汪星人的控訴

When I was a puppy I entertained you with my antics and made you laugh. You called me your child， and despite a number of chewed shoes and a couple of murdered throw pillows， I became your best friend. Whenever I was “bad，” youd shake your finger at me and ask “How could you？”—but then youd relent and roll me over for a belly rub.

I remember those nights of nuzzling you in bed， listening to your confidences and secret dreams， and I believed that life could not be any more perfect. We went for long walks and runs in the park， car rides， stops for ice cream （I only got the cone because “ice cream is bad for dogs，”you said）， and I took long naps in the sun waiting for you to come home at the end of the day.

Gradually， you began spending more time at work and on your career， and more time searching for a human mate. I waited for you patiently， comforted you through heartbreaks and disappointments， never chided you about bad decisions， and romped with glee at your homecomings， and when you fell in love.

She， now your wife， is not a “dog person”—still I welcomed her into our home， tried to show her affection， and obeyed her. I was happy because you were happy. Then the human babies came along and I shared your excitement. I was fascinated by their pinkness， how they smelled， and I wanted to mother them， too. Only she and you worried that I might hurt them， and I spent most of my time banished to another room， or to a dog crate.

As they began to grow， I became their friend. They clung to my fur and pulled themselves up on wobbly legs， investigated my ears and gave me kisses on my nose. I loved everything about them， especially their touch—because your touch was now so infrequent—and I would have defended them with my life if need be. I would sneak into their beds and listen to their worries and secret dreams.

There had been a time， when others asked you if you had a dog， that you produced a photo of me from your wallet and told them stories about me. These past few years， you just answered “yes” and changed the subject. I had gone from being your dog to “just a dog，” and you resented every expenditure on my behalf.

Now you have a new career opportunity in another city and you and they will be moving to an apartment that does not allow pets. Youve made the right decision for your “family，” but there was a time when I was your only family.

I was excited about the car ride until we arrived at the animal shelter. It smelled of dogs and cats， of fear， of hopelessness. You filled out the paperwork and said “I know you will find a good home for her.” They shrugged and gave you a pained look. They understand the realities facing a middle-aged dog or cat， even one with “papers.”

You had to pry your sons fingers loose from my collar as he screamed “No， Daddy！ Please dont let them take my dog！” And I worried for him and what lessons you had just taught him about friendship and loyalty， about love and responsibility， and about respect for all life. You gave me a goodbye pat on the head， avoided my eyes， and politely refused to take my collar and leash with you.

After you left， the two nice ladies said you probably knew about your upcoming move months ago and made no attempt to find me another good home. They shook their heads and asked “How could you？”

They are as attentive to us here in the shelter as their busy schedules allow. They feed us， of course， but I lost my appetite days ago. Whenever anyone passed my pen， I rushed to the front， hoping it was you—that you had changed your mind—that this was all a bad dream…or I hoped it would at least be someone who cared， anyone who might save me.

I heard her footsteps as she came for me at the end of the day and I padded along the aisle after her to a separate room. A blissfully quiet room. She placed me on the table， rubbed my ears and told me not to worry. My heart pounded in anticipation of what was to come， but there was also a sense of relief.

She expertly slid the hypodermic needle into my vein. As I felt the sting and the cool liquid coursing through my body， I lay down sleepily， looked into her kind eyes and murmured “How could you？”

Perhaps because she understood my dog-speak， she said“Im so sorry.” She hugged me and hurriedly explained it was her job to make sure I went to a better place， where I wouldnt be ignored or abused or abandoned， or have to fend for myself—a place of love and light so very different from this earthly place. With my last bit of energy， I tried to convey to her with a thump of my tail that my “How could you？”was not meant for her. It was you， My Beloved Master， I was thinking of. I will think of you and wait for you forever.

May everyone in your life continue to show you so much loyalty.

小時(shí)候，我總會做些滑稽古怪的動(dòng)作把你逗得哈哈大笑。即使我把你的許多鞋子和抱枕都撕咬抓破，你還是會把我稱為你的孩子，我成了你最好的朋友。每次我“使壞”的時(shí)候，你都會向我搖搖手指，問道：“你怎么能這樣做呢？”——但之后你就會心軟，然后把我翻轉(zhuǎn)過來，揉揉我的肚子。

我還記得那些夜晚，我在床上用鼻子撫弄你，聆聽你的那些雄心壯志和不為人知的夢想，我相信那就是最美好的生活。我們會花很長時(shí)間在公園里散步、追逐、開車兜風(fēng)，停下來買雪糕（我只能吃雪糕外面的圓筒，因?yàn)槟阏f：“雪糕對狗狗不好?！保Ｎ視谔栂麓笏挥X，等你天黑時(shí)回家。

