[Winter Contest Entry 2012] A Lil Thing Called Companionship

A little thing called Companionship

“In life, many a times would a person need to say an inevitable, eventual goodbye to anything around him. It’s cherishing them while they were there for you, that is what really matters, more so if it was something or someone really important.”

That phrase was something my dear father had taught me.

Christmas Eve, the season to be jolly! Where people celebrate, where children salivate, where workers take a hard earned break. Shops are closed; Presents are wrapped, lovers cuddle, while those alone wept.

There was no reason that, on such a lovely day where love and joy permeated the air, that a man should feel so very, very sad and alone?

In a small house at the corner of the town, a man was hugging his knees in the corner. Bent over and sobbing for all he was worth, he loathed the joy and happiness of the entire town.

Wilfred was his name, and just earlier, news of his parent’s death had arrived…

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“Surely as of now, everyone is enjoying their time with their family or maybe with their lover. Well, everyone except me, I suppose.” I sighed as I finally decided to stand up.

I paced around the house for a bit, wondering what to do for the rest of the day.

“This must be bad luck. Karma is out to get me, I’m sure! I mean, just a few days ago, I found my fiancé in bed with another man. Needless to say I cut off ties with her but, well, I digress. And then today, I find out my parents who were coming to visit me for a Christmas gathering died in the plane crash on the way here? You have got to be kidding me.” I muttered to nobody in particular.

As I stared at the food on the table, weakness overcame me once again.

“To think, that I had taken cooking lessons just to please my parents when they came to visit me after I hadn’t seen them in months…”

I briefly wondered if life had any more meaning. My friends went overseas to visit their families, so I was really, truly alone in the sense of the word in its
entirety.

“I suppose if I just sit down and do nothing, it’d be fine? Probably not, I suppose I should go for a lonely walk in town.” I said to nobody in particular.

For a brief moment, I wondered why I was launching into soliloquies of my own accord. However, I merely shrugged and coined it an aftereffect of the depression and forgot all about it.

“I wonder if the town has anything interesting for me today. Maybe I should just drop by the broth-“I spoke but was cut off by a soft whining sound outside his house.

I wondered what it could be for a brief moment, but thought better of it.

“Must be my imagination again, I’m really depressed, eh?” I mumbled.

As I was looking around for my jacket, the whining noise became louder.

“Damn it what the hell is that noise! Can’t a sad, depressed young man get his own peace and quiet around here?” I groaned loudly.

I grudgingly walked over to the door and opened it.

Outside was a dog, shivering in the cold. His fur coat was totally covered in snow.

“Oh, it’s a dog. Well, at least I have a way to clean up the leftover meat that would have otherwise gone into the bin.” I muttered uninterestedly and opened the door wider.

Little Doggy there took the hint and came inside.

I smiled warmly; I never expected to have company at all on this cold, winter day… Except maybe with some overtime hookers over at the brothel I had planned to visit.

I put the meat onto a plate and put in on the floor. The dog, although suspicious at first, eventually started gobbling up every piece of meat on the plate.

“Glad you like it, doggy…It was all my hard work meant for my parents, although they’ll never get to taste it…” I trailed off.

I decided to read the newspaper while the dog was stuffing its face with all that meat.

BREAKING NEWS, FAKKU INDUSTRIES SHUTS DOWN?

That opened my eyes a bit. FAKKU Industries was one of the biggest companies this town had ever seen. Stock market must have had a crash of some sort, perhaps? I suppose I’ll continue reading it.

“So apparently it says right here that Mark, the son of the owner, had been embezzling company funds without his daddy’s permission to get hookers on a daily basis simply to impress his poor friend, John Felix, who had recently established his new company, JF Strengths Manufacturing.” I read out loud to myself.

“I heard of John Felix. The company he worked at got bankrupt due to FAKKU Industries monopolizing the area. What an amazing guy, building a company from nothing like that.”

“Due to the embezzling, Mark landed himself in jail, bringing shame to his family name and the scandal has reportedly doomed FAKKU Industries in the business world due to new-found rumors of foul play and underhanded deals.”

I sighed and shut the newspaper.

“I have my own problems to worry about, no time to be feeling sorry for some big name company.”

It was then that I had noticed the dog staring at me, apparently for some time, wagging its tail and sitting obediently.

I walked over to the door and beckoned for the dog to leave.

“Come on, doggy, you’ve had your food. Now, go! Shoo, get outta here!” I shouted.

The dog walked over, but rather than walking out, it nestled close to my legs and lay down.

Mildly irritated, I tried many ways to get it to leave, but to no avail.

“Tch, I suppose a day or two wouldn’t hurt.” I sighed in resignation.

The dog, as if satisfied, got up and lay down near the window.

