I still remember the day I first met him. I saw him in pictures before seeing him in person at a track meet. He is a yellow Labrador puppy named Rode, and I instantly fell in love with his green eyes and oversized paws.
I spent three of my four high school years in boarding school. Similar to what films like "Dead Poets Society" portrayed, teachers do not just belong in the classrooms. They are my instructors, sports coaches, and surrogate parents. I bake in their kitchens, watch movies in their apartments, and beg them to take me out for much-needed Target runs. I play with their dogs on the days that I miss my own puppy back in Hong Kong, almost 8,000 miles away; Rode is one of those dogs on campus.
Rode and I became friends in my senior year when I began to dog-sit him. He always greeted me with excitement, and often with so much delight that his owner, Ms. Hatton, worried that he would knock me over. We have gone on long walks in the woods, ran around in the rain, watched my friends’ lacrosse games, and taken naps on the grass (well, I lay on his stomach). We were always together – in fact, some people have even told me that it is weird seeing me outside of class without him and vice versa. I spoiled him with treats and toys, and he showered me with kisses. Very quickly I realized Rode has become a part of my life, and more importantly, my friend.
There comes a time when you have to say goodbye to the places, people, and things that you love. For me, graduating from my boarding school meant leaving my home away from home, and indirectly, Rode. It probably does not surprise you that saying goodbye was so much more difficult than I had thought. It sounds cliché, but he is my favorite hello and my hardest goodbye. We sat together on Ms. Hatton’s front porch one last time. I held onto his paw, and tears started rolling down my face. As I walked away from the house, he would not let me leave without a hug and lots of kisses. He stood there until I was out of sight. It was as if he knew that was our goodbye.
Like Ms. Hatton, who is a biology teacher, Rode has been a phenomenal teacher for me. He taught me what love is by example. His love is understanding, kind, and patient. It often hits me most when I least expect it. The pictures of us remind me of all the lessons he has taught me, and that even though I will be going to college in a different state, he will always be on Mount Ida to welcome me home, tail wagging and all.
See you later, Rode. I love you.
