Life touched by paws

India was much more poorer in the 1990s when my parents while struggling to get us to the next phase of life, gave me a promise that I can get my pets once we have our own land. What my parents meant is quite obvious to me now but in that teenage it was all about literal meanings. It was a time when teachers could successfully trick us in exams asking whether something is a simile, metaphor or conceit. We poor teenagers would feel all as same. Maybe this lack of understanding or maybe the lack of worldly knowledge, I decided to exercise my boon. Before I get there, it is important to throw some light on couple of other escapades which had me featured in my much younger avatars.

It could be maybe when I was thirteen that I once found a snow white coloured puppy on the streets of Kochi while returning from school. As any kid would do, I stopped for a while and played with it having time by my side and no competition of attention from others, the puppy would very happily engage with me often leading me contemplate on the idea of taking him home. I am sure that little one was good at playing with my mind that within a week of street encounters, I decided to invite him home which was around half a kilometre far from his kingdom. I could not found any mother dogs around for couple of days and felt that this one was all lost. Little did I know he was just fooling around with me to make me take him home.

After replaying the approach of how to handle parents for a week, I gathered the much needed courage to take him home. He was home and started throwing his tantrums as he pleased. He wouldn’t stop whining for a whole day and would stop only to drink milk and eat the soaked biscuits, maybe back then I even made Bischoff milkshake much before it really become popular in India. My dad had reminded me what is allowed at his home and what is not. Few good sessions from my mom re-emphasising what works and what doesn’t work, did play on my mind that finally I decided to drop him back to his streets with some pain in the heart. By now I had learned the basics of cleaning behind once a puppy finishes his business and understood that I was actually not that worried about nastiness that was left behind when I really wanted to care for. This was a new learning about myself which unlocked that time. To my surprise, this new unnamed puppy was too excited to be back with his mom who was waiting where I dropped him. I understood his mom would have gone to hunt for food for him when I stole her puppy for selfish reasons. This thought help me heal quicker and understand life that it’s not about how rich someone is taken care, but its about whether you have your own people around you that matters. This is the time when I struck the deal with my parents that when we have our own land, first thing that will be done is get a pet. They even went ahead so much telling me that you don’t even need to ask them, just get what you like and we will support you. Guess what, the key patent which they didn’t explicitly say and assumed I had the common sense to understand was that by land they meant own place and own house not just buying a land. 

Fast forward to another 6years, my dad got a piece of land. I was very much at the heart of the transaction that I was privy to all the details of the purchase. Now that the property is as transferred to the new owner - my parents, it was time to get my first puppy. I had saved up enough cash in this six years to use when this day comes. Looks like I was more confident that my parents would get a land than they themselves seeing how my wallet was waiting to be used that day. I didn’t have much background to select, just went to a pet shop owned by a family friend and evaluated all the options I had. The one puppy which again happened to be by Snow White coloured German Spitz was not moving from my side, she even held my hand together with her two soft paws which was like a wool pillow. I knew that whatever I see next doesn’t matter, this one was going to come home. I knew for some reason she is the Juliet of this story and I named her Julie. It really was a grand scene back home when my parents returned from work to the new member inducted without their consent. Julie’s smile and actions won them over in no time. But none of them were not really prepared to accept a new member that easily. 

My dad took more time than my mom and sister to connect with Julie but she was one of the smartest dog I ever met. Much ahead of time considering her use of mental prowess which made Homo sapiens with those large brain look dumb. She was always two steps ahead of you. As she grew into few months, I saw that she could effortlessly identify when you were going to feed her and even bring her bowl to you when she wants food and ask for it. As she grew three months old and I had to focus more on studies with new college starting, I decided Julie needed company and again without much discussion as original boon said pets and not pet, I got my second one Blackie who was a little devil Doberman who only knew to love. Julie and Blackie together changed our home forever. They brought their own different problems and interestingly as two kids from same home both had totally opposite characters.

Julie looked so harmless that people would try patting her and many times she ended up nipping or biting as she pleases. While Blackie was really harmless and focused on hunting animals which trespassed into our compound. Blackie used to occasionally shave the neighbor’s rooster of all feathers and enjoy the blood at the end of them if he happens to jump beyond his owner’s territory. They would even tag team and hunt bandicoot rats who ventures out at night and lay the catch on the front door mat. They both together was a danger to overcome for anyone, they had even caught snakes and left the dead body at door mat for our appreciation. Interestingly once they tasted non-veg food, whole life never ate a meal without it. 

As it was getting challenging to maintain them while I got busy with studies, my dad gave them away to his friend without informing the original owner which is me. I had to go on satyagraha and stay at rooftop for two whole day and night without entering home until they are allowed back home. Later upon approval from parents, we went to the houses which hosted them and collected them back. We learned from the care takers that Blackie didn’t touch food for those two days, while Julie had got well adjusted first day itself. Life continued as we grew older together and I went from a student to an employee. Our next generation were so lucky to know them and play with them during their young ages. We would even dress them both up and make them adorn the beauty of gold chains. 

Collecting various collars and dog chains had become a habit and I would look for one every time I go to the market. Meanwhile Julie had even learned to get to the kennel and lock it herself if we are busy once the instruction was given to get into the kennel in the morning after whole nights running around. This was a time before cctv and I am sure no thief would have wanted to venture into this territory guarded by these two canines. I once witnessed another dog which had tried jumping into the compound struggling to jump back out of the territory as Blackie had locked her teeth of the body end of the other adventurer dogs tail. I had to use all my might to make Blackie let the other dog go. I figured she hated male dogs and wouldn’t allow Julie to make any friends either. 

I had learned most of my football skills dribbling past Julie and Blackie together. Both were aggressive players and played well together. One would even attack me while other one goes for the ball. They were too quick often forcing me to beat my past records to hold the ball against them. Even though most times they would win the ball back, it did help me get better. The result was better ball control, dribbling and falling the right way. Whenever my dad would get late, I would lock the door and sleep outside in the sitout with both of them with house door key often tied to Julie’s collar. I knew only my dad could take it and waking me up once asleep was an impossible task which led me to improvise and take these extreme steps of sleeping outside until my dad comes. I have to confess that my punishments were bit harsh but they were very patient with me and accepted me as their master. They did have a soft corner to my mother and other two at home were just two other people for Julie and Blackie. 

It last quite late in life during my London days that I understood that my dad had once again given them for adoption to someone who he would not disclose to me. Sitting abroad with no idea when it was even done, left me hopeless. I felt there was no chance of both of them passing away together and they were with us for 14years by then. However I didn’t pursue to find them for the lack of courage of hearing something I didn’t want to hear about them. I wanted to assume they are out there adjusted to new place and people and living forever. I know it is ambitious to imagine they are out there after 25years but that is the only thing I want to believe. My experiences with them taught me a lot and made me who I am today. I still remember the excitement they had seeing me return from college and how they would untie my mom’s hair so she doesn’t go out once she returns from office. 

Not sure whether they considered me as a father but for me they were my first kids. This kind of selfless love is not found in most people of this planet and I wish to keep those memories fresh like yesterday and cherish it dreaming they would also think of me wherever they are and whatever they are doing.