“Now that I have a dog, I need to get stuff to rear it. I suppose I could get it a leash, some food, and give it a name?” I wondered out loud.

It may have been my subconscious desire for companionship that prompted the willingness to accommodate another living being within the house…

“Since I found him abandoned on a Snowy, wintry day…How about just naming him Snowy, or something like that?” I wondered out loud.

The dog, as if understanding that it had acquired a new name, came walking over and nestled by my legs once again.

“What an understanding little fellow…” I petted Snowy’s head while praising him.

“Alright, Snowy! We’re going for a little walk…” I declared and opened the door, prompting Snowy to walk out ahead of me.

As I walked the streets with Snowy, it was still bustling with activity as it was the afternoon. This raised the memory of recent events in my mind, but I paid it no heed.

“You know, walking on the street like this can be really fun when accompanied by buddies. But, well, walking alone on here with a dog I picked up off the front of my house feels…Strange.” I muttered.

I berated myself for launching into another soliloquy.

“But well, I suppose it isn’t a soliloquy if I tell myself I’m talking to you.” I muttered as I looked in the direction of Snowy who was walking right next to me.

I had walked the streets alone many times, even sometimes with acquaintances, but none felt as fulfilling as strolling peacefully with a dog.

The local pet store was run by a bachelor known as Mr. Thomas, I heard he recently got a girlfriend but it doesn’t look promising.

When I arrived, the store was just about to close. However, Mr. Thomas noticed me and beckoned me over.

“Ah, Willy, My boy, what can I do for ye? I see you got yourself a new, faithful companion? He from the local pound, Willy?”

I smiled at Mr. Thomas. He was a jolly old guy, and I got along with him quite well although I never owned a pet.

“Right, I saved him. So, his name is Snowy! I uh, would really appreciate it if you could just sell me a leash so that I can walk him around town safely…?” I muttered softly.

Mr. Thomas fiddled with his glasses and smiled brightly.

“Why, yes my boy! Free of Charge to you, my dear friend. Christmas Eve, it’s in the spirit of the day to be giving, after all!” Mr. Thomas happily declared and went to grab a leash for me.

Giving, eh? I pondered the meaning of his sentence for a bit.

“Yes, Yes, Giving, Willy my boy. Just like how you have given Snowy a new chance at life! Rather than rotting away in a rotten pound where they treat animals horribly…” Mr. Thomas scowled for a while before smiling again and passing me the leash.

While equipping it on Snowy, it sat down obediently and stared at me silently.

“I swear, sometimes its creepy how I feel this dog understands my intentions.” I muttered under my breath.

By the time I arrived home with Snowy, it was already evening, and nearing the night.

After setting up a small area with some extra pillows for Snowy, I beckoned him over.

Snowy came over without complaint and lay down. Snowy yawned and fell asleep instantly.

“I suppose you’re part of my new family now, Snowy…”I grinned as I said it.
I no longer felt the desire to get rid of Snowy, but rather a new feeling of longing for companionship came in its place.

Casting away bad memories such as the death of my relatives or my cheating fiancé, I decided that I would enjoy my new life with Snowy starting today.

As I petted Snowy’s head once more, I whispered two words…

“Thank You”

I staggered over to his bed and lay down, tears of emotion threatening to overcome me.

As I lay in his bed, I remembered my father’s words.

“In life, many a times would a person need to say an inevitable, eventual goodbye to anything around him. It’s cherishing them while they were there for you, that is what really matters, more so if it was something or someone really important.”

“In context to my situation, I suppose this means I had said my inevitable goodbye to my parents. Had I really cherished them while they were alive? I would like to think so, but honestly, probably not, I never really visited them much…”

Tears of regret spilled from my eyes as I lamented this fate. Why had they taken my loved ones from me? Why is it only me that has to suffer?

As I was sobbing, I heard a rustling sound. I got up on my bed and saw Snowy walking over here.

Snowy merely sat next to the bed, whining softly and staring at me, as if he understood my pain.

I grinned as I tickled Snowy’s chin and petted his head.

“I see, I’m being comforted by my pet now, huh? Heh…That’s right, you are part of my new family now, aren’t you, Snowy?”

Snowy licked my hand as if comforting me.

I smiled…For the first time in a long time, I smiled wholeheartedly.

“Thank you, Snowy…” I whispered, every word choked with emotion.

I looked out the window into the dark, winter sky.

“I suppose sometimes the big things that happen don’t really matter, eh? Sometimes, it’s the small things like companionship that just make things better…”

I got out of bed and hugged Snowy while crying.

“I’ll cherish you, Snowy, I promise. It’s because you matter to me now, you’re part of my new family now. I’ll do it wholeheartedly, cherishing you until that inevitable, eventual day where we both bid each other goodbye…”

Snowy, as if understanding me, howled and licked my face.

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