Juggling between Delhi-
Greater Noida- Dehradoon- Hissar- Gurgaon - Manesar – Meerut (post 20 September )
one on one, life left no space to entertain my loved ones. WatsApp addiction was
rehabilitated by itself ( as I had time only to travel, do the required work,
and rush back home, and back to back journeys gave me a very little space to
remain social, oh yeah!! I did check few updates on facebook, may be when I was
half slept during journeys). My eyes have been stuck on roads, waiting for my
destination, board by board (the distance and direction indications),I have
been encouraging myself by reassuring, “few more miles to go before I sleep”.
I was on a crossroad (mentally), where I deserted myself socially(
yes time constrain was an issue, but then somewhere I told myself, that I should
be leading rest of the things, when I can face myself in mirror, “head held
high”), the opportunities did not come first, and now when they started the
knock, they started pouring like some rain ( c’mon, even that is not easy to
handle, you have to be 200 percent sure before making any move, so that your
future doesn’t emerge as huge mirage of your mistake). While returning home on
this fine day at 2 in night, I overheard some noise (kind of fearful bark), I rubbed
my eyes, got a little more alert, ohhh boy!! It is a Dalmatian! A cute pup! But
what am I suppose to do now? He was hiding behind the parking area, my father
did not notice him (usually he does, and doesn’t leave a chance to help them). I
was in half disoriented state of mind, sleep had engulfed me soo much that I could
see things in triple ( I was doubting on my eyes, if I really saw a Dalmatian,
or it was just a random error of my brain, error of my imagination may be, huh I
imagine a lot). There was no point of letting the inquiry commission (the permanent
residents of my brain) take the action at this point of hour. Like the queen of
lazy kingdom, I took my baby steps to stairs, and reached my room, splashed some
water, quickly got rid of the professional attire, and came to my real “me”
version.
But this thing was banging again and again in my head, “I saw
him, I saw him, I saw him”. Oky! So I can’t sleep like this (this curiosity won’t
let me sleep). I have never stepped down from home, by myself, post 11 in
night. I had several questions in my, what if I opened the knob and my mom gets
up ( she might create an instant imaginary story, that I am trying to run away
with my lover who doesn’t even exist), what if I met some dacoit, wait, I learnt
karate in school. But what if I ….. oky, no more questions, let me just focus
on my mission of moving down, and get my curiosity cured.
I took of my anklet first (else its ringing sound shall echo
and multiply in due to drop dead silence), took my pair of keys, went down, the
last knob creates a lot of noise when you pull it, so it has to go steady…and
very slow, to glide without making noise. Yayy..yayyy..yayyy … I feel like a
butterfly, I have escaped nicely…I gave a quick sneak to check if there was
anyone on the street. No one! Cool I can walk out on street, like I own it! I went
to the side area where I assumed that puppy to be, Heyyy! It is here.. I got
stars in my eyes, he was uber cuteee, he saw me, I saw him, we both were
speechless for…may be 30 seconds, and he broke the silence… (my brain busted: wait
wait…why are you barking dude, you will invite trouble for me)…I took a U-turn
n started walking back…and he came running to me, I couldn’t understand what he
wanted, his claws were ran over my Capri…ewww he licked my toes….It was awkward
feeling (wet awkward indeed). May be that was sign of friendship, but somehow I
interpreted, he was hungry, but he wasn’t letting me go to fetch something for
him. I picked him up, tapped his forehead and whispered, rukk jao chottu, let
me get you some food, i relieved him down and rushed upstairs. ( his little
gesture of oneness, killed my sleep, made me forget that I have been hell busy
whole day, inspired me to take risk, put effort to make him happy). I rushed
up, and since I don’t know what puppies can have, I just calculated myself ( he
should get milk, as he is very young, and might have been lost and
directionless while wandering, his mom will surely spot him tomorrow, and then
may be some multi-grain bread should help him get energy, he seemed skinny, or should I take
some corn flakes, or buns…) , I don’t know I was being crazy, I roasted ( my
father has been very adamant, whenever I took them raw, he pointed, it will
take a toll on your digestion, so I did not want to take risk with chottu’s
tummy) two multi-grain breads, tore them into tiny pieces and dipped them in milk, thankfully I knew where
the disposable bowls were kept! And I presented him…..with my last words for
the night- Bon appetite!
