Life's all about relationships. Does the intensity remain the same over time? Or does it diminish, once the object of our love vanishes from the scene? Time, they say, is a great healer and that singular statement seals the debate, always! Or does it really?
Twelve years have passed since Bruno, our pet Dobermann, had passed into the mist of time. Around thirteen past 6 in the morning, of that bad day, he'd died in my arms as I was bringing him up the stairs of our building at Arjan Vihar in Delhi. Earlier, I'd removed his chain and whispered into his ears that he could run away, prance around to his heart's content and had run away from him expecting to elicit some reaction from him.
When I'd looked back at him I found that he was gazing at me sitting still at the spot that I'd left him - I still remember that gaze of his quite vividly, even now. What was he pondering upon? The knowledge of his immediate end? And my ignorance about it? The inevitability of life? ........And a few minutes later, as I was carrying him upstairs with his fixed look at me almost throughout that short span of time, his head had dropped lifelessly against my chest - all it took was a gentle tug for his noble soul to leave the body.
Was he happy being with us? I'd like to believe that he was. The wound inflicted deep within, on his departure from amid us, continues to sear.
I must guiltily confess that I'd forgotten about the day's significance in the eagerness of going around my daily chores. Even Lekha seemed to be in the same boat and it was much later in the evening that the thoughts about him came flooding by, when 'Bunty and Babli' - the couple who'd helped us while we're at Delhi - had called up to say that they'd visited Bruno's grave site and offered their floral tributes.
Apologies, Booney for having forgotten about you!
Tomorrow, we shall ring up Bunty and Babli and wish their daughter, Renu, many happy returns. She was born exactly 24 hrs after Bruno's passing away and I'm convinced that she's his present incarnation. Initially, he used to keep a distance from Babli - though he'd an affinity towards Bunty as he used to take him out for walks during my absence - but took a liking towards her during his last few weeks! It was fascinating to watch him gravitate towards a 'very much pregnant' her!! Was it an acknowledgement of his would be mother, I wonder?
Tailpiece.
I shall end this thought on a melancholic streak. There's a vintage double storeyed house on the lane that I pass by everyday during my customary walks in the evening. An old lady used to sit on one of the chairs within the enclosed verandah, all through the last fourteen months. We've never spoken with each other but there was a silent 'conversation' between us - I mean, she used to wonder as to why I'd missed a walk - her looks used to say it all. During the last week of February, I'd found her chair empty much to my consternation and there seemed to be nobody with whom I could inquire about her.
This evening I found the house in an advanced stage of demolition. Were the children waiting for the old lady to pass away? Or has she shifted to be with her children so that the house, along with the site, could be put to advantage for commercial purposes?
I'd like to believe that it's the latter though it shall be my endeavour to find out about the old lady. ...........Why am I concerned about her? Are we cosmically linked?
Twelve years have passed since Bruno, our pet Dobermann, had passed into the mist of time. Around thirteen past 6 in the morning, of that bad day, he'd died in my arms as I was bringing him up the stairs of our building at Arjan Vihar in Delhi. Earlier, I'd removed his chain and whispered into his ears that he could run away, prance around to his heart's content and had run away from him expecting to elicit some reaction from him.
When I'd looked back at him I found that he was gazing at me sitting still at the spot that I'd left him - I still remember that gaze of his quite vividly, even now. What was he pondering upon? The knowledge of his immediate end? And my ignorance about it? The inevitability of life? ........And a few minutes later, as I was carrying him upstairs with his fixed look at me almost throughout that short span of time, his head had dropped lifelessly against my chest - all it took was a gentle tug for his noble soul to leave the body.
Was he happy being with us? I'd like to believe that he was. The wound inflicted deep within, on his departure from amid us, continues to sear.
I must guiltily confess that I'd forgotten about the day's significance in the eagerness of going around my daily chores. Even Lekha seemed to be in the same boat and it was much later in the evening that the thoughts about him came flooding by, when 'Bunty and Babli' - the couple who'd helped us while we're at Delhi - had called up to say that they'd visited Bruno's grave site and offered their floral tributes.
Apologies, Booney for having forgotten about you!
Tomorrow, we shall ring up Bunty and Babli and wish their daughter, Renu, many happy returns. She was born exactly 24 hrs after Bruno's passing away and I'm convinced that she's his present incarnation. Initially, he used to keep a distance from Babli - though he'd an affinity towards Bunty as he used to take him out for walks during my absence - but took a liking towards her during his last few weeks! It was fascinating to watch him gravitate towards a 'very much pregnant' her!! Was it an acknowledgement of his would be mother, I wonder?
Tailpiece.
I shall end this thought on a melancholic streak. There's a vintage double storeyed house on the lane that I pass by everyday during my customary walks in the evening. An old lady used to sit on one of the chairs within the enclosed verandah, all through the last fourteen months. We've never spoken with each other but there was a silent 'conversation' between us - I mean, she used to wonder as to why I'd missed a walk - her looks used to say it all. During the last week of February, I'd found her chair empty much to my consternation and there seemed to be nobody with whom I could inquire about her.
This evening I found the house in an advanced stage of demolition. Were the children waiting for the old lady to pass away? Or has she shifted to be with her children so that the house, along with the site, could be put to advantage for commercial purposes?
I'd like to believe that it's the latter though it shall be my endeavour to find out about the old lady. ...........Why am I concerned about her? Are we cosmically linked?
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