By Jim Willis
When I was a puppy，I entertained you with my antics and made you laugh。You called me your child，and despite a number of chewed shoes and a couple of murdered throw pillows，I became your best friend。Whenever I was“bad。”you'd shake your finger at me and ask“How could you？”But then you'd relent，and roll me over for a belly rub。
My housebreaking took a little longer than expected，because you were terribly busy，but we worked on that together。I remember those nights of nuzzling you in bed and listening to your confidences and secret dreams，and I believed that life could not be any more perfect。We went for long walks and runs in the park，car rides，stops for ice cream（I only got the cone because“ice cream is bad for dogs。”you said），and I took long naps in the sun waiting for you to come home at the end of the day。
Gradually，you began spending more time at work and on your career，and more time searching for a human mate。I waited for you patiently，comforted you through heartbreaks and disappointments，never chided you about bad decisions，and romped with glee at your homecomings，and when you fell in love。She，now your wife，is not a“dog person”，still I welcomed her into our home，tried to show her affection，and obeyed her。I was happy because you were happy。
Then the human babies came along and I shared your excitement。I was fascinated by their pinkness，how they smelled，and I wanted to mother them，too。Only she and you worried that I might hurt them，and I spent most of my time banished to another room，or to a dog crate。Oh，how I wanted to love them，but I became a“prisoner of love。”As they began to grow，I became their friend。They clung to my fur and pulled themselves up on wobbly legs，poked fingers in my eyes，investigated my ears，and gave me kisses on my nose。I loved everything about them and their touch because your touch was now so infrequent and I would have defended them with my life if need be。I would sneak into their beds and listen to their worries and secret dreams，and together we waited for the sound of your car in the driveway。
There had been a time，when others asked you if you had a dog，that you produced a photo of me from your wallet and told them stories about me。These past few years，you just answered“yes”and changed the subject。I had gone from being“your dog”to“just a dog。”and you resented every expenditure on my behalf。Now，you have a new career opportunity in another city，and you and they will be moving to an apartment that does not allow pets。You've made the right decision for your“family。”but there was a time when I was your only family。
I was excited about the car ride until we arrived at the animal shelter。It smelled of dogs and cats，of fear，of hopelessness。You filled out the paperwork and said“I know you will find a good home for her”。They shrugged and gave you a pained look。They understand the realities facing a middle aged dog，even one with“papers”。You had to pry your son's fingers loose from my collar，as he screamed“No，Daddy。Please don't let them take my dog！”And I worried for him，and what lessons you had just taught him about friendship and loyalty，about love and responsibility，and about respect for all life。
