Saw
another movie the other night 'Hachiko - A Dog's Story', a real tear
jerker. Made in 2009, starred Richard Gere. It's a remake of a film of
1987, which was in turn based on a true story happened in Japan, a
moving film about loyalty and the rare, invincible bonds that
occasionally form almost instantaneously in the most unlikely people
with animals.
An
Asian breed Akita dog was being transported to the United States.
During the journey it's cage fell off the vehicle and the dog roamed
along the railway tracks and stations totally lost. A professor of music
found him and decided to take him home and try to locate the owner,
but failed. From the dog's collar, the professor learned the dog's
given name Hachi. The relationship between the two greatly
strengthened. The dog had adopted the custom of accompanying him
everyday to the railway station where he boarded the train to go to
work, and waited for him there until he returned.
One day, the professor didn't return ... nor the next day, and the day after that; but the dog went and waited there just the same everyday, rain or shine, even days of snow and blizzard - for 9 years, until he too, died.
The
real HachikÅ died in 1935. A photo of his statue in the Shibuya train
station is the last image shown before the credits roll.
My
friend laughed and said I am a real cry baby at my age. I am sure
there are those out there, like me, who cry buckets while watching this
film. I can't help it, nor am I ashamed of it. I cry when I am
overjoyed and I cry when I am sad, or moved. Very occasionally, I even
cry for I don't know what reason! The saving grace is, I laugh easily
too.
