Today I got to visit Mario; I went into his house and found him lying on the couch. He didn’t see me nor hear me; how could he anyway? I sat quietly beside him and caressed his head softly. He jumped up destructed and swayed his muzzle left and right, ‘caught’ my smell and instinctively rushed on me. He wasn’t furious nor attacking. He was his own unique self. He jumped in my arms and started licking my face all over. Every kiss he gave me was accompanied by a soft sigh. It was as though he wanted to say “where have you been? I missed you.” I wrapped my arms around him and let him kiss me. I sat on the floor and played a lot. I was holding him tight and he reached his front legs to me, holding me tight in its turn. In my arms he moved and licked me like a little puppy. He asked for my pudding and kissing. I lied on the floor and let him climb on my chest to go on kissing and hugging me. I moved him on the couch again and tried to take some photos. Yes, this is Mario; Lefki has spent a lot of money for him. Yes, it is Mario, he lives with Marita and Sotiris; they love and take care of him like a son. They take him for long strolls, even by the sea and he looks so calm when he is with them. This is Mario; Mario cannot see and hear. But he can feel, understand and has the same needs as other animals. It is Mario; he is not ‘registered’ in my name, he doesn’t belong to me and yet I feel like I’m hugging my own dog. This is Mario, who, I wish he finds a family of his own, someday, enjoying its exclusive love and care. It is Mario, who trusted me the first moment he felt me before him. One may say: ‘you feel pity on him… poor dog’. No, I don’t feel pity on him and I don’t believe it’s a ‘poor dog’. And I don’t believe that we must feel pity on animals with health problems. We must respect them, instead. And try to compensate for what nature has deprived them. Take care of them and be there for them, as they are there for us. And I dare say that, such animals especially, are there for their family much more than other animals. I wish I could be his eyes and ears, take him and show him the sunrise and the sunset of the day. Listen together and enjoy the plash of sea waves. Spend our nights and days together without anything separating us. My beloved prince. My adorable Mario. I can’t bring you home and feel remorse about it. But I can go on trying to find a person to love you like I love you. Much and forever!
Your Giorgis
