One or two days later we could see him growing distant, listening to something else, perhaps the call of the wild, and not our calls. He ran and dangled from the leaves. Each day we worried in school if he would have run away like Gini. Each day he spent longer hours on the tree and one day he did not come back. Me and my elder brother were stoic. My kid brother’s cheeks were stained with tears. My elder brother being the silent type, I felt the need to console him. I did not know what to say. I thought for a long time and said,’He likes people like him and wants to be with them. Could you live with elephants all your life?’ ‘Why not?’ he said. He was not amenable to reason. Suddenly it struck me. I was also not being rational. It was just like in human relationships. I was unable to understand till then what true love was. We were being selfish and possessive. I understood. Love is giving up. Love is letting go.

(The animals featured in the pictures are not the pets mentioned in the article. I couldnot get their pictures)

In the morning we were surprised to find Mani  sitting on the basket. He had come home without our help and we were even more surprised to find how he came in and went out. He cilmbed the rope and went out through the end of the asbestos ceiling. Mother said,’ See, how independent he has become in just a few days!’  We asked ourselves if he would be coming daily. Some days he came, but on other days he stayed out. We bribed him peanuts. He grabbed it from our hands and ran to a distance and ate. He came to steal coconut kernels from the kitchen. After some days he did not come to his basket. He found his home, we guessed. Parting was gradual and not so painful this time.

Other refugee pets kept coming. I want to share my experiences with  the other pets as well with my readers in future.