漸漸地，你開始把更多的時(shí)間花在工作和事業(yè)上、花在尋找一個(gè)人類伴侶上。我耐心地等著你，在你傷心失望時(shí)安慰你，從不指責(zé)你做過的任何一個(gè)錯(cuò)誤的決定，在你回家時(shí)、得知你戀愛時(shí)，高興得上躥下跳。

她，你現(xiàn)在的妻子，不是一個(gè)“愛狗之人”——但我還是歡迎她加入我們這個(gè)家，我努力向她示好，服從她的命令。只要你開心我就開心。然后，你的孩子出生了，我和你一樣激動(dòng)。我被他們那粉嫩嫩的皮膚和身上的氣味深深地吸引住了，我也想像母親一樣照顧他們。但你和她卻擔(dān)心我可能會傷到他們，所以我大部分時(shí)間都被趕到另一個(gè)房間或者狗屋里去。

隨著他們漸漸長大，我成為了他們的朋友。他們拉著我的毛，搖搖晃晃地站起來，研究我的耳朵，親吻我的鼻子。我愛他們的一切，尤其是他們的撫摸——因?yàn)槟悻F(xiàn)在已經(jīng)不常撫摸我了——如有必要，我會用我的生命保護(hù)他們。我會偷偷溜到他們的床上，傾聽他們的煩惱以及不為人知的夢想。

以前，當(dāng)有人問及你是否有一只狗時(shí)，你會從皮夾里掏出我的照片，然后跟他們說起我的趣事。但這幾年，你只會回答一句“有”，隨即便轉(zhuǎn)開話題。我已經(jīng)從你的狗淪為“只是一只狗”了，你還對花在我身上的每一筆開銷深惡痛絕。

現(xiàn)在，你在另一座城市有新的工作機(jī)會，而你和他們將會搬到一個(gè)不允許養(yǎng)寵物的公寓。你為你的“家人”做出了正確的決定，但曾幾何時(shí)，我也是你的家人，唯一的家人。

在我們到達(dá)動(dòng)物收容所之前，我一路上都在為能和你一起乘車而感到興奮不已。這里充滿著貓貓狗狗的氣味、恐懼以及絕望的氣息。你填完了那些文件，然后說“我知道你們會為她找到一個(gè)不錯(cuò)的家?！彼麄兟柭柤?，難過地看了你一眼。他們明白一只中年的狗或者貓所要面對的現(xiàn)實(shí)，哪怕這只狗或貓是有“文件證明”的。

當(dāng)你兒子叫喊著：“不，爸爸！拜托！不要讓他們帶走我的狗！”時(shí)，你得掰開他那拉著我項(xiàng)圈的手指。而我為他感到擔(dān)心，看看你剛剛為他上了怎樣的一堂課？關(guān)于友誼、忠誠、愛、責(zé)任、以及尊重一切生命的一課。你拍拍我的頭作為道別，躲避著我的目光，委婉地拒絕了帶走我的項(xiàng)圈以及牽繩的要求。

在你走后，那兩位親切的女士說你很可能在數(shù)月前就清楚自己要搬走了，但卻沒有試著為我尋找另一個(gè)不錯(cuò)的家庭。他們搖搖頭，說道：“怎么能這樣呢？”

她們在百忙中給予我們盡可能多的關(guān)愛。當(dāng)然了，她們會給我們吃的，但我?guī)滋烨熬鸵呀?jīng)沒有胃口了。每當(dāng)有人經(jīng)過我所在的圍欄時(shí)，我就會沖上前去，希望那是你——希望你改變了主意——希望這只是一個(gè)惡夢……或者我希望至少有個(gè)人能在意我，能救救我。

晚上，她來找我時(shí)，我聽到了她的腳步聲。我沿著她身后的走道來到了一間單獨(dú)的房間。一間讓人覺得幸福安然的房間。她把我放到了桌子上，揉揉我的耳朵，讓我不要擔(dān)心。我的心因即將到來的事情而砰砰直跳，但同時(shí)也有一種如釋重負(fù)的感覺。

她熟練地把皮下注射針扎進(jìn)我的血管。我感覺到一股冰冷的液體伴隨著一陣刺痛流進(jìn)了我的體內(nèi)，我昏昏沉沉地躺了下來，望著她充滿善意的雙眼，低聲呢喃道：“你怎么能這樣呢？”

也許她聽懂了我的“狗語”，她對我說：“對不起?！彼е遥泵Φ亟忉屨f把我送去一個(gè)更加美好的地方是她的職責(zé)所在，在那里，我不會被人忽略、受人虐待、或者遭人遺棄，也不用自己照顧自己——那是一個(gè)充滿了愛與光明的地方，與這個(gè)凡塵俗世很不一樣。我用身上最后一絲力氣重重地甩了甩我的尾巴，試圖借此告訴她我所說的“你怎么能這樣呢？”并不是對她說的，那是對你說的，我親愛的主人，我會永遠(yuǎn)地想你、等你。

愿你生命中的每一個(gè)人今后都能如此忠誠地對待你。