Blogs by Kumar Biswas: Bringing A Stray Puppy Home

'Bringing a stray puppy home' is a real life story about a little puppy loitering on a busy street in the dark of night. He had probably lost his den, wanted to go back, seeking help from the passerby but would his feeble voice be really heard?
The narration illustrates about his journey. The story was published in Buddy Life Magazine.
The story is re-written here (for better readability) along with the scan copy of the print.
May like to opine or comment.
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The cover of the magazine

The story could have had a sad but common ending. But things went the other way round. Instead of a tragic end, it took a golden turn, possibly leading to a happy continuum.

Kalu the lovely puppy

He was born like a million others on this cruel Earth as a cuddly black ball of fur on the street. Nobody took notice of him in the corner of the street of NOIDA, where he was one of the five or six born of his undernourished mother. There was a shortage of life saving nectar which he was looking for desperately. There was always jostling and fight among the siblings for the precious lifesaving mother’s milk.

As he grew up, only a few weeks by now, he ventured a little outside and away from the maternity center. Knowingly or unknowingly he walked away from his so far well-known domain and started strolling on the main road. It was a busy road, full of vehicles, moving at high speed in both directions. He was scared. He wanted to go back to the lane where his mother was there with his other brothers and sisters. But meanwhile he has lost the track.

On one hand, he has walked in the unknown territory for a long time and on the other hand he had walked that long path on an empty stomach. He was tired. He was hungry. Gradually, as the Sun set behind the tall residential towers of the posh human locality, he became desperate to go back to his mother, as early as possible. The glares of head lights of cars on the road and artificial illumination from lamp posts of street lights scared him.

With his little legs trembling and hunger pangs in the empty stomach, he started approaching every person walking down the road. He went close to them seeking some help - starting from street vendors to well-dressed ladies and gentlemen.

Alas, none cared for the hungry poor puppy. Most of them, busy in never ending talks over their mobile phones, simply ignored him. One of the passersby kicked him in the belly and laughed. He was stunned when he got hurt instead of getting help from them.

He tried to get closer to the people walking down the road. He wagged his little tail vigorously. He even strained his tender vocal chords. But nobody paid heed.

He wanted to ask them

- ‘Do you know where my mother lives?’

- ‘Can you please show me the way to reach her?’

- ‘I am very hungry; can you give me something to drink?’

But in vain, as the passersby and evening walkers didn’t care for his plight.

As night set in, darkness and the chill of the winter night began spreading its cold blanket beyond the well-lit streets, an unknown fear gradually gripped him. He felt helpless and became worried about his life in this unfamiliar environment.

As the needle of the clock moved forward slowly, the number of people on the road started diminishing. At the same time, the cars zooming on the road drove like mad at much higher speed. It was scary all over. But he never gave up his hope. He would rush to the person, whosoever came in sight, seeking help. They all were indifferent and heartless, irrespective of their gender and age. They might be rich, living in high rises but they were definitely poor in their hearts. He started crying within and outside.

When he had almost lost his hope to find either his mother or shelter, he saw a young man walking down the road. He found him to be smart looking but he too was talking over his mobile phone. A thought came to his mind to try once more and approach the young man. In a renewed vigor, he rushed to him on the other side of the road, oblivious of the cars moving at high velocity in between. He repeated the same exercise, which he had tried numerous times to each passing person since the morning. With his tired little legs he hopped towards him and made an effort to sniff his snickers.

What happened next was something unbelievable. Rishi (he came to know his name later) stopped and looked down at him in confusion. He disconnected his mobile phone and looked around. He was probably looking for a mother nearby.

Rishi could neither find his mother nor his siblings. He wondered wherefrom this tiny ball of black fur has rolled onto the tarred road. Kalu (this was the name tag given by Rishi later) too was surprised when he saw that Rishi kneeled down on the road to look at his eyes. They saw each other and there an immediate understanding between them. There was no verbal communication, yet they talked to each other through their eyes. Rishi picked up Kalu gently on his lap. Kalu was still confused and scared, but a little relieved.

Holding Kalu in his arms, and a big bag of groceries in another, Rishi looked around and with his roving eyes as he scanned both sides of the road. Being assured that Kalu has strayed far away from his den and there was no way to locate that place, Rishi finally started walking to his house, holding Kalu firmly yet gently in his arms.

Once they reached home, the door of the house was opened by the mother (Rishi’s, not Kalu’s), and there were elements of surprise on both sides. She was shocked seeing Kalu in the arms of Rishi and Kalu was a little scared as he was welcomed by fierce barking of Mini, Lady, Tzar and Goldie from the other side of the door.

Entering home or heart?

A little later, the milk drinking session of Kalu was followed by a question and answer session between Rishi and his mom Sonali.

A dash of love

While they talked about the strange way Kalu ended up home, Kalu found a small makeshift bed at the corner of a room and immediately went into it to take rest. Now, with his stomach full of warm milk and a roof over his head, Kalu slept peacefully.

Rest time on a makeshift bed

Had he been left on the road for some more time, Kalu would have definitely come under the wheels of an automobile or could have frozen in the biting cold of December of northern India. But when God had something else in store for Kalu, and once fates are written, who are we mortals to challenge and change them?