You gave me a good bye pat on the head，avoided my eyes，and politely refused to take my collar and leash with you。You had a deadline to meet and now I have one，too。After you left，the two nice ladies said you probably knew about your upcoming move months ago and made no attempt to find me another good home。They shook their heads and asked“How could you？”
They are as attentive to us here in the shelter as their busy schedules allow。They feed us，of course，but I lost my appetite days ago。At first，whenever anyone passed my pen，I rushed to the front，hoping it was you that you had changed your mind that this was all a bad dream……or I hoped it would at least be someone who cared，anyone who might save me。When I realized I could not compete with the frolicking for attention of happy puppies，oblivious to their own fate，I retreated to a far corner and waited。
I heard her footsteps as she came for me at the end of the day，and I padded along the aisle after her to a separate room。A blissfully quiet room。She placed me on the table and rubbed my ears，and told me not to worry。My heart pounded in anticipation of what was to come，but there was also a sense of relief。The prisoner of love had run out of days。As is my nature，I was more concerned about her。The burden which she bears weighs heavily on her，and I know that，the same way I knew your every mood。She gently placed a tourniquet around my foreleg as a tear ran down her cheek。I licked her hand in the same way I used to comfort you so many years ago。She expertly slid the hypodermic needle into my vein。As I felt the sting and the cool liquid coursing through my body，I lay down sleepily，looked into her kind eyes and murmured“How could you？”
Perhaps because she understood my dogspeak，she said“I'm so sorry。”She hugged me，and hurriedly explained it was her job to make sure I went to a better place，where I wouldn't be ignored or abused or abandoned，or have to fend for myself-a place of love and light so very different from this earthly place。
And with my last bit of energy，I tried to convey to her with a thump of my tail that my“How could you？”was not directed at her。It was you，My Beloved Master，I was thinking of。I will think of you and wait for you forever。May everyone in your life continue to show you so much loyalty。
记得那时，我还是一只幼犬，顽皮、滑稽。我为你带来不少乐趣，看到我的样子，你总是忍不住发笑。我虽然很惹人生气，把家里的鞋子和靠枕都咬得残缺不全，你依然把我视作你最好的朋友，甚至说我是你的孩子。每次我调皮捣蛋，你都摇着手说：“你怎么可以这样呢？”不过，到了最后，每次你都会原谅我，把我扑倒，然后挠我的肚皮。
我们曾一起努力，改掉了我乱啃家里物品的坏习惯，虽然花的时间比预期的要长，因为你总是太忙。我还记得每晚睡觉前我都会跳到你的床上，用鼻子蹭你，倚着你撒娇，听你细诉自己的梦想和秘密。我们常常到公园散步、追逐，乘车兜风，偶尔停下来买雪糕吃（我只能吃到雪糕筒，因为你说“吃雪糕对狗狗的身体不好”）。每天午后我都会在太阳下打盹，等待着你傍晚回家。我确信那时是我一生中最快乐的时光。
渐渐地，你把更多的时间花在工作上，花在你的事业上，还花费更多的时间去找寻你的另一半。而我总会耐心地等你回来，在每一个绝望心碎的日子里给你安慰，支持你的每一个选择，尽管有时这个决定很糟糕。每天只要你一踏进家门，我都会欢快地扑向你；当你坠入爱河时，我高兴得团团转，为你高兴。她——也就是你现在的妻子，并不是一个“爱狗之人”，但我还是欢迎她来到我们家，还努力向她表达我的友好，并听她的话。因为你开心，所以我也开心。
