TEARS FOR HIS BEST FRIEND
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Cedricks dad carries his late dog away for burial. |
By GREGORY WESLEY
WOOF, woof.
If you love animals, bring your tissue box or
hanky because this puppy tale will have you in tears.
This is the story of Sedrick, a University of
PNG student, and his faithful puppy Brownie.
Sedrick Haboi is from Busamang, a big
sprawling village below Sugarloaf Mountain in Salamaua, Morobe Province.
Sedrick and Brownie enjoyed a special bond of
friendship for 11 years until one week ago, when as fate had it, Brownie passed
away Sedrick was heartbroken.
How the friendship started
Their friendship started when Brownie was just
a puppy when she was gifted to Sedrick when he was just 14 years old and in
Grade Seven.
His heart missed a beat when he first set eyes
on Brownie. She was so cute and had a fluffy look. But she was also small and
he thought she would die at some point.
He made up his mind there and then that come
rain, hail, or shine, Brownie would make it through the night.
His priority every day was to find a meal to
feed her. This spawned their trust and loyalty.
“To keep the little puppy alive, every morning
and evening, I have to find fish to feed her with coconut. Her survival became
my priority, that is where we built the bond of friendship,” he said tearfully.
You’ve all watched the heart-rendering tale of
the loyal Hachiko, who waited faithfully at the Ueno Train Station for his
master, who never returned.
In our case, it was Brownie, who always
faithfully waited on the beach of Busama for his master to return from school
every day.
From there he started building that trust and
bond with the dog, the puppy was so small but could sense and wag its tail in
excitement with its watery eyes every time Sedrick came back from school.
The Bond
This is the place where both would sit down and watch the sunset before
walking home for dinner.
Growing up Sedric didn’t have any brothers, he
was the only boy among three sisters, playing games with his sisters was hard
as they always helped their mum with house chores or doing girl’s stuff.
Dad was his only friend, but most times he was
busy with his work, so he didn’t have much time and that left Sedrick with no
one to play with.
All these changed when Brownie was introduced
into the family, Sedrick finally had someone who could be with him every day no
matter what.
“When Brownie was introduced into the family,
I felt like I had a friend to play with or talk with when I'm alone and she
became my everyday friend,” he said.
Brownie was his therapist every time he went
through something stressful in his young life.
“When I am sad and sit alone along the beach,
she would walk up to me and sit beside me.
“I would share with her what I am going
through and how I feel, her response was a usual low crying voice, I would
reply don’t worry I will be okay,” he shared.
He would ask his best friend how her day was
and always reply back saying, “I know you had the best day because you always
look happy.”
Together they would watch the waves crashing
on Pineapple Beach as the sun slowly sinks on the horizon and slowly stroll
home for dinner.
A typical day with Brownie
Brownie would always wait or play around in the bushes waiting for Sedric
to finish his daily chores.
There was never a dull when they were
together. When there’s no one around they always seize the opportunity to play on
the beach.
“When I have no one to talk to or play with,
she will run to me to play with me just to make me happy, most of the time I
will talk to her.”
The best thing he loves about his dog is she
always sticks with him wherever he goes, even to the dense forest and mountains
until he gets back home.
His mom would sit and wait outside the veranda
for him to return from the jungle, and when Brownie would always be the first
one to run to the house.
Every time she sees Brownie running out of the
bushes, she is relieved because she knows her son is safely home.
Sedrick on one of his trips back to school after the holidays.
Going to School
Sederick was accepted to do grade 11 at Wawin
National High school in 2017 so he had to leave his parents and Brownie behind,
he didn’t mind that much because he knew he would always return on the term
breaks.
“It wasn’t a longer period cause every term
break I would return home to spend my holiday with my parents back at Busamang.
“During my arrival, everyone would come and
greet me, then I would ask my mom where Brownie is while talking with my
family, she would come out from nowhere and jump onto me.
“I would hug her and she would bark for
a while, then the nearby houses would say Sedrick kam pinis olsem no dog blem
singaut stap’ (Sedrick is back that’s why his dog is barking).”
In 2019 Sedrick was accepted at UPNG, this
time the distance was greater.
He had to leave on a plane to another
province, so he was a bit moved. He was wondering whether his best friend would
still remember him when he got back.
Last time with his Best Friend
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This was the last boat ride leaving the village for Port Moresby for his graduation. This was also the time when he said his last goodbye to Brownie. |
In 2022 he had to leave the village to go
prepare for his graduation, it seemed just the usual goodbye he does when going
off to school, but he didn’t know that would be his last moments with Brownie.
“It was 2022 when I left home for my
graduation in April, after getting on the boat, I looked back to say goodbye to
my parents, I saw her standing beside my mom, and then I shouted back.
“Brownie lukautim mama gut (Brownie look after
our mother) not knowing that it will be the last time I am going to see her
face, then I saw her standing at the beach for a while and walked slowly back
home.”
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Sedrick making sago. |
Getting the News of her passing
“When I
heard the news, all our memories flooded my head, it broke my heart and I know I
am going to miss her, I enjoyed the last 11 years with her, and I know this
time will be different going back home.
“I know that when going back home, my staying
there will not be like the other 11 years, I would miss how she greets me when
I get home, her name would fade away when time goes by,” Sedrick said.
His advice to Pet Lovers
“Pets are the friend who you cannot talk to
you but will act as if they know what you are saying. If you love your pet, you
have to take good care of them.
“For animals like dogs, they forgive faster
than humans can do, they love without hate, loyalty is their main character.
“They will take care of you without
complaints. I regret hitting my dog when I was angry, it breaks my heart to
lose Brownie.”
