This is a short story about an orphan puppy named TENNESSEE……..
It was seventeenth of may 2010,bright sunny day so i decided to laze around the television instead of having some outdoor games.Suddenly out of the blue our events manager Miss Juliana came knocking with a basket full of cute little puppies, some even in her over sized pocket hardly a week old i suppose and asked me to pick one for myself.Well,who would deny such a bonanza being so much obsessed about animals especially dogs and to give rejection or second thought was a pure suicide mission.Of-course,it ain’t easy raising especially when you are in a dorm with varied people,but somehow i know that i could convince my roommates.And the moment i looked into one of these puppies,i had my eyes completely stuck ed on one of these black and brown thing which reminded me of my late dog named Tiger.Anyway,now had to be their mom.Things are a bit complicated here for my friend Saurav too adopted one which he named Charlie and i was kind of like given the responsibility to look after it.Now that i had the puppies which was not much of a problem to feed or look after but stuck ed between job and puppy?Now that was totally a math for me.
Everybody knows how a puppy spends its first few nights away from its mom.
Well,honestly it didn’t barked but was all the time into milk and never fails to find a way to let it out when full and i had to clean that up.It was one hell but i totally loved and enjoyed.However in my roommates opinion,hell was the only word.
The following morning,everybody was like”dude you are such a sick”.Well i zipped my mouth for the the night experience they have had after a day long work really deserved a goodnight rest.Anyway taking not much concern about that,i went for shopping to get milk,feeding bottle and some napkins.
Now after a day long shopping,it was time to give her a name and immediately Lucky was the best suited name for her and then the moment i uttered her name,she seemed to liked it and was like listening and looking at me with those partially opened eyes rolling up and down an those tiny snout sniffing around my palm as if she wanted to say Thank You for picking her up.And as i looked deeply into her eyes,i could feel the connection and the pain the puppy was going through.
I remember vividly the day Juliana came in with these puppies and told me about where they were when she first saw them,by the side of the street beneath the bushes with mom no where to be seen.They were totally soaked,probably the gardener might have done it while watering the plants.
Alright,back to present-Days went by and i could see her teeth growing and eyes finally transformed and with it came a series of problems.
Firstly,my roommates learned to keep their shoes and socks out of Lucky’s and charlies reach.Secondly,i became the housekeeping of my dorm.Thirdly,i forgot the meaning of the word sleep.Fourthly,i was with the feeding bottle almost the whole time not to mention the bruises and their tooth mark all over my body just to cite a few.
I remember one day,as i was coming back from work,i was terribly feeling sleepy so i lied down and took a nap.I was taking shower and the water was stinking one hell and as i woke up,what more can you say when Lucky is on top of your face peeing,do you believe that ? Gosh,that was so hard.The next day,i remember buying a basket for the puppies to sleep.However,unluckily for me,the basket didn’t fit them.Did i mentioned i was bad at math?So again,i had to take them in my bed as usual and face the consequences.
ch:4
I’m certain everybody is aware what its like to be in the south right?Forty degree Celsius plus seldom any being ventures unless necessary.Well,Lucky and Charlie too must have felt the blazing heat but in their case,things were a bit HI-FI.They always goes into the bathroom and sleeps during the day time when I’m out.what an ingenious way of beating hear huh.However,in return, they got some bonus stomping from fellow roommates quite a number of times.
ch:5
My friend Saurav and I had quite a few verbal fights regarding milk.I was of the opinion that a person taking care of the puppy need not have to worry about milk which in return,he was of the opinion that he shouldn’t be the only one responsible for milk.Anyway,we settled down and came to a conclusion to look after it join-handed.Well, it all started because of the fact that to get a milk staying far away from the city was totally a hard job especially when you get one off which too isn’t certain.
ch:6
I remember when i was in 9th grade,my English teacher narrated us a story about a dog named Tennessee which i almost felt in love with the character and i thought,why give my puppy when she is fortunate enough,and that’s how a TENNESSEE was born.
Now that the puppies were a month old and was taking a lot of space in the dorm,my tension was growing even more with the feeling that it might effect our dorm and that any moment, things wont be normal among my fellow friends.Soon,i had to do something.This is when Saurav and I approached our Boss Morgan Oliver(Brazilian choreagrapher)for leave and by god’s grace,we have been granted leave for a month.Well, granting leave was only one part of the mystery solved.The next thing that awaits was the mystery we were into.We packed for the journey and headed for the city that night because our train was in the early morning hour.We spent the night in a lodge however,Charlie was left in the dorm because of some reasons,but i couldn’t let Tennessee stay in the dorm knowing that if i do,may be not today but later on it would definitely be a problem when she grows…
There is much more than just feeding and looking after it.
ch:7
The next morning,we were on the train with Tennessee wrapped tightly inside a basket to avoid seeing it from the securities lest they throw it out of the window and for an animal,it wasn’t a big issue.
