti. Tyler was smarter than me. How come I didnt do that? I should have wagged my tail and run to Larry, and then maybe they would have kept both of us. I wish I was like Tyler, but now its too late. I guess Im the unlucky one in the whole family, what can I say?