The Happy Dog

The Happy Dog

Dan and I brought Chester to West Coast Park yesterday. I kinda forgot where the dog run is but we found a huge open field nevertheless. I know it's probably (or rather, most definitely) illegal to let your dog off-leash in an unconfined space, but it was all too tempting. We did it.

Chester scooted off like a rat out of his cage, looking as if irons balls that had weighed his entire existence down has just been taken off him. He ran around, full border collie speed, chasing his rubber ball, fetching it back to us, chasing it, fetching it, chasing it, fetching it. It almost seems fanatical, how a ball-maniac he is (anyone who has never seen a Border Collie play 'fetch' should witness it at some point of time), but i know this is it. This is the entire reason for a Border Collie's existence.

It's been awhile since Chester had a chance to play and frolick in the sun. His sole enjoyment most days is just leash-walking. Not very exciting in a normal dog's perspective, worse still for a Border Collie. It's awesome watching him running without a care, doing what a dog should do (including cocking his leg at every tree in sight which is strictly prohibited by me when he's on leash), just being himself and at one with nature. In some warped sort of way, i felt touched.

Late at night when i was still in the bathroom after my shower, Mum asked me, "Chester chu qu wan, gao bu gao xing?" (roughly translated as: Chester go out, happy or not?)

I replied in jest, "Ni wen ta lah!" (You ask him lah!)

Mum laughed and so did I.

As i opened the bathroom door, Chester was just sitting outside waiting for me. As soon as he saw me, he pounced on me, tail wagging with a huge, silly grin on his face (so i thought). Suddenly, i felt as if he understood what our conversation was about and i knew at that instant what the answer to Mum's question was... ...