This article is purely based on my personal experience. It’s about my relation with a stray dog, namely Darvin.
On the way to my office, at early morning, I saw one puppy,, stray puppy at gate of our society. Mostly stray puppies at his age, be with their stray mothers. But this puppy, was alone, and ragged by other big dogs, considering him as future threat to their established empire. I halted for a moment. For office-going mumbaikar, as I am, halting while going to office is a crime. We are so much tuned to our daily train and bus schedule that halting, while going to office is like destruction of our life schedule. Value of a minute as we count “ If I will miss 7.45 bus, then I miss corresponding 8.15 trains, and then miss 9.12 worli bus” But affected by cry of small puppy, I ignored all the mental cries of missing schedule and halted to help him. I pushed away big dogs and gave him a ParleG biscuit. Till he ate the biscuit, I waited to assure that he is not annoyed again. Then he hide under parked old car, which was considered safe for him. I got back to my daily life and rushed to office. I asked security guard about his mother. He said, she is dead and out of 4, only one of her puppies has survived.
While travelling back to home, that puppy had sort of impression on my mind. I was thinking that how he will survive in this hostile world without any protection ! I have no doubt that I am not going adopt him. Busy life of Mumbai and small flats do not allow us to pet a dog.
I could not wash him from my thought process. Then I remembered Charles Darwin’s SURVIVAL FOR FITTEST theory. Theory argues that species with useful adaptations to the environment are more likely to survive than are those with less useful adaptations. This theory is true for individuals, companies, countries and entire species. Only those company will survive, who has ability grasp and absorb, the ever changing business environment and same is true for individuals also. Based on Darwins’ survival theory, Will that Puppy will survive or not ! Will he able to adapt this hostile world ! To add some zest in my mundane life, I started project, to supervise that puppy’s survival story and named him Darvin with V, not W.
Next morning, I noticed that Darvin, has formed his home, beneath society security guard’s chair. It was very smart move because, by fear of security guard’s stick, no big doges dared to come close to him. Darvin also used his puppy charm to win the goodwill of security guards. He used to wag his tail while seeing security guard, lick his boots, rolling over etc. and in return, he used get protection and occasional food from them. Given the situation, Darvin has understood that, first rule of survival is 1) Be near to strongest at any cost for security. When you are close to strongest, you also seemed as stronger, thwarting the threat.
As not all days are sunny days. Darvin experienced such as proverbial rainy days, when his guardian security guard was on leave and he left alone to confront hostile surrounding dogs. Darvin managed those days quite nicely. Whenever big dog came near to him for whatever reason, he used to cry loudly. His hoarse scream used to attract attention of many passing by residents. They used to trust Puppy’s cry and pushed those big dogs away from him. Some of them used to caress him in sympathy and offer food. God is such an architecture and designed us, very cleverly. He has given special skill of crying, screaming to child/babies who have not learnt to express their feeling in words. Thus by shrilling cry, they can get elder’s attention. As any child, Darvin used his god given skill to protect himself. So second rule for survival: 2) Understand the power of natural skill and Use them efficiently.
Days and Months passed and Dravin kept growing and became an adult dog with hairy tail. Finally he won his battle and survived.
My project was over. But something new happened. I used to give him biscuits daily and unknowingly developed special relationship. One evening, I was seating on our club house garden, reading a book. Darvin came and he gently put his face on my lap !! I started caressing his forehead and he slept. It was kind of strange feeling for me, to caress a stray dog in society garden, but I continued …
Each morning, while going to office, Darvin used to run behind my scooter till he can. It was very fun and I liked it. I never forgot to feed him biscuits, even on days when I was sick and could hardly walk. Whenever I went out of station, due to official or personal reasons, I made sure that security guard on duty, feed him biscuits. This happened for 2 years, till one day !!
That morning I could not find Darvin, where he supposed to wait for me, wagging his tail. I did not had much time and I went office. He was missing at evening also. It was disturbing. I asked security guard but he was not aware ! Next morning again, I could not found him. I searched our parking area, he was not there. Where is Darvin !! Where has he suddenly gone !! At office, I could not concentrate on my work. That evening, I came home early, and searched Darvin with all my might. At parking area, under the cars, neighboring societies and their parking areas, at corners, below chairs, above water tank, garden, nearby gardens, whatever place I can imagine, I searched, but he was simply disappeared.
That night, Darvin’s wagging tail, his running behind my scooter, lighting of his eyes when he saw me, small crying puppy… all the images have flashed and keep flushing my mind.. I could not sleep. I have started attending this dog as, project to understand his survival battle but never knew when this project has turned into emotional attachment. When I have started liking him and his absence in my life, has started giving me Pain !!! Why I was feeling so restless to find him ! Why I was feeling desire to see him once again, feed him, .. !! I felt something wet at the corner of my eye.. We call it a tear…Tear appeared from the eye corner, and finally rolled down my cheek.. I touched it.. and smiled.. .” a tear for a dog … a stray dog !!!..”
And I slept..
Written By
Vadan Mehta
No comments:
Post a Comment