Rocky

Rocky(1/2)
This is a story of me losing an old pal. His name was Rocky. Like all macho dogs. An 8 year old Akita dog I knew since my junior high days. He stood vigilant alongside his mistress in the pastry shop I used to visit. I was there the day he was shipped there. A tiny month old pup, really timid, but inquisitive, had a pair of those big googly puppy eyes that'd melt even the coldest and indifferent hearts. I still have a mark when he was teething, and liked nipping everything to shreds. Personally, I'm not a fan of dogs, really, but god did I love that dog. There were times I'd joke I wanted to steal him away from madam (that's what we all called her, she's the pastry shop owner, bless her).
Rocky, in a nutshell, was a troublemaker but goddamn was he a social dog as he managed making friends out of everybody that had spent more than a minute on that pastry shop. Rocky would bark the moment someone entered the shop, but if it were a long time customer, he'd simply wag his tail and sit there with his goofy ever knowing look, acknowledging and welcoming them. For me, he was more than a friend, that dog. I used to buy him a biscuit, and he'd follow me to the table while madam used to bring me my pastry. Even though he didn't understand a word I uttered, that dog used to behave like he understood it all. A responsible dog, rocky was. Between his rounds where he used to check up on every table, he used to find time to go see if everything was good on the entrance. He liked those butter cookies a lot. While madam was certainly not pleased with me bringing those, rocky would be over the moon. He loved rain. I remember him giving out a whine, and finding him stuck on a muddy puddle in the pavement. I think the time when I carried his miserable ass off the puddle, into the back of the store where I washed him, and dried him off, that's when I fell in love with that pup. 4 or 5 times I walked him in the evening when beckoned by his mistress. And he was one of those dogs that didn't even need a leash while going on a walk, did I say how disciplined he was. I'd meet him on a weekly basis because my house is a substantially far away from the shop, but when I did used to get there, there that dog used to be, tongue stuck out, tail wagging, with that goofy "I knew you'd come back" expression plastered on his face. The moment I entered, he'd start playing with me, but would I dismiss him, he'd give this disappointed look and go back to his station. Only to return when my order arrived. Cause he knew I'd have his favorite cookie with him. The weekend didn't feel the same without going to pay him a visit. Eventually, when I got into my senior years/prep for undergrad studies, I visited less and less. Yet rocky used to always be there, loyal to his duties, and as welcoming as he always was.
Truth be told, the only reason why I was a persistent visitor to the pastry shop was solely due to rocky and his calm demeanor. No matter how shitty my day was, he'd manage cheering me up. If I'd the best day of my life, I'd go there, and he'd still end up making it better, like icing on the cake. So when I went to the pastry shop yesterday, I was mildly disappointed when I didn't see rocky at first. I figured maybe rocky was sleeping in his usual spot behind the counter, but when I looked over, I didn't see him there. So after having my order, I sat there for half an hour, waiting for that dog to show up. That's when I approached madam. (*to be continued in Rocky(1/2) )