I’m the type to believe every little superstitious thing my mother tells us. And one thing I really believe is that a family should have a pet, especially when they start having kids.
I grew up with no pets. My mom said we used tohae a dog but I never could remember him. Then we had an aquarium. I liked it. But you couldn’t actually cuddle fish, you know. We used to have hamsters, too. But they all eventually died before I could remember actually playing with them. We also raised chickens before. But… Uhm… You could say they didn’t live long because… You get what I mean. The first time we ever had a cat was when I was 8. But it didn’t live long, too because it was just a week old and couldn’t survive on its own.
The first time we actually had a dog, was when I turned 10.
The neighbor’s dog birthed some good dogs but they weren’t that healthy, nor were they beautiful, so they gave them away. My mom pitied them and took two with us, including the very sickly one. Mom’s favorite, a full white aspin, was named Balto. Magically, my youngest brother, Isaac, asked to have the sickly one to himself. He was 6 then. They named it Kambang, a female with a big brown spot on her back. “Kambang” in the Ilonggo dialect means “spot”.
I never entirely liked dogs, but I’m good with them. I like cats instead. Somehow, my pets never last that long. They either get sick, or beaten, or run over, or stolen. But Isaac and Kambang were a different thing.
My brother sometimes looks mean and intimidating, but he’s sweet and loving towards the people he loves. It’s something that he also shows his pets. Since he was 6 years old, he only had Kambang, Keji and the twins JunJun and Jonas, both white cats with blue eyes.
But Kambang was different. I guess, you can say, Kambang has been his bestfriend since he was young, literally. Although Kambang came to us very sickly, he was able to survive and live. When Isaac was 6 to 9 years old, he would always take Kambang out and run with her in the streets. Sometimes, he would even bring her along when he plays with her friends or when they go to parks and playgrounds. He never left Kambang, and she did the same to him.
They would sleep together, too. When Isaac got into highschool, the walks became rare. But whenever he took Kambang out at night for the daily routines, they would spend a long time together. They would sleep together, too. Even when Isaac slept on the top bunk, Kambang would still be inside the room, watching him.
Kambang is very timid, just like Isaac. But when she needs to be brave and strong, she would. One night, a neighbor tried to get in the house to borrow a fork or something. When Kambang saw his hand through the door, she attacked him. Good thing he was fast enough and ran away before Kambang bit him. Ever since, we knew she would be there to protect us.
When Isaac got into college, Kambang was already old, 9 years old. She was having skin problems already and bad eyesight. But she would still be excited when Isaac comes home. Me and mom could take her out for short walks, but nothing compares to how much her eyes brighten up when it’s Isaac attaching the collar and leash on her.
This year, Kambang is already 13 years old, approximately 82 years old in human years. And the age really shows. She has failing eyesight, teeth falling off, skin problems, hurting joints. She was just waiting.
Isaac would tell mom to find a way to kill her, because she was already old and he knew she couldn’t last any longer without feeling pain. But somehow, he didn’t want it to happen as well.
A few days ago, she’s been acting very childish, trying to rub her face on ours. Well, she couldn’t do it to me because I have sensitive skin and itch at almost anything. But she would always ask me to get up and take her out. I wasn’t feeling it. I actually denied the signs. She was going soon.
And the saddest part about letting her go is seeing Isaac having to let her go, too.
That night, during their last walk together, it took them so long to get back home. When they came back home, Isaac looked at her so long and cried. “I’m letting you go, Kambang. You can go,” he said.
The next morning, I didn’t see Kambang even before I left for work. Our father came to visit and apparently, she said goodbye to him, too. We barely have our father around, but for 13 years, Kambang saw him and knew what he was to the family. I guess he said goodbye, too.
I came home at 5 in the afternoon and my mom said I should hold Kambang. I didn’t know what that meant. I have magic hands so I guess it just meant she was feeling bad. I held her as she laid on the floor. I took her head on both my hands and asked what was wrong. She just blinked. She turned in her blanket and in my touch, she left. Just like that.
I didn’t cry. I don’t think I have tears left to spare.
But Isaac did.
He came home late at night and didn’t see Kambang’s body anymore. He sleeps on the bunk above mine. And I heard it. Tears.
Isaac has had pets who loved him so much and stayed with him for so long. Keji for 5 years, Kambang for 13 years. Keji died last year, Kambang left just last Friday. I’ve lost pets, some of whom only stayed with us for 2-3 years and I cried. I was in immense pain. I could only imagine what he felt now that someone who was part of his childhood had finally gone.
His other cat, JunJun, is very protective of him. That cat doesn’t sleep until he sees Isaac home or in his bed. He knows what time Isaac needs to be home, and if he isn’t yet, JunJun would cry out to us, probably asking where he is.
When Kambang died, I saw JunJun sleeping right next to him the next morning. And for 2 nights now, JunJun sees to it that he’s with Isaac all night. I guess he knows perfectly well what his human is going through.
I feel bad for my brother but I hope he gets through it well. I know he will. And I will be sure to be there with him. Unless JunJun beats me to it.
Cessa and Her Days 