The Friendship of Hugo and Pierre: A Tale of Loyalty and Courage

No act of kindness, no matter how small is ever wasted. – Aesop

Hugo, is thirteen years old. He has lost most of his eyesight and doesn’t hear well. I would describe his demeanor as that of a stubborn, sometimes grouchy, old man. He feels as though he has earned the right to be catered to and we acquiesce.

Then, there is Pierre. He and Hugo met one day in the front yard. Pierre is an adorable, little, three-year old Bichon. The thing to know about Pierre is that he absolutely loves Hugo. He can be a half block down the street and when he sees Hugo, he tugs on the leash and his little legs go as fast as they can until he gets to him. Pierre has to be almost be on top of Hugo before Hugo realizes he’s there. That’s okay. Pierre is just happy to be with him.

One evening, my husband took Hugo out for his nightly walk and there was Pierre, contented, as always, to be included. Suddenly, another dog appeared and came towards them. Pierre jumped in front of Hugo and started to growl. Now, this is entirely out of character for Pierre. He is not an aggressive dog. Add to that, the fact that the dog he was growling at was a Golden Retriever. Large enough to gobble him up in a bite. It seemed that the only thing that mattered to Pierre was protecting his friend.

I was touched by Pierre’s selfless behavior and I wonder if it doesn’t contain a lesson for all of us. How often are we willing to put ourselves on the line for someone else? To protect another, less capable of taking care of themselves? It’s often easier to stand aside and not become involved. It’s not our problem we rationalize. Sometimes choosing what’s easiest over what is right. A few years ago we had the, “Me” generation. Now it seems we have the, “Don’t bother me, I’m busy.” society.