A dancing dog stole the internet limelight with its stunning tricks and dancing skills at a Light Rail Transit (LRT) station in Manila. But it’s the tale of its trainer, a studious kid, that left social media awestruck.
Last week, Facebook user Dessa Andres recounted the time she met the jolly canine named Blackjack and his young master when she passed by the LRT Central Terminal station. At first, she was perturbed when she saw the dog dancing with a basket filled with coins. But when she returned to the station after shopping, she interacted with the dog’s trainer, a young boy who has high aspirations to finish college and become a veterinarian.
She said, “Katabi ng aso ay ang batang nag aaral. Bumili ako pagkain tas binalikan ko siya (Beside the dog is a child studying in school. I bought food and returned to him).”
Andres was touched by the boy’s life story. He is on his own feet after his mother abandoned him while his father is “too old” to tend to his needs. The alms he and his “best friend” collect are spent for his allowance and other expenses in school. To entertain commuters, the dog would perform basic arithmetic and balance on its two legs.
“Tinanong ko kung paano yung pag-aaral niya. Sagot niya sa ‘kin, ‘Siya na nga yung nag-papaaral sa ‘kin, sabay turo sa aso niya (I asked him how he was coping with his studies. His answer was, ‘He is the one who is financing my studies,’ pointing to his dog),” Andres recalled.
In the end, Andres was inspired by the boy and Blackjack’s “teamwork” and how they loved each other despite hardships. She concluded, “Gusto ng bata na maging vet paglaki niya, at di malayong mangyari yon kasi masipag siya. At dahil walang imposible sa Kanya (He wants to be a veterinarian when he grows up and that will surely happen because he is hardworking. With Him, nothing is impossible).”
Her inspiring post has gotten 62,000 likes and 30,400 shares as of this writing. Gianna Francesca Catolico
