Are you a dog lover? For the first fifty years of my life, I was NOT a dog lover. In fact, I was a dog hater. When we were growing up, we weren’t allowed to have any pets in our home.  I was bitten by a dog as a young boy, so I’ve always been a little scared of them anyway. In the Huang household, a dog wasn’t something you petted or cuddled; a dog was something we regularly ate for dinner (Hey, lighten up–that’s an Asian joke).

It is amazing how your perspective can drastically change, because three-and-a-half years ago I became the proud Papa of a little Boston Terrier named Bingo. By human standards, Bingo isn’t the sharpest tool in the shed, but I still love him to death. He runs when I run. He eats when I lay food out for him. He pees, he poops, he farts, he sleeps, and he loves to lick my face. He doesn’t bark, he never complains, and he’s always glad to see me. He loves to play and gets along well with everyone. In other words, he’s the perfect traveling companion–truly man’s best friend. Although he’s become a huge part of my life, I never want to forget that I’m pretty much his whole life. So we’re going on this road trip together, savoring every minute of each other’s company, experiencing the adventure of the open road without a care in the world. Yup, I’ve been given this wonderful gift, this furry four-legged bundle of unconditional love at just the time I needed him the most. All you dog lovers surely understand this love, this unbreakable bond between master and mutt, this indescribable spiritual connection between the servant and the served. Yup,  I’m definitely a dog lover now!