Wednesday, July 2, 2008

Our Sane


Yesterday was a hectic day. A single busy day among so many idle days rejuvenates me. It was thus a wonderful day yesterday. I had three reports to work upon, talk with a friend on a project and I didn’t notice that the time had swiftly passed behind. I get kicked to work among deadlines. But I know working for results in a short time is rather unhealthy in terms of quality of work and in terms of mental health. For me who usually struggle to pass time in office, they are fun.
I came home with a plan to watch ‘Friends’, unfortunately the electricity went off at the mean time and I had nothing to do. After the meal, a brief chat with parents followed and I headed to my room for sleep. I fell asleep rather quickly, I had lined few numbers to be played in my mobile, I can recall listening to one particular song but I must have fell asleep before it completed.
I woke up at 4:45 but came out of bed at 5:05. Sane, our pet dog, was in deep sleep but with a creek of my door he raised his head to look at me. I am accustomed to him, I can tell how he must be looking before actually seeing him early in the morning. He sleeps just outside the door of my room over a thin cloth. He has always been a lazy dog, yet very naughty. He looked at me and dropped his head in apathy. Every morning after opening my door I move my hand over my head. Its been a part of the routine and he pretends as if he is in deep sleep. A month back the routine was slight different. He used to wake up with me and as I headed for morning walk he would go downstairs. When I would be getting out through the main gate he would watch me with his ears raised high as if he wished the morning was a change and I took him for stroll first. I never did. Everyday was same but once I thought about giving him a surprise. I woke up in my usual time and he was down the stairs with me, I got his chain and took him for a walk. For his ease I even changed my usual route.
Our home being near to jungle is often visited by monkeys. Sane is always after those trespassers. He howls, runs around the compound chasing for the monkeys. He act so enraged and keeps barking. Though the monkey might have left he keeps himself busy running around barking and whining. At home monkeys do not come in troops, they come individually and they pose a rare threat to Sane. On that morning I took him through Guheshwori where monkeys await the walkers in troops for biscuits and grains. Our gallant Sane was all of a sudden so terrified. May be he thought some of those monkeys will identify him and he will be bitten. He was serious and he seemed to be saying lets return but I was resolute on completing my walk. He walked nervous with his tail hidden between his hind legs. At times I felt embarrassed because of my dog. The other problem was the stray dogs who came howling toward him and his heart was in his mouth. I had carried a stick with me as I knew the stray dogs will be aggressive seeing another dog in their area. Luckily we came across area which is less inhabited. There are fields and army’s parade ground. I set him free and now he was king again. He would run to a distance and then look back to confirm I was coming. Even he needs a support. If he encountered someone he either came back running to me or just stood still in the place. It was quite troublesome for him. He had never even walked for ten minutes away from home. Even for regular strolling he is taken to the open area close to our home so he was sweltering and panting. He was high though. We were at home an hour later. He went on a recluse and was exhausted throughout the day. I was also convinced not to take him on morning walk from the next time.
The next morning when I woke up, he was still sleeping. That was quite unusual. He used to jump and whine earlier but that morning he was silent. He didn’t even raise his head and pretended as if he were in sleep. I called him caressed him but he didn’t react. He has always been clever; he had concluded if he woke up with me, I will again take him on a tiresome walk.
From that day he never wakes up with me unless he is in hurry. Daily upon the creek of my door he raises his head which is comparatively larger than his body and falls back to sleep. As soon as I return he is already at the main door to welcome me. Though he might already have gone out to finish his morning choir he always insists that I should also take him out. He has assigned me this job and I do that religiously except on the days when I give amiss to morning walk.
Sane is the dearest dogs we have ever had. Even his name is meaningful, 'Sane' in nepali means the youngest one in the family and undoubtedly he is the youngest member in the family. Though not a good breed he is a family. He has been with us for four years. I still remember the shy and timid cute puppy we had brought home from a friend. He has poor visibility and does not usually trust his nose so even if the members of the family come he comes barking but after getting close he is convinced by the smell and plays a good host. He whines unlike most other dogs, in fact he and mummy often involve themselves in two way communication. Since he is used to our going to office, when we return home its just a casual welcome back but when mummy sometime goes out, he creates a real scene on her return. He keeps running behind her, follows her everywhere, dances around her and unless she caresses and pamper him he won’t remain silent. In spite of his poor sightedness he can identify few people from their body structure. He never fails in recognizing my granny. He can recognize her from any distant. My granny has always been a treat for all dogs we have had. Unlike other elderly people she never detests dogs. He sleeps in her lap, licks her face and play with her.
When I am back from office and if the gate of our floor is open he reaches downstairs to welcome me. When I bend to unlace my shoes he licks my face, bends his whole body wagging his tail, keeps running up and down the stairs. If I have something in my hand he takes it by granted that must be something edible unless I show him or make him smell what is inside it.
I have always loved animals. When I was a child our uncle stayed with us and he brought a small puppy. Through him I learnt that we share the mother earth with other living beings. It is our duty to care for the well being of others being the most powerful species in the earth. I was informed that life of other creatures is equally precious as is ours. They feel pain as we do. We had cat, guinea pigs, rabbit, and dogs as pet. From very early years we always had dog in our family. No dog in our family was barred from wandering around the rooms and the whole house. We never tied them except when we had to take them for a walk.
When the first dog we had, died no one could console me. I carried the dead dog in my arm and cried bitterly. There was a dog called Jacky who was with us for twelve years. When he died I mourned for more than a week. I was in my undergrad but I couldn’t resist shedding tear. My heart was wrenched. As a child I would even cry for stray dogs when they died.
I love watching Sane run here and there, hear him whine and see him wagging his tail when I return home. He is treated like a child in our home and everyone loves him. Everyone has one or other responsibilities toward him for example I have to take him for walk, mummy has to make his bed (he never sleeps if somebody else makes his bed), I also have to bath him, Sarita has to give him food, Santosh has to take him to veterinary etc. He is the most pampered dog we have ever had.

No comments: