MY FIRST LOVE

 I was turning the albums of my childhood, a snap stopped me from moving forward, it was a snap of mine with the first love of my life, My Kitty…my loving pet.
She was brought into our family when I was barely two years old and at the same time, my sister was born to join me. My granny took care of all of us. We had a joint family &  fifteen members or few more stayed under a single roof.  My mother was busy with household chores and granny busy managing us…me and my new-born sis…

She was a young granny not more than forty-five years of age…the age when today many girls enjoy their motherhood. She was very active and on toes with us..

My Father brought my First Love from Ranchi while he was returning from a tour in a small black bag…she was a small pet dog, light brown hair coat and a very small creature..not more than 25 days old. We named her Kitty…she became one of the integral members of our family and for me a toy to play with….I loved this small creature..soft and sweet and cuddled in my arms.

I noticed my granny’s way of managing my sis and I did the same thing with my Kitty trying to act as a mother to the soft life…cuddling in my small arms, caring, feeding with a bottle and massaging as granny did with my sis…keeping it on my legs & oiling…I don’t remember much whether Kitty liked my care or not but I felt on top of the world.

Kitty was very docile…my utmost care must have been uncomfortable for her but never raised any alarm or showed arrogance…she was submissive in nature.

Kitty memories are intact but how I behaved with the pet in my kindergarten days I don’t remember much. Later my granny and mother narrated my silly acts borne out of love for the pet.

Till ten years of my age…I firmly believed that when Kitty life will come to an end at twelve years so would my sis life.  Somebody might have said that the dog’s life is for twelve years. I thought that when my sis was born same time Kitty was born to her mother and so & they both had the same life span 😛

Now, this incident leaves me laughing out loud 😀 at my foolishness or my innocence at the tender age…we were born in an age when except for movies no visual concept existed.

We grew with nature…so our thoughts were pure and innocent. Kitty was my first love…we played with a ball in the fields…so we three grew together but the passion I had for Kitty was amiss in my sis…even after joining my play school, I took utmost care of her..saw that she fed on time…I ceremoniously played in the evenings…and the bonding grew stronger between us…

Seeing me Kitty would wag her tail and took small jumps and coming near to me she jumped on my body…Kitty was of Dachshund breed…short height ed but the shape of the body was long so on two toes it reached till my neck.

I was a child…but I regarded myself as the master of Kitty and showed authoritative behavior, as well as my gestures, were like a mother has for her kids…when she was left for an evening walk after having food…Kitty would go alone and after completing its chores…return back straight to our home. If the door was bolted from inside,  it would knock with its tail confusing us  whether there were some guests on the entrance or Kitty herself.

Its behavior was remarkable, unlike other doggies…never ate from guests plate even if it was offered neither tried to lick anything of the house or damage anything…gradually Kitty was aging….one day one street dog bit her hard and that day was the unfateful day when her deterioation started.

She lost hereyesight & hearing power…skin infections…it seems death was approaching faster than anticipated.

My father brought a new puppy cross Alsatian from Calcutta via aircraft…and introduced it to us…

Kitty was not happy…it started showing its disapproval…one time loyal friend Kitty started ignoring my orders & even did not eat properly…

During May vacations…lot of our relatives had poured in and we enjoyed the group of relatives playing cards..cracking jokes, pulling legs on slightest pretext…preparing new dishes & everyone was in playful mood….

In the morning, I gave breakfast to both of them…Kitty as well as newcomer…Kitty showed reluctance in having breakfast so I scolded & asked to have the breakfast…

She did not like my irritant behavior…and went out of the gate and sat there…I tried my best to take her in the precincts of our house…but Kitty ignored my requests…I joined the relatives and was enjoying the day…

At 1 pm, I went to see Kitty…I searched all corners of the house but nowhere it was seen…I went outside of the gate and found Kitty fallen on the ground…An unknown fear gripped me and I raised an alarm..all the members came out alarmed…I was crying inconsolably though at that age I did not know what Death was…

My granny came forward & declared that Kitty had breathed its last…

I cried a lot…I had seen it’s suffering but did not know that it would be no more with us….Everyone consoled me and said that her suffering has come to an end ..it’s a part and parcel of life…

We took Kitty to the River Ganges by car and it was immersed in Holy Ganga…that time I could not bear the sight of immersion…it moved me from within…At that time.

I did not know what life & death was…there was only one thought, “WHAT IS MINE IS FOREVER MINE”.

The place occupied by Kitty appeared vacant & all belongings of Kitty was dumped in the garbage….I was moved from within…but did not express my emotions & the turmoil within….

There was a gut feeling which was eating me from within as to why I scolded Kitty though it was not by anger..it was my love for her but my stern actions hurt her the most…

She left the world with self respect…I felt worse…all other family members were back to their daily chores but my face wore a sad look & did not feel like doing anything from within…

The new member saw me meekly & tried to grab my attention though being dog lover..it didn’t attract me…because somewhere I felt that this new pup…who was named, “Beauty” was somewhere responsible for the loss of my First Love…

In the evenings many people among friend’s group, neighbors & few family members poured in receiving the news of Kitty’s death…everyone had a soft corner because of its docile behavior…anyone never saw it in fit of rage…truly a loyal friend….though was very harsh to unknown people or wild creatures getting inside our precincts….by the voice of its bark we could make out whether any unknown face has arrived at our gate or any creature…like at the sight of snakes…it would yell at like anything….One may find it funny but these things one can know who has kept  pets….their feelings & expressions….

IT IS SAID,  “IF YOU KEEP DOGS AND EVEN IF YOU DON’T FEED THEM THEY WILL STILL BE FAITHFUL TO HIS MASTER & EVEN IN DAYS OF HARDSHIP OR VIOLENCE, THEY WILL LAY DOWN THEIR LIFE FOR HIS MASTER UNLIKE HUMAN WHO LEAVES FAMILY OR FRIENDS IN THE DAYS OF HARDSHIPS”

It’s been years since Kitty left but still, memories are as fresh & intact…it’s true…

FIRST LOVE NEVER QUITS YOUR MEMORIES…IT RESIDES DEEP INSIDE OURSELVES….SO ARE THE MEMORIES OF KITTY.