My Dog Who Is Afraid of Thunder
The day before the earthquake in Kumamoto.
In the Kanto region, there was what is known as a guerrilla rainstorm.
In the old days, we would have called it an 'evening shower'.
It feels like only the name has
become much more intense lately.
That day, too, the sky suddenly turned dark,
Flash. Boom!!
It was almost simultaneous.
'Oh, that's close.'
Even I couldn't help but jump.
Since it's startling even for humans,
it must be even more terrifying for animals.
Come to think of it, the dog I used to have,
hated thunder more than anything.
In the distance
"Rumble..."
Just hearing it start to rumble made him restless.
He would pace around the room.
He would look at the window and pace.
He would look at me and pace.
"No, even if you look at me, I can't stop the thunder."
As I watched him while thinking that,
The place where it would eventually end up was already decided.
Under my desk.
I was a high school student, studying for exams.
At my feet, my beloved dog curled up into a small ball,
shivering, shivering, shivering, shivering...
"Are you really that scared?"
I said, patting its head, and the trembling eased just a little.
But every time the thunder rumbled,
it would start shivering again.
I couldn't focus on my studies at all.
No, it's not that the dog is getting in the way of my studying.
When I see that trembling,
"Wait a second."
is what I end up saying.
It was the same at night.
When I'm sleeping,
before I know it, the futon starts wiggling.
When I notice, it has crawled into the futon,
and is curled up right next to my stomach.
And then...
Shiver, shiver, shiver, shiver.
"It's hot."
"But I can't kick him out."
A dog-warmer, even though it's summer.
The heat retention function is perfect, at least.
In the past,
"Aren't dogs supposed to be guard dogs? Shouldn't they be fine with thunder?"
That's what I used to think.
However, the reality is different.
Far from protecting the family,
They take refuge with the family member who seems the safest.
No, I understand how they feel.
If thunder rumbled outside, I would also run into a building.
Dogs are the same.
They know where they can feel safe.
Perhaps that is all it is.
Thinking about it now,
it wasn't that my dog was "afraid of the thunder,"
but rather, "I'll be okay if I'm by this person's side."
Maybe that is what they were thinking.
When I think about it that way, that trembling, the space under the desk, and inside the futon,
all become precious memories.
Every time I hear the sound of thunder, I remember.
That small warmth, and
my beloved dog, who used to tremble with all its might right beside my stomach.
Even now, I can't help but feel that if thunder rumbles somewhere,
"Let me in here."
it will come crawling into my futon with that look on its face.
