Love lost…time and again

Dogs are emotional beings and they crave for love and attention from their human parents. Like children, dogs should not be handed over to anybody. It is highly stressful for them if they are deprived of the company of the person they bond with. Adopting a dog is a commitment for his life. They can wilt away if they feel unloved and unwanted, just as Polo, a Pomeranian, was heartbroken when his first love, left him totally sad and heartbroken. Here Polo shares the agony he felt when his responsibility was handed over from one person to the next, again and again…
 
Born to a beautiful mother in a reputed kennel in Delhi, among a litter of four, I had all the chances needed for a lovely beginning to life. My world of bliss was first shattered when one fine day I and my siblings were weaned away. This was just the beginning and a few days later, I and one of my brothers were put in a basket and taken to a clinic far away. It took us a while to understand that we had been put on display for adoption. An old couple was waiting for us and after weighing all pros and cons, they opted for my brother. For two days, I stayed there, waiting alone, missing the wonderful warmth of my mother and feeling lonely and scared. After spending the nights in darkness, my only solace was the kind-hearted assistant at the clinic who used to come at 8 in the morning.
Two days later, a ray of hope came in the form of two young men – Dinesh and Deepak, who walked into the clinic. Dinesh was an animal lover and looked like he had experience in keeping dogs. The gentle and affectionate way, in which he looked me over, made me fall for him. He also seemed to have appreciated the manner in which I demonstrated my liking for him. We clicked and after consulting his friend Deepak and the vet, he chose me. I was happy that finally I would go to a home with the person I love. But alas, my happiness was very short-lived, because to my utter disappointment, Dinesh had picked me up – not for himself, but for his fiancé Sonali, who had recently lost her pet and was very upset.
Luckily, Sonali was pleased to see me and amidst the squeals of laughter, I got a little excited and eased myself. Sonali was mad at me and I got my first lesson in toilet training, the hard way. The Varshney family was very strict. Toilet training period as well as my adolescent days, were spent almost in dire misery. I did become a well-disciplined dog but it was discipline based on fear and not on love and understanding. I even barked at their will – infact I was reduced to a robot. My fur lost its charm as I was not regularly groomed. Otherwise, all my basic needs were well taken care of.
I missed Dinesh terribly and often pined for him. Whenever Dinesh visited Sonali, he spent some quality time with me. I would simply freak out with gay abandon around him as his mere presence transformed me into the sprightly pup I used to be. And so, my joy knew no bounds when Sonali and Dinesh tied the knot two-and-a-half years later. Since their house was being renovated, I got to shift with them only after five months. I was on cloud nine since I could meet and play with Dinesh at least once a day. But, since both Sonali and Dinesh were working, I was left alone for long hours, the thing I was not used to at Varshney’s house. Things improved further when the couple shifted to their family house and I got company of Dinesh’s parents.
Somehow, things did not work out well between Dinesh and Sonali and they separated after five years of marriage. I was lucky to be left behind with Dinesh. We developed a deep bond and drew certain strength from each other’s company. Gradually, Dinesh moved on with life and married his junior colleague Neena two years later. I was little apprehensive about how Neena would receive me, but all my doubts were laid to rest when to my pleasant surprise I saw that Neena was an ardent animal lover.
I was being passed along and finally was made to stay with Dinesh’s father Gopal, who kindly took me in his study. Even though the room was cluttered with little space for me, but it could have been the best arrangement in those circumstances. Dinesh continued to spend some time everyday with me. Life became even more interesting and beautiful with the birth of Dinesh’s daughter – Ishwari. How I wished I could also father a kid but my natural urges were not treated vital. Life moved on and Dinesh’s parents were considerate and even affectionate at times, but we were not very close.
I had submitted myself to the fate, the final blow came when Dinesh and Neena shifted abroad for better future prospects. There was considerable excitement all around but nobody spared a thought of the emotional bankruptcy this would cause to a poor canine. Though I was definitely looked upon as a part and parcel of the Dinesh family, nobody even in their dreams raised the issue of their taking me along with them. I felt hurt and abandoned. How could Dinesh leave me like this, I was his responsibility after all? I could not come to terms with the fact that I would never ever see Dinesh’s lovely adorable face again in my life.
I lost all interest in life and stopped eating. At first, Dinesh’s parents thought it was a temporary phase. Perhaps they did not realize the depth of canine love! I was heartbroken and wanted to end my life. All these years I lived for Dinesh, who had now abandoned me. Finally, my soul departed from my body. Strange but true, I felt happy.
While my soul still lingered around, I saw Dinesh’s parents come in and find me gone. I was surprised to see that they were grieving for me. I must admit that it brought some peace to my soul. They gave me a decent burial and bade me farewell with a heavy heart and tearful eyes. I let out a soft “woof” of thanks to them, which I am sure in their heart of hearts they must have heard. I also let out a sigh in the air for Dinesh, whose life I so much wanted to be a part of. I took a last look at the human world – which was not very kind to me – and left for my heavenly abode, with the hope that no canine in this world would go through this kind of agony again. If you love us, love us for our lifetime…and we’ll love you all the more.
– by KRG Nair