SHE came to us as a New Year gift from our neighbour. A roly poly ball
of golden fawn of the canine species. I was a trifledisappointed at her
sex. The female of the species presents problems, be it canine, feline
or human.
.
The first task was to choose a name. At that time a TV series, Every Night
Josephine was on, in which a dog of that namedelighting audiences with
her superlative performances. I thought of giving this name to the new
arrival but was promptlyby the family who pointed out that a favourite
aunt bore that name and she - the aunt, not the puppy - might take it.
Besides, what would Napoleon Bonaparte say? Why disturb the little Emperor
in his eternal sleep? When the dog was for medical formalities she was
registered simply as ''Doggie.
.
``She quickly grew up to be a fine specimen conducting herself with dignity
and poise as she would sit by my side in the car and majestically out as
if to say: I am the monarch of all I survey. At home she was a queen. Not
for her the kennel or the. She would sit lady-like on a chair. Doggie and
her playmate the tom cat would frolic around in gay abandon. They would
also share a meal from the same bowl. The relations between them were not
mere unarmed neutrality but cordial intimacy. They became the cynosure
of all eyes. Little children on their way to school would stop and pet
her. Devout ladies returning from church would stop a while to admire her
was bliss all round this peaceful scene slowly but sadly a shadow began
to loom.
.
On the right side of her body a tumour was seen to come up.as a pea-sized
growth it soon developed into a large one and became almost as large as
a football. The family vetsurgery. Doggie was taken to the veterinary hospital.
She was put on the operation table. The performing surgeon, after a careful,
said that it would be difficult to stop the bleeding once the surgery was
done. He pointed out that there were quite a few other tumours coming up
on the lower portion of the body. And they were. The practical, though
painful, course was to put her to sleep is astounding how pets interpret
and understand the language of the humans. She looked piercingly into my
eyes. Eye spoke to eye with the dumb rhetoric of emotion. Her message was
crystal clear: I can bear the pain. Please do not put me to sleep. I want
to live.Just God! Am I the guilty one that I should drink to its very dregs
such a cup of bitterness!
Think
about it!!!