Language of Love
A pair of the most beautiful brown eyes stare at me & I’m instantly in love. I’m fourteen & a very important half, unsure of the simplest of things to be done. But this little fella with his arresting eyes has made me realize that I want him bad.
As I get him home, everybody’s surprised but I’m worried about Dad. Will he condone my bold decision ? He arrives from work & one look tells me all. I get a dressing down & am told to pack him off where he belongs. That night I cry myself to sleep.
Next day, the Gods have had mercy, my Dad’s a changed man. He relents & allows him to stay on…yipeee ! dancing around in glee, I rejoice.
After thoughtful consultation with my brother, we name him Jackie. In the coming weeks, Jackie hogs all the lime light. He’s the darling of the family & an instant hit amongst our friends.
Dad’s a staunch member of “Animals are good for nothings” group & yet Jackie changes his perspective. His intelligence intrigues all. He loves us selflessly….ahem ! well...almost. Its only when his girl friend Nellys around that he turns into a dysfunctional love sick dog.
In the coming years, Jackie is well traveled. He even visits Bihar (our native place), meets up all our animal hating relatives, wins some & ignores the ones who could not be conquered.
He’s my constant companion & knows my darkest secrets. He’s loving & loyal & accepts my rebellious teenage ways without being judgmental. He’s fiercely possessive about me too. He wants my undivided attention & commits felony by killing the poor sparrow that had fallen off its nest & who I was trying to nurse back so that it could fly away.
And then I get married. He hates my new husband & is driven with rage to the extent of always making a point to show him who the boss actually is. My poor husband remorsefully tolerates this love hate relationship between them, considering the great love that Jackie & me share.
Mum calls me at work on 15th December, 1992. Jackie has been savagely attacked by a pack of dogs. It took many to drive the rouge pack away. Mum’s shaken, I cannot buckle & I immediately leave for home.
My heart sinks looking at Jackie’s torn & battered body. Precious time’s ticking away & shedding all emotional upheaval that’s going on inside me, I get down to systematically cleansing his wounds. The numerous punctures across his belly & back bleed continuously. He looks imploringly at me to leave him alone. The vet stitches him up, gives him a couple of shots & packs us home.
In the coming days, he fights a futile battle, his beautiful eyes wide in sheer agony as he struggles to breathe. I cry aloud to God to take my most beloved Jackie & rid him of his misery & puff…he’s gone.
This is my first brush with death in my mortal existence. Its past midnight, but Dad informs all of his demise & strangely, everyone who knew him come at that odd hour to walk along side him on his last journey to his grave.
We mourn him like our own. Its taken me years to not cry when I think of Jackie. How his lively bouncing spirit helped me cope with difficult situations during my most sensitive years. He taught me to love selflessly...thanks lil fella for teaching me the language of love.
Copyright © BuntysBanter 2005
As I get him home, everybody’s surprised but I’m worried about Dad. Will he condone my bold decision ? He arrives from work & one look tells me all. I get a dressing down & am told to pack him off where he belongs. That night I cry myself to sleep.
Next day, the Gods have had mercy, my Dad’s a changed man. He relents & allows him to stay on…yipeee ! dancing around in glee, I rejoice.
After thoughtful consultation with my brother, we name him Jackie. In the coming weeks, Jackie hogs all the lime light. He’s the darling of the family & an instant hit amongst our friends.
Dad’s a staunch member of “Animals are good for nothings” group & yet Jackie changes his perspective. His intelligence intrigues all. He loves us selflessly….ahem ! well...almost. Its only when his girl friend Nellys around that he turns into a dysfunctional love sick dog.
In the coming years, Jackie is well traveled. He even visits Bihar (our native place), meets up all our animal hating relatives, wins some & ignores the ones who could not be conquered.
He’s my constant companion & knows my darkest secrets. He’s loving & loyal & accepts my rebellious teenage ways without being judgmental. He’s fiercely possessive about me too. He wants my undivided attention & commits felony by killing the poor sparrow that had fallen off its nest & who I was trying to nurse back so that it could fly away.
And then I get married. He hates my new husband & is driven with rage to the extent of always making a point to show him who the boss actually is. My poor husband remorsefully tolerates this love hate relationship between them, considering the great love that Jackie & me share.
Mum calls me at work on 15th December, 1992. Jackie has been savagely attacked by a pack of dogs. It took many to drive the rouge pack away. Mum’s shaken, I cannot buckle & I immediately leave for home.
My heart sinks looking at Jackie’s torn & battered body. Precious time’s ticking away & shedding all emotional upheaval that’s going on inside me, I get down to systematically cleansing his wounds. The numerous punctures across his belly & back bleed continuously. He looks imploringly at me to leave him alone. The vet stitches him up, gives him a couple of shots & packs us home.
In the coming days, he fights a futile battle, his beautiful eyes wide in sheer agony as he struggles to breathe. I cry aloud to God to take my most beloved Jackie & rid him of his misery & puff…he’s gone.
This is my first brush with death in my mortal existence. Its past midnight, but Dad informs all of his demise & strangely, everyone who knew him come at that odd hour to walk along side him on his last journey to his grave.
We mourn him like our own. Its taken me years to not cry when I think of Jackie. How his lively bouncing spirit helped me cope with difficult situations during my most sensitive years. He taught me to love selflessly...thanks lil fella for teaching me the language of love.
Copyright © BuntysBanter 2005
posted by Bunty's Banter at 11:04 PM
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