Stream Crossing with Big Head, New Zealand, 2003
“…a yellow Lab puppy comes tripping up the hill. His paws are too big for his body, and a short length of chewed rope is attached to his neck. His new found freedom has him chasing his tail, snapping at bees, and wrestling another puppy that has also appeared out of nowhere…”
“Big Head, go home!” screams one of the older boys. The dog charges off, yelping as he goes, the chewed rope bouncing around his ears. I don’t notice that I’m crying until I wipe tears away. Big Head is about thirty pounds, the same size as Toughy when I met him. Big Head. What a funny name for a dog…”
Chapter 4, Without Rain There Can Be No Rainbows
It’s hard to believe this happened ten years ago in New Zealand. At the time I was still healing from the loss of my first dog so I resisted those big black eyes. I turned my head for months but Big Head would not be denied…
“I am his Dad…” Chapter 12, Without Rain There Can Be No Rainbows
Thank you my furry boy for a wonderful decade
Beaches, rivers, trails, bushwhacking
Decayed marine mammal aroma
Foot warmer
Stick killing, log rolling
Human Daddy Trainer
May we continue to charge for many more years…
* * *
Big Head scoping for logs to destroy in Aotearoa,
the Maori name for NZ meaning Land of the Long White Cloud
Post surf sesh–stick tossing–sunset fire…Oregon Coast, 2006
* * *
Big Head is the new dog in the book, Without Rain There Can Be No Rainbows, a multimedia memoir about Ryan Chin’s teaching experience in New Zealand. Mr. Chin likes to call it a pet and teacher memoir sandwiched into an overseas adventure. The book is available at Amazon, B&N, iTunes, and locally at Powell’s Books. Mr. Chin keeps a stack on his dashboard for random giveaways. So if you see a Chinese guy driving a big white van with a yellow lab in the passenger seat, toss a steak in their window. Mr. Chin will give you a book and Big Head will give you a lick.
The Chin Project 
Leave a comment