Death of an Angel

My daughter picked up Puppy as an abandoned baby, merely a few days old, from the street. On the first day Puppy was sleepy; she drank some milk and went to sleep. My daughter adored her and played a lot with her. Soon Puppy became a member of my family. In her early years I could not spend much time with her. I had a touring job. Once in a while I took her out for brief walks.

Puppy ate the same food the family ate, mostly vegetarian. She slept near our beds. It unbelievable to see her learn on her own to use the bath room.

When I retired and worked from home Puppy sat near my chair and gave me silent company. She loved every member of my family. She played a lot with my younger daughter. However. she respected and loved me more. I was a king to her.

Within five years II started to look to Puppy for true love.

With time her vocabulary expanded. She could comprehend any conversation related to her. She interpreted phone rings by judging the time of call and responded. If my wife called to tell me meal is ready Puppy would know I would be climbing down the staircase and show excitement. Puppy understood more and talked less in sharp contrast with humans who understand less and talk more.

I began to think high of her cognitive competencies. She communicated a lot by her eyes and tail. I can never forget her looks expressing expectation and delight. Equally,?she could be indifferent when I said dull things.

Puppy's love came into sharp focus especially when my personal status deteriorated. Facing an ever shrinking social circle I turned to Puppy. Society around me melted away when my fortune plunged but Puppy's love remained.

I could not but compare the knowledge of humans with the knowledge of Puppy. I came to the conclusion Puppy's knowledge was deeper, and more cosmic. Puppy knew if any in my family looked tired and sad; she would look at the person with empathy and establish an invisible bond that healed.

Human knowledge does not indicate character. I find intelligent men to be selfish and jealous. Puppy's knowledge is limited but complete in itself and pure.?Human knowledge is vast but fragmented and contaminated.

She would patiently listen to my stories except during lunch time when she would bark and stall me. We both would listen to music while she would rest her head on my feet for ten minutes and then pull away and stretch on the floor.

Puppy's love was great. I wish to recall how religions hold love to be the greatest virtue,, bigger than wisdom. My intellectual accomplishments and my books and all pale in significance before Puppy's great love.?

Every morning I greeted her with a "good morning". If she woke up earlier she would stroll near my bed waiting. One such morning I saw her near my bed trying to wake me up.?I was moved by her devotion and saluted her and she knew what I was doing but stared at me for a full minute. I looked at Puppy in admiration and stroked her fur. On such moments Puppy would lie on her side and relish my touch.?But for that she took my compliments in stride.

In her last two weeks she enjoyed the daily trip to the hospital but winced at the sight of treatment tables.??Injections and saline drip made her shiver. Then one fine day doctors gave her up. She would not eat and was steadily losing weight. Her attrition was unabated. She withdrew herself from me and retired in the verandah.?In the very last day she hid herself in the terrace.?When she was picked up and brought down her legs twitched and she died. The body temperature fell and muscled became rigid. We were by her side, praying for a peaceful pain free death. Unable to admit her death my hand rested on her hoping she would somehow respond and rise.

My Puppy is no more. I have dedicated my house to her and installed a stone whereon the words PUPPY ILLAM. (meaning Puppy's House) are engraved. After all she had enjoyed every inch of the house and her memory fills my house and my heart.