后来你们有了孩子，我也跟你一样欢喜雀跃。我被他们精致的面孔和甜甜的气息感染了，我真想像妈妈一样好好照顾他们，好想像爱你一样地爱你的孩子，然而你和你的妻子却生怕我弄伤他们，整天把我关在门外，甚至把我关到笼子里去。唉，我多想好好地爱他们啊，但是我却成了“爱的囚徒”。孩子们慢慢长大了，我也成了他们的好朋友。他们喜欢抓着我的毛蹒跚地站起来，喜欢用指头戳戳我的眼睛，喜欢摆弄我的耳朵，也喜欢亲吻我的鼻子。我尤其喜欢他们抚摸我——因为你已经很少触摸我了。我会用我的生命去保护他们，如果有必要的话。有时候我会跳上他们的床，倚着他们撒娇，细听他们的心事和小秘密，一起等待你回家。
曾几何时，当人们问起你有没有养狗的时候，你总是马上从包里掏出我的照片，并讲给他们听关于我的趣事。可是，近几年，每当人们问起同样的问题，你却只是冷冷地回答“是”，随即就转移话题。我已经从“你的狗儿”变成只是“一条狗”了，甚至对我的开支也变得吝啬起来。后来你的仕途来了个新转机，你可能要到另一个城市里工作，你和他们要移居到一幢不许饲养宠物的公寓去。终于，你为“家庭”作出了正确的抉择。可是，你是否还记得，我曾经就是你唯一的家人？
你的车子出发了。我不明真相，还为这次旅行兴奋、激动。然而我们到达的却是一家动物收容所，我一下子傻了。那里弥漫着猫儿和狗儿的气味，还有恐惧和绝望的气息。你填写好文件后，对那里的人说：“我知道你们一定可以为它找个好归宿的。”看着你，他们耸耸肩，露出很难过的神情。对于这里的老犬最终会走的路，他们了如指掌；纵使老犬们身怀着各种各样的证书，又如何？你的儿子舍不得我，用手死死地抓住我的项圈，哭喊着：“不要！爸爸，求你不要让他们带走我的狗狗！”最后，你不得不掰开他紧抓着我的手指。而我却为他担心，更担心你教给他的人生课：什么是友情、什么是忠诚、什么是爱、什么是责任、什么是……对生命的尊重！
你避开我的目光，轻轻地拍拍我的头，跟我说再见，并礼貌地拒绝带走我的项圈及皮带。你说你有急事要做，而我现在也有事要做了。你走后，那两位好心的女职员说你可能在几个月前就知道要搬家了，却从来没有试过要为我另找一个好的家庭。她们摇摇头说：“你怎么可以这样呢？”
这里的人整天忙得团团转，但只要有时间，他们总会尽量照料我们。在这里我不愁食物，可是数日以来我什么也咽不下了。最初每当有人从我所在的围栏经过，我都会满心期待地跑过去，希望是你来了——以为你回心转意来把我接回去，希望这只是一场噩梦……或者至少是有人来关心我，有人愿意救我出去。那些小狗嬉笑打闹，高兴、快乐，往往会吸引人们朝他们走去。当我意识到我永远都不可能争得过这些小狗时，我退到一个偏远的角落，静静地等待着那个时刻的到来，而他们显然对自己将要面临的命运还一无所知。
那天傍晚，我听到她向我走过来的脚步声，就跟着她轻轻地穿过长廊，走进一间独立的屋子，一个安详、宁静的房间。她把我放在一张桌子上，揉着我的耳朵叫我不要担心。我已料到即将发生的事情，心为此猛烈地跳动着，可是同时我也有了一种解脱的感觉。我这个爱的囚徒所剩的时日已经不多了，但是本性使然，我却是更担心她。我能感觉到她肩上的担子十分沉重，就像我能感知到你的每种心情一样。她温柔地为我的前腿绑上止血带，这时泪珠从她的脸颊滑下来。我温柔地舔她的手，犹如许多年前我在你悲伤的时候安慰你一样，然后她熟练地把注射器针头插入我的静脉里。随着一阵刺痛，一股冷流走遍我的全身。我昏昏沉沉地躺下了，看着她亲切的眼睛，我喃喃地说：“你怎么可以这样呢？”
也许是听懂了我的话，她对我说：“真是对不起。”她拥着我，急切地向我解释说这是她的工作，她要保证把我带到一个更好的地方，一个充满爱和光明，跟尘世完全不同的世界，在那里我不会再受冷落，遭欺凌，被遗弃，也不需要自谋生路……
我用尽全身最后一丝力气用尾巴敲了一下桌子，竭力想让她知道这句“你怎么可以这样呢？”并不是对她说的，而是对你说的，我最爱的主人。我一直都在想念你，将来我也会永远地怀念你，永远地等候你。愿你生命中的每一个人都可以这么忠诚地对待你。
鹦鹉学舌
本文选自美国作家Jim Willis的畅销书《Pieces Of My Heart-Writings Inspired by Animals and Nature》，该书以自述的形式讲述了一只家犬对昔日主人的真情告白。当年作者用七千美元以全版广告的形式在报纸上刊登了该文章，以一篇文章感动了所有的读者。
莺声燕语
Background Knowledge
狗在西方
Love me，love my dog。（爱我，就爱我的狗。）仅仅从这样一个英语谚语就可以看出西方人对狗的热爱。这有点像中国的“爱屋及乌”，但是境界高得多。狗被认为是“the best friend of human”（人类最好的朋友）。狗是忠诚、朋友、幸运的代名词，人们爱狗，喜欢狗，狗已经成了他们生活中不可或缺的一部分。英语里面有a lucky dog（幸运儿）这样的说法，还有Every dog has his day。[凡人皆有得意日（意指：大家都有走运的一天）]和A good dog deserves a good bone。[好狗应该啃好骨头（有功者受赏）]这样的谚语。即使是不喜欢狗的人，也对狗狗很尊重，把狗狗当作家庭成员看待。不但西方的寻常百姓喜欢狗，大人物们也是如此。历届的总统候选人总是喜欢强调自己和爱犬如何亲密，可见爱狗人士的投票对他们有多重要。
牛角挂书
New Words
nuzzling（nuzzle的ing形式）nuzzle v。用鼻擦，触，紧挨；（鼻子等）伸入：
例句：His face was nuzzled into his hands。他用双手捂住了脸。
glee n。欢乐，高兴，快乐，欢欣
romp vi。顽皮嬉戏；蹦蹦跳跳
例句：The old man was romping in the courtyard with his grandsons。这位老人在院子里与他的孙子们乱跑乱叫地耍闹。
chided vt。责骂，责备；责怪
例句：The manager chided him for his delay。经理责备他拖拖拉拉。
wobbly adj。摆动的；不稳定的；歪斜的
crate n。板条箱；篓（文中指狗的笼子）
pry 打听，窥探，用杠杆撬开（文中指掰开孩子的手）
oblivious adj。健忘的；遗忘的；不注意的；不知道的
例句：1）I am oblivious to what was happening。我对发生的事情没有记忆了。
2）Grandfather sat by the fireplace，oblivious of everything around him。
祖父坐在壁炉旁，忘却了周围的一切。
T
猴老师有话说
est Yourself
1.文中whenever anyone passed my pen里的pen是下面哪个意思：
A。钢笔B。围栏C。作家
2.run out of days 是什么意思？
3.poke的基本释义是用……戳（或捅）；把……指（或伸）向，你知道poke one's nose into和poke fun at这两个关于poke的短语的意思吗？
Keys：
1.B2.生命走到尽头
3.poke one's nose into探听；干涉；管闲事poke fun at取笑，嘲弄
