"Hello, Goodbye, I Love
You"
(The Story of Aloha, A Guide Dog for the Blind)
Chapter Nineteen
God whispers in our pleasures,
speaks in our
conscience and shouts in our pain.
—C.S. Lewis
The call came Friday afternoon. Diego answered the phone.
“Hi Diego.
This is Nancy. How are you today?” Diego’s heart sank. He knew what
the call was about. He didn’t want to hear it.
“Fine,
thanks,” he managed to get out.
“Guide
Dogs thinks Aloha is ready to be returned to campus. You’ve done an
amazing job with her, and now it’s their turn to work with her. Can
you take her out there next Saturday
afternoon?” Nancy asked gently.
“I think
so. Will Jeremy take Alma too?” he replied.
“Yes,
Diego. I‘ve just spoken to him. Perhaps you can bring them together.”
He felt
dizzy and went to sit on his bed. He thought it felt like a movie, not
his life. He picked up the leash and called to his dog.
Diego
was walking Aloha through the thick pine trees in the woods she loved,
but he felt no peace. His parents had suggested that he take her there
for a long walk, hoping that the quiet beauty of the forest would raise
his spirits. It wasn’t working. Finally, he crouched down and gave her
a kiss.
“Amigüita,
will you always remember me?” he asked her, his voice raw with pain.
“Next week you’ll leave me and become a star and make me so proud. But
I’m having a real hard time letting you go.”
Suddenly
Diego felt overwhelmed with sadness. He knelt over her back and circled
her chest with his arms, letting the tears run down his face onto her
soft fur until he could cry no more. Aloha turned her head around to
watch him, licking his tears and offering her paw as if to coax him
into a new game.
Diego understood now what a broken heart felt like. In the woods, surrounded
by his raw grief, another realization slowly came to him. Love was the
basis of all their training! Her love for him was the reason she sacrificed
her instincts and obeyed him. He now understood that Aloha loved him
too!
After
a while, Diego stood up and took the leash.
“Aloha,
let’s go home.” He gently kissed her nose. They set off at a fast pace,
running the last few blocks. Aloha was happy with the exercise. Diego
felt tired and drained.
Clara
met them at the door. “Diego, Mamá wants us to wash up for supper. We’re
going to the baseball game and we have to hurry,” she explained softly
as she noticed his swollen eyes.
He gave
her a weak smile and she took Aloha’s leash from his hand. “I’ll feed
her,” she offered. Diego accepted gratefully, knowing that tonight would
be the last baseball game Aloha would share with them. Unless, he thought…unless
shegets dropped from the program and I get her back!
He wondered
why he kept considering that option. Aloha would be an excellent guide
dog and he knew she would move quickly through the training stages.
But try as hard as he could, the idea that she might not graduate played
again and again through his mind like a song.
The family
was quiet and solemn during supper. Each one of them accepted the air
of sadness that clouded their spirits. Finally, Ernesto suggested that
it was time to leave for the
game.
Aloha
accompanied them, sitting happily at Diego’s feet. Soon after they arrived
at the stadium, Diego found Jeremy and Alma and sat with them. Somehow,
that made it easier to face the reality of the next few days. Both boys
were reserved and sat with their heads in their hands, barely concentrating
on the game. After the game, the two families made plans for the ride
to Boring the following Saturday. Jeremy’s father would take both boys
and their dogs. Clara watched them through serious eyes. She couldn’t
keep the tears from falling. The other family members decided they would
stay home. Diego didn’t blame them, and secretly wished he could be
spared that final “goodbye” in front of the trainers.
School
was now in session and the boys took their dogs with them the following
week. Their schoolmates gathered around them to wish the dogs well.
Some of them put their arms around their friends’ shoulders and offered
them consolation and kind wishes.
On Saturday
morning, Jeremy’s father arrived to pick them up with both dogs’ gear.
They drove to the Guide Dogs for the Blind campus as the wind blew and
a shower of autumn leaves fell from the trees. Both boys spent their
time in the car talking quietly to Alma and Aloha.
There
were other raisers saying goodbye to their dogs. Diego discovered that
the adults were not embarrassed to show their emotions. They wept openly
and hugged their dogs close to them. The trainers stood back respectfully
and gave them all the time they needed. Diego and Jeremy had
talked about this and both boys agreed not to prolong the pain of the
moment.
Diego
took Aloha to a corner of the lawn and sat down with her. “This is goodbye
for now, my sweet girl,” he told her as he held her close. “I will pray
for you and your success. I’m turning you over to the best trainers
you could have. Now it’s up to you to make me proud.”
Aloha
turned her liquid chocolate brown eyes toward his and held his gaze.
Diego knew that she understood.
“Aloha,
I’ll be checking up on you. And I’ll come back to your graduation,”
he promised her. “Goodbye, Aloha.Don’t forget me. I love you.”
The trainer
led her away and Diego walked back toward the car. He could not look
back to watch her leave. He didn’t see her turn her head as she heard
him walk away. He didn’t see her wrinkle her nose and send him one last
sweet smile.
