Tom And Bully

Last Sunday afternoon, I was the only volunteer to stay with Paul, Luke, David and Daniel at Calvary Care Home (CCH). As the boys were going to sit for tests this week, I asked them to sit down at their own desks and take out their books to study.

One and a half hour later, Pastor Lee, his wife Sara came with their Vietnamese church members to pluck leftover rambutans on the three trees. The boys released Tom, their recently adopted puppy, to run within the CCH compound.

After these adults left, the boys had little mood to continue their revision. While I was reading my book, David was dangling a toy cow attached by a string

in front of Tom to attact its attention.

I usually had no special liking for dogs. However, I found this puppy cuter than some of the cats that trotted around my house.

Daniel who was hungry again heated up leftover rice and started eating in the living room. Tom who had spent a lot of energy to chase after the toy cow everywhere also hoped to have a share.

Before it had a chance to fill its stomach, it was forced by Luke to do some warm-up exercise. I had the impression that it soon would be hung at a food stall like those roasted chicken or ducks.

The next training was gymnastic.

Tom, helpless, was repeatedly thrown up into the air

and caught back by its "coach".

After this session, Luke's body probably grew taller due to stretching whereas Tom's tiny frame lost even more weight.

When I looked at the poor thing's traumatised face, I felt like saying on its behalf, "I want a housemate like Jerry, not a bully."