Saturday, July 03, 2004
Bittu
Somewhere in North Of India in winter when the sun sets early and chilly winter winds cuts across one's face ,I remember myself as a kid on the playground playing with other kids all age groups of three to four years .Out of nowhere came a stray puppy ,and kids took a break from the routine see-saws ,swings and slides. But of all us kids one who took charge of the puppy was Susie,"Bittu Meraa Hai" (Bittu is mine),She declared in style of Columbus claiming the "New Land" in name of his country. Thus the puppy was named Bittu. Where she come up with the name only she knows.
Puppy too had taken liking for her. At end of play session when kids started returning to their homes ,the question came up "What to do of Bittu"...couple of claims to take his care went up.For someone who knew he can't maintain the puppy ,I discreetly kept quiet ...of the rest ...Susie Declared "Bittu Humarey Ghar rahegaaa!!!" (Bittu will stay at my place).Following this declaration was another half and hour worth tear-jerking episode of Susie convincing her mother to let her keep Bittu . End of drama was victory for Susie. Susie gave a victorious glance to rest of us and marched toward her home Bittu towed behind her.
Susie stayed in house opposite to ours in the Air force colony .So for next week or so more than anyone I was spectator to the site "Everywhere that Susie went, Bittu was sure to go."
Next Saturday afternoon when I was sitting in porch and lazing around I saw Susie emerge from her home across the street carrying Bittu she walked upto the pavement dumped Bittu unceremoniously
and started walking back to her place. Her Mom was standing in their porch " Betaa ab use tumhaari aadat ho gayi hai! usey mat jane do !!!" ( Now the puppy is has got used to you. Don't let it go).This preaching had no effect on Susie ,She retraced her step to her home. Bittu was having no idea of what was happening .In its cute ways it was followed Susie and did all the tricks to attract her attention and to impress her.
The Event repeated twice or thrice ...Susie would dump Bittu Shoo him away and walk back .Bittu ignorant as he was ( maybe as he wanted to be) did all the tricks he could do ..but those old tricks didn't catch Susie's Fancy no more .Susie's Mom meanwhile had taken exit from the scene ,maybe to attend some chores. After Dumping the Dog every time Susie was able to successfully span more distance to her home ....around 5th or the 6th time Susie left Bittu on pavement shooed him away and ran to her home and hurriedly shut the door on him, Bittu who was on her heels almost made it .all oh him was outside the house but for one paw which got caught up in the Door shut on him .
Bittu wailed and whimpered ,Hurt he looked at the Door Faint hope that it would open on him. minutes passed like hours or maybe days...The Door did not open .Maimed and mutilated Bittu limped to the pavement .Like a kite whose string was snapped off .Bittu limped and made rounds of the house and neighborhood way until Dusk . Then he was never seen again anywhere around the Colony
The Door never opened that day .One bitter lesson life had to give both to the stray puppy and kid across the street !!!!
I
Somewhere in North Of India in winter when the sun sets early and chilly winter winds cuts across one's face ,I remember myself as a kid on the playground playing with other kids all age groups of three to four years .Out of nowhere came a stray puppy ,and kids took a break from the routine see-saws ,swings and slides. But of all us kids one who took charge of the puppy was Susie,"Bittu Meraa Hai" (Bittu is mine),She declared in style of Columbus claiming the "New Land" in name of his country. Thus the puppy was named Bittu. Where she come up with the name only she knows.
Puppy too had taken liking for her. At end of play session when kids started returning to their homes ,the question came up "What to do of Bittu"...couple of claims to take his care went up.For someone who knew he can't maintain the puppy ,I discreetly kept quiet ...of the rest ...Susie Declared "Bittu Humarey Ghar rahegaaa!!!" (Bittu will stay at my place).Following this declaration was another half and hour worth tear-jerking episode of Susie convincing her mother to let her keep Bittu . End of drama was victory for Susie. Susie gave a victorious glance to rest of us and marched toward her home Bittu towed behind her.
Susie stayed in house opposite to ours in the Air force colony .So for next week or so more than anyone I was spectator to the site "Everywhere that Susie went, Bittu was sure to go."
Next Saturday afternoon when I was sitting in porch and lazing around I saw Susie emerge from her home across the street carrying Bittu she walked upto the pavement dumped Bittu unceremoniously
and started walking back to her place. Her Mom was standing in their porch " Betaa ab use tumhaari aadat ho gayi hai! usey mat jane do !!!" ( Now the puppy is has got used to you. Don't let it go).This preaching had no effect on Susie ,She retraced her step to her home. Bittu was having no idea of what was happening .In its cute ways it was followed Susie and did all the tricks to attract her attention and to impress her.
The Event repeated twice or thrice ...Susie would dump Bittu Shoo him away and walk back .Bittu ignorant as he was ( maybe as he wanted to be) did all the tricks he could do ..but those old tricks didn't catch Susie's Fancy no more .Susie's Mom meanwhile had taken exit from the scene ,maybe to attend some chores. After Dumping the Dog every time Susie was able to successfully span more distance to her home ....around 5th or the 6th time Susie left Bittu on pavement shooed him away and ran to her home and hurriedly shut the door on him, Bittu who was on her heels almost made it .all oh him was outside the house but for one paw which got caught up in the Door shut on him .
Bittu wailed and whimpered ,Hurt he looked at the Door Faint hope that it would open on him. minutes passed like hours or maybe days...The Door did not open .Maimed and mutilated Bittu limped to the pavement .Like a kite whose string was snapped off .Bittu limped and made rounds of the house and neighborhood way until Dusk . Then he was never seen again anywhere around the Colony
The Door never opened that day .One bitter lesson life had to give both to the stray puppy and kid across the street !!!!
I
Unsui 10:56 PM