Alberto

On 30 October 2012, Isabel gave birth six puppies in few hours. All puppies before their births had applicants, and because of Isabel's fame, most applicants were competing for owning the puppies.

The fifth puppy that had born was neither prettier nor stronger than the others, but Saeed were fascinated to puppy's ability and never separate Alberto and his mother from himself.

The old two-floored apartment at the end of a dead-end in South Eskandari Street, were exactly in the middle of crowded downtown region where were never suitable for keeping few GREAT DANE breed dogs. But Saeed with a lot of difficulties and concerns, should kept them in that place.

Just two months after Alberto's birth, Saeed's entire capital and savings spent for Isabel's cancer and buying medicine and her medical follow-up. And the financial situation was so disaster, that many nights he walked on foot between Eskandari and Amiriyeh Streets to see his Mother. And because keeping of dogs was the most important task of his life, in any condition should prepared the dogs food and nutrition, so he owed many sums to local grocery store. finally, despite of all difficulties in surprising of all Isabel's doctors, Saeed managed to keep her alive till 12 January 2014.

One night in late January of just that year, a middle-aged man who didn't even introduce himself came to see Saeed. A handsome man with a very serious but kind face, asked Saeed to visit his dogs if possible.

The man went there for two weeks for about ten nights to see the dogs and feed the dogs, and Saeed was really wonder why that man does this? Why never speak any word except praising and well defining of the dogs? Why does not chat with him and not introduce himself, why just in silent he, comes, feeds the dogs, visits them and goes?

The last time that anonymous man went to that house, said to Saeed:

-If it is possible accompany me to the alley!.

Saeed, who “all was over to him” had allowed an anonymous man to come home and even without asking the reasons had allowed him to feed the dogs, accepted to accompany him to the alley.

The anonymous man went to his own car which parked beside the street and asked him to get in car too.

The man put two handfuls of BAHAR E AZADI gold coin and two packages of banknotes on the dashboard and said to Saeed:

I want Alberto!

And immediately added:

If should I pay more, please say how much?!

Saeed wondered and nailed, was sitting on the car seat. Because of various sheets and prescriptions and death certificates which were out of the man's bag, found he is a doctor. What excitement and anxiety appeared inside Saeed, in one side the usual price of the GREAT DANE breed dogs at this age was about 1.5 million TOMANS, while the amount on the dashboard was over than 6 million TOMANS, and he was thought to his own economic situation, that night and day was lane for a trifle money, and that amount could rescue him from the economic crisis and provide him the ideal condition. And on the other side, he had accustomed to Alberto and couldn't lose it.

had one eye on the gold coins and packages of banknotes on the dashboard and one eye on the anxious, needy face of the anonymous man. He was hesitant and the uncertainty feeling overwhelmed him

In sheer silence and after long and frightening pause between two needy men, Saeed turned to the anonymous man and said:

I won't sell Alberto with no price!

It was the last meeting and conversation between the two men, and until the last moment of Alberto's life, the anonymous man never returned. But as if he did his mission properly, till prove to Saeed and Alberto how much worth to each other!

When Saeed came back home, he went near to Alberto and said:

You will always be with me.

since long before, Saeed had registered that old house for sale to real estate agencies, but because of house and land market slump, there wasn't even one client, finally for that house a buyer came, and it was sold with a perfect  price, and Saeed moved to the affluent, luxury and beautiful HAFT SANGAN region of Qazvin. HAFT SANGAN was a beautiful town with very stylish and big villas.

Now the life is changed, Saeed and his dogs had moved from a small and old built house in the middle of crowded downtown region of Tehran to a big villa with fruit trees and a very relaxing and cozy villa with full facilities and equipment.

The condition was totally changed. Now he had more dogs and was in better economic situation. And also, he had gotten more fame and validity. All these events happened while when in all time, in Hardness and comfort, Alberto was his friend and companion and never left him.

After three years, he and his dogs moved to the beautiful and dreamy village of Shafie Abad, located in north of Qazvin, and were living there in his new villa.

Now, Alberto was a very young and strong dog who along it was two puppies named Tino and Elisha that Saeed looked after them.

Over than 10 years friendship and intimacy between Saeed and Anousheh, a young girl who as much as him was fascinated and kind with the dogs, now had become the stage for a common life and purposeful coexistence.

Both of them immigrated to Parand town in Tehran province and Eshtehard city in Alborz province to two different regions of the country, to get known with the great variety of dog’s breeds and learn new methods, to how look after and feed them, and added this knowledge to their previous experiences.

After a while the prestigious and well-known New York Times magazine published a story about Saeed and Anousheh in 2019, for their great efforts to breed and care for dogs.

Through all these years, all the moments, Alberto were partner in Saeed's joy and sorrow. when Saeed were in various trouble and suffered from many crises, Alberto was beside him, and with a relaxing and hopeful look and voice, calmed the Saeed. And whenever there was happiness and joy, it extended the laugh and joyful by doing doggy plays.

I myself was witness to this feeling. Once on a winter day I went to the Shafie Abad villa, we made a fire hearth in the middle of the yard, all were sitting on benches which were around the fire and were drinking tea. And while Alberto was laying on its special bed a little farther, I stared to it for a moment, and I was thinking how much this creature is loyal with strong feeling and lovely is? And when I were deep in thoughts and feeling, Suddenly I saw Alberto turned his head toward me and stared to me, and after a long pause it got up and came toward me.

I was surprised if it felt my interior feelings, or not?!

It came beside me, and while I was holding a glass of hot tea in my hand, moved its head under my armpit to hug its neck, and forced me to cuddle its throat!

On Wednesday night, on 4th of February, right sixteen day after Alberto's death, when Saeed told me about Alberto's death, I found its death was as special as its life too, and in maximum loyalty, kindness and empathy was dead.

He told me that in Robat Karim town there were a vet who had a close and good relationship with them, and whenever they needed some medicine, he maximally delivered to them in half an hour time:

At the noon of 19th January day, after 2638 days cohabitation between Saeed and Alberto, when Saeed, after all his efforts to treat Alberto's illness who had lost its both kidneys, found that the illness were reached to its final level, and is untreatable, And in another hand, he never liked the illness get Alberto weak and unable, so, he puts his head close to Alberto's ear and tells:

“I will free you from this painful life, And I will help you not suffer more. instead, promise me: When you died, whenever it was my death time, help me pass this world easily!”

Then he called his vet friend and asked him to send immediately the ketamine medicine to get free Alberto from the painful and suffering hours of by doing the “Death of Green”!

But in great surprise, despite of repeated follow-up and after 6 hours, right 10 minutes after the Alberto’s death, when still its head were on Saeed’s knees, and its sister, Atlas, behind the window were restless and distressed for its brother condition and was aware of its suffer and pain, the medication received.

It was so, even in this situation Alberto by tolerate its pain and suffer didn't like to make a great sorrow for Saeed.

Right On the 19th of January 2020 day, Alberto's corpse who unlike the most breeds of this kind of dogs which after death get an ugly and destroyed face, were flawless and as if it were in a deep sleep, transferred from Parand's villa to villa in Shafie Abad of Qazvin province. and Alberto buried where they had the most beautiful and enjoyable moment together.

Reza  khalili