Regarding Tennessee,Saurav and i had a number of arguments.In this case,Saurav was of the opinion that any risk regarding Tennessee wouldn’t be his concern which absolutely worried me.Somehow we managed to make deals and settle it down.
It was a tough three day’s journey from Hyderabad to Guwahati.Only God knows how much trouble we were into.Every single moment,i had to clean up all the mess and keep a watchful eye on the train securities which was my biggest concern.(well animals aren’t allowed in the passengers couch).EM..m..i forgot to mention the deals saurav and i had in the train station.We dealed and concluded that each one would look after the puppy on shift basis(day,night).On top of the pressure,the train was as hot as a furnace and Tennessee was the first to react and unless given a shower fails to sleep.
Three day’s journey was like 30 day’s for me but every single moment i look into Tennessee’s eye,it reminded me of the glorious day awaiting in front of us.
Ah…..to be honest,i waisted around half a dozen of my shirt cleaning up her mess and that GUCCI shirt?em mm…….I’m not that stupid to throw that out.You may say initially i was being dumb for choosing Gucci for cleaning her mess but seriously ,i didn’t realised
ch:8
Finally,we reached Guwahati but the bus to my hometown was only the next day,so Saurav and I stayed at one of his brother’s apartment but we forgot to buy milk for the puppy.So keeping Tennessee outside after feeding the last milk,we headed for the nearest shop.However on returning,Tennessee was nowhere to be seen.Well i thought she might be in the basement or in the compound itself because it was all fenced and locked so there isn’t a chance here that a month old puppy can jump that 5foot gate but was nowhere to be seen.
The next thing i was like yelling and searching every household,the nearby streets and further down the neighbourhood but to no avail.
After raising from a tiny puppy by milk to the risk of bringing from Hyderabad and loosing it in an instant was just so hard for me to swallow.And like always,the Tom and Jerry thing started between Saurav and I.
But how could this tiny puppy possibly disappear just like that ?Gosh…..she was too young even to venture for a foot and she goes one more step and she stumbles.
I cried the whole night and couldn’t sleep.The only thing i had was her photo in my Cell,so immediately i changed my wallpaper and began looking at it and then my tears never failed to stop.
ch:9
The other day my eyes were swollen like a Toad and bloody red.It was 9:00Am in the morning and my bus was at 7:00pm in the evening.However,I had to move out earlier owing to the distance to my bus station.
Well,I’m always kind of like the skeptics who don’t believe in super-natural phenomenon or the sixth senses, but that particular morning,something was just pushing me from within to go upstairs.I went to the terrace and gave a last look hopelessly around the neighbourhood and OMG..!there was my look alike Tennessee in the next building chained.
I was overwhelmed and could”t believe either.I yelled for it several times and ran for the building and grab hold of the puppy and knock of that chained that possibly might have flown 100 yards or more.
Tennessee I whispered…….and again…
Finally looking at me in total confusion and so was I.
Not before long,her tail began to wag and started licking all over my visage.
Well those people in the building said that the puppy came by itself.Anyway.
Her belly was as round as a balloon.May be they did like the puppy.Well, after thanking them with a few discussion regarding the knocking of the chain thing(we laughed)I returned back and narrated the whole situation’s to Saurav.em mm…he wasn’t that much inquisitive after last night Tom and Jerry.
Anyway,i was so overwhelmed and thrilled to have found her and began to feed her milk again.
A moment to be cherished and remembered.
ch:10
The final obstacle…
The last obstacle was to get into the bus and head for my hometown which didn’t bother that much of the Guwahati or the train incident’s,however having encountered such a thing always kept me on the nerve of steel.
ch:11
Against all odds,finally Tennessee and i had made it to our destination-Mokokchung Town.
Well, now she has grown up Nearly a couple of month old but her favourite food is still MILK and those animal monkeying thing are always active in her blood.
My brother and sister couldn’t be more happier and i have noticed my bro and sis too have learned to keep their shoes and socks out of Tennessee’s reach.
Adopting a puppy , rescuing animals or spreading awareness to save the fauna and their habitat isn’t a science thing,but my fellow friends,when you learn to love these animals definitely,you will know the true value of your Life.There is so much it has to offer…
The inspiration it gave to lay down my thoughts is such a tremendous bonanza.
To me,Tennessee isn’t just an animal or a dog but my brother’s and sister’s,my friend’s and families,a unique creation of God’s own hand that should be…
LOVED..
,RESPECTED & APPRECIATED.
MY FRIENDS,ARE YOU READY TO RAISE THE SLOGAN: “SAVE THE DOG,SAVE THE ANIMALS?”
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