Buddha was a remarkable canine companion, a Yellow Labrador and Golden Retriever mix. We welcomed him into our family after successfully placing Sasha in a new home. I chose the name Buddha for him, inspired by one of the puppies in the Air Buddies series. Buddha was the closest I had ever come to having a purebred Labrador, and he was indeed an extraordinary dog. One of my most cherished memories of Buddha involves a particularly humorous incident. One day, he managed to consume a thin dress belt from one of my mother's garments. As we waited at the bus stop, my mother noticed the belt protruding from Buddha's rear end. With the aid of a leaf, I carefully extracted the belt, and my mother distinctly heard Buddha emit a sigh of relief. On another occasion, my brother Michael and Buddha were preparing to return home from the bus stop after I had boarded the bus. A stranger approached and inquired if my brother had a cigarette. When Michael declined, the man persisted in following them to the edge of our yard. Throughout this encounter, Buddha remained vigilant, frequently looking back and growling. My brother instructed the man to leave, but when the stranger took a step closer, Buddha issued a deep, intimidating bark, which promptly caused the man to flee. My mother recounted this story to me, and I was alarmed by the incident. Unfortunately, our time with Buddha was brief, as he disappeared when he was just a year old. Despite our efforts, we could not locate him. I was heartbroken but consoled myself with the thought that perhaps his time with us was meant to be short. I hold onto the hope that he found love and care wherever he ended up, and I miss him dearly..