Dumb Love

The Dumb Love

Ever since I met her on the beach road that sunny morning, I’m in deep love. She is just like any other, but for me, she is the most special in this world.

Where do I start - About introducing myself or about our first meet? Ok let me proceed with the second one.

It was one of those habitual mornings when I had gone for a walk with Shiva. He doesn’t get up early usually. I have to force him and remind him many times before he wears his shoes and join me. But that day, he got ready even before me. I was first puzzled by his sharpness, but realized it only when I reached our usual place.

Jogging on the beach road alongside us was a young girl, whom Shiva calls by the name Anjali. He smiles whenever he sees her. He chats continuously. May be, is he in love? I was confused how these people fall in love so easily, until I saw Anjali closely.

Hold on!! I did not see her in fact. Beside Anjali was a fluffy white Pomeranian jumping and hopping for every jog step of Anjali. Her bushy tail made my heart beat. Am I also facing love, something like my master? My tail started wagging rampantly the moment I saw her.

“Your dog is very sweet. He is wiggling beautifully” commented Anjali. Upon this remark, I felt proud and my ears lifted immediately. Shiva patted me on my head softly and I obliged him by lowering my head. He is very good at this and I’m so moved whenever he does this.

“Roger is happy to see you Anjali. That’s why he is wagging the tail. He likes new friends. Don’t you, Roger?”  Shiva replied without really knowing the reason why I’m wagging. But still I love him so much whenever he calls me by my name.

“Your dog is also very cute. What’s her name?” I stopped my wagging and stood erect, listening curiously. I wanted to know about her.

“Oh thanks Shiva. She is Fluffy. Fluffy darling, tell hi to your new friend Shiva” Fluffy slowly raised one of her legs and bent it in such a way as to greet my master.

FLUFFY! FLUFFY! That’s a very beautiful name. FLUFFY! FLUFFY! My mind was echoing with her name and her images.

*********

It’s been sometime since I last met her. I can’t count the days or years, but my guess in your calculation comes to roughly a week. I went to Shiva’s room and called him thrice.

“Why are you barking early in the morning Roger dear?”

Am I barking? Now, what’s that? Every time I come and speak with you, you tell I’m barking. When I can understand your “Jump”, “Sit”, “Run”, why can’t you understand what I speak?

I made another attempt to explain him I need to meet Fluffy, so get up and start soon. But that stupid master replied “Thanks Roger, you are very sweet. You are reminding me for meeting Anjali huh. I’ll be ready in 10 minutes sharp, just wait here. Have your pedigree for now” He emptied the contents into my bowl and went inside for bath. Ooff!! What else can I say??!!

To be frank, I’m very lucky and grateful to be associated with people like my master. I’m treated with utmost respect. They all inter-change their plates but no one comes near my plate. It’s reserved just for me. I’d go and jump on their bed but they never come to my sleeping place. No one has a name tag on their collar but I do. It’s such a privilege to be a dog!!

He got ready briskly, spraying few perfumes, the smell of which I hate. I love the generic human smell, not these artificial make-ups. Even without these, I can identify my master anywhere in the crowd. May be it’s a gift to us!!

“C’mon Roger, here we go” he pulled my chain and I obeyed faithfully.

*********

 “Hi Anjali, how are things going? How is your job?”

“It’s fine Shiva. What about you? You have any plans for this weekend?”

“I’m not sure yaar. Have to think. By the way, you have any boyfriends?”

“C’mon Shiva, no, I don’t have. Why you asked me like this?”

“Just like that yaar. To know more about you”

“Oh! Do you have a girlfriend?”

“No Anjali. I’m still looking for a perfect match for me. If you get to find someone suitable, will you tell me?”

“Sure ya”

Whoof!! Whoof whoof!!

Boof! Boof boof boof!

“Hey why are these dogs barking?”

“May be they are hungry. But see how happily these two wag their tails together”

“Look at that! Look what these dogs are doing!”

“Are they in love?”

“Shall we also…….?”

There was a long pause and a silence before they both smiled. Shiva slowly touched her hand and looked at her eyes closely. She nodded in agreement.

*********

She was looking as beautiful as ever. Unlike Shiva, I did not find any trouble in expressing my love. Not just me, my entire species is like that. We never speak in a roundabout manner.

“Hi Fluffy, you look so pretty. I would like to be with you for the rest of my life”

“Roger! That’s so nice of you. Even I’m in love with you”

We both wagged in unison to show our true love. I went near her and kissed her protruding black nose. We licked each other’s face. It was such a happy moment for us. I could see Shiva holding Anjali’s hand now. May be that’s the way of telling his love!!

*********

Few months passed by. Shiva’s love with Anjali continued over his phone, computer and also, of course the jogging. My love depended only on his third occasion.

Whenever Shiva speaks over the phone, I could hear him say words like marriage, caste, money, acceptance etc. He would even cry at times. May be their love is at stake for the want of those ‘words’? He would even feel if their parents will accept to their love or not?

But my love with Fluffy does not have any enemy. Neither our parents, nor money, nor status can separate us. In fact we are also not of the same breed (I actually do not know what does that mean, but Shiva used to tell me often). We dogs only care if the other dog is from opposite sex. That’s the only criteria for our love.

*********

Six months later…..

“Anju darling, where’s my laptop? Did you see it?”

“It’s in the cupboard dear.”

“Got it. Thanks baby. Bye bye. Am leaving for office now. Will be late as there is a client visit today. Take care honey. Bye Roger. Bye Fluffy. Bye Kiddos.”

“Whoof Whoof!!” “Boof Boof” “Weww, weeww, weewww”

My cute 5 children barked and played around Shiva’s legs. Shiva had as usual named these, but I can identify even otherwise. Fluffy gave birth to 2 black with white spots, 1 white with black spots and 2 brown pups, while Anjali stopped with just 1 child, whom they called Nishant – our new young master.

***** THE END*****

Disclaimer: All characters in this story are fictitious. They neither resemble any human or dog, alive or dead.

by srinivasan_r20