Mac Ooi

It has been a long week since you disappeared from home. Where have you been, Mac? We are dead worried for you. Words are just not sufficed to describe how much we miss you.

When mum told us that you have not come home since you left for your usual 5 minutes morning toilet break, we initially thought that you just got a little bit naughty and went to play with your friends and will be back in a while. However, hours after hours, you were nowhere to be seen. We started to get worried.

The very next day, mum asked me to accompany her to look for you. I took her on the bike and launched a thorough search for you everywhere in our kampung. We searched in every corner, every lane, every bush, every drain and every house with dogs.

We searched high and low and went to every place that you could possibly be, but yet we still couldn’t find you. It is very heart-wrenching to see how mum, with teary eyes and a shaky voice, approached every person she bumped into, asking them whether anyone saw her "little" dog. My heart ached to see her like that.

Mac, where have you been? Every since the day you disappeared, mum purposely left the gate ajar, hoping that you will be able to come in when you come back. Every time we talked about you, she starts tearing up. Where did you go?

Liang and I used to be very jealous of you that mum always put you in her first priority. Whenever she needed to go out for a day, instead of making sure we have food for ourselves, she will remind us again and again to remember to feed you, make sure you have enough water in your cup, put you back in your small room at night, and give you extra dry cloth for your blanket. Haha. We were indeed very very jealous of you.

Mum was telling our neighbors the other day that in the worst case scenario, she hopes that you would end up with someone kind and caring. Someone who will be able to rightfully discern your eating and living habits and thus able to properly care for you.

Thinking back, I really doubt that anyone would know your peculiar habits. Who would know that you do not eat rice? Who would know that you will choke when you eat bones? Who would know that you eat Pedigree brand dog food and chicken meat specially cooked by mum? (Only mum knows exactly how much soya sauce and water to put in your chicken dish) Who would know that you only drink milk scooped on mum’s hand and not from the saucer? Who would know that you have to "blow-dry" using the hair dryer immediately after your bath? Who would know that you cannot stand cold and who would know that you dislikes wet floors? Who would know?

But Mum knows. For 5 years, she had been doing that for you. Mum really loves you, Mac. Well, thinking back, how could we ever gotten jealous of you? Like mum said, for the last 5 years, you were the only one who faithfully waited at the gate when she returns home, and greet her with your exciting high pitch bark. You were the only one who will run to her to greet her the moment she stepped out of the car, while we were slouching at the sofa watching TV. How could mum not love you?

Mac, we love you too. We miss you sorely. We miss your familiar high pitch bark, greeting us whenever we come home. In fact, you will start barking even way before we reach home. Until now, it’s still a mystery to us how you are able recognize and starts barking even before our car reached home.

We miss the way how you like to "manja" and squeeze yourself between us whenever we were on the sofa watching TV. We miss the way you run in and out of the house and we miss the way how you jumped up and down, waiting anxiously for us to let you out for your toilet break. We miss the way you barked at every person who comes near to our house. Mum always praises you that you are her good dog, who will always sit by the gate, guarding our house for us.

Indeed, you are a good dog. It has been 5 years you stayed with us, bringing much joy and laughter to every one of us. You traveled everywhere with us and you have been with us through the happy and not so happy times. You are a part of our family and we love you, Mac. We really do.

Mac, where did you go? I have been praying hard for your return. All of us miss you terribly. We are so worried that you don’t have the right food to eat. We are worried that you don’t have enough dry cloth for your blanket at night. We are worried that bigger dogs will bully you. We are worried that you cannot adapt to whatever new environment you are in right now. Mac, don’t stay away for too long. Come home soon.

When Liang brought you back to our house 5 years ago, you cried the whole night and I let you sleep on my bed together with me. Yesterday, I cried myself to sleep thinking of you. Did you?