With all this rushing, confusion and calculations, I managed
dozing off at 4. I had to get up at 6 again, as I was supposed to go to greater Noida, some knowledge park 3, and I had absolutely no clue about the directions
of college I had to hit today, Thanks to the guy who used his time and brain to
create navigation app.
I was running late from my scheduled time (the time I imagined
I shall cross Mayur Vihar, I was assembling my things at home). When I exited
gate, that chottu (Dalmatian) was still at my door, over my very first glimpse,
he wagged his tail, hopped and reached me, and started barking ( I really don’t
know, why they have to lick our shoes/toes to let us know that they are friendly
,licking is very awkward for me, at least for now it is!), I whispered, shhh.. Oyee
Attention seeker, why the hell you have to inform whole colony that we met last
night! And guess what, he calmed down as he understood each bit of my word. Or maybe
he calmed down because he was confused, as he did not understand even a word
from it.
So from this very day, our scheduled meeting time was 1 in
night. Extensive travelling didn’t allow me to reach home before 11, i used to
put a reminder alarm (if in any case I sleep earlier, I should wake up and get
my chottu his meal every night). My love for him dwelled deeper. I used to sit beside
him , while he used to lick the bowl of milk over-enthusiastically. He used to
jump over my lap, laying his head (I was scared at his first attempt though). I
used to narrate him stories ( he has been tortured by me, listening to
fairytales like Cinderella and sleeping beauty), I used to cry my heart out in
front of him after having a bad day ( when I used to cry, he used to lick my
toes, licking was no more awkward, that was a (wet) consolation from him). I know
he did not understand even a word from my troll Punjabi jokes, because I could
notice him being blank, reaction less, but he was the only one, whom I told
everything and anything ( I was not sure what he understood, but yeah we were
great buddies now, at least we could read each other’s faces , if not language
and words)
Every encounter brings us a lesson, his presence in my life
taught me, love is not always receiving, at times it is giving happiness unconditionally,
his one sign of joy used to overwhelm me. When we have “terms and conditions
apply” to any emotion, the emotion turns to a business deal automatically!
He taught me, why it is important to spend quality time with
the loved ones, why we should only love and forget that there has to be an echo
of what you have given. Why meeting is important to express the gesture with a
simple smile, and to ensure that they mean to you. There were days when I relied
on metro for commuting, and he used to escort me till the road ends, that
simple example of belongingness made me learn so much from an animal, which even
a human couldn’t teach me.
In this entire race, I had to travel Dehradoon for 2 days,
and I missed him like hell. The third day arrived, with brighter sun, and reached
home by afternoon. I overheard from a neighbor walking by,” they killed him”. Like
always my curiosity pushed me ahead to ask them, who killed whom?
One aunty walked by me and said, “the puppy who used to
follow you till the gurudwara road, has been killed last night”, “robbers came
to steal stereo systems from several cars here, that puppy barked really loud
and high on them, i was awake as I had early morning train, so I had to prepare
the breakfast by 4 am, I rushed to balcony, and then puppy held one of them
through his trouser. I shouted “chor chor”, the thief rushed his knife over the
puppy and ran away with the bag”. I was dumbstruck; I asked her close to 20
times, if she was sure about the puppy! She affirmed it was the same puppy (my
chottu).
Anyways I did not believe her ( I know, the story was 100
percent true, but my heart couldn’t accept, that my chottu was killed, it could
b some other puppy), I still have the reminder alarm in my phone, it’s been 2
nights, I am still waiting for him, to hop on , wag his tail, lick my toes, and
listen to the stupid stories…….. And if he doesn’t turn back, whenever I die
and move to the other world, I shall have a war with him, why did he leave me
alone , with my alarm, and wish to see him again! Sigh!
