New Year brings an unwrapped surprise full of 365 days for you. Each day you can gift yourself something which you have wanted for yourself by taking small steps of change or initiative.
So, when I entered into 2020, not only just a new year but a new decade, I wanted to give it a fresh start.
I have been writing for some time on various online platforms and offline publications of newspapers and magazines…however, Blog Hop was something which I had never tried.
So, when Manas and Rashi came up with this exciting Decade Blog Hop, I felt like participating as I wanted to try something new. Also, I wanted to give my ‘attention-deprived blog’ some energy and life.
The bygone decade saw me becoming a lawyer with flying colours, topping the University with a merit rank and medals. I got married in a filmy style( that story I shall share some other time) to the person whom I loved and shifted to Nagpur. Blissful motherhood, and with my kid growing up, I chose to devote my time to writing. By the end of the decade, I am content with my prized possession, a novel written by yours truly – ‘When Fate Kicks.’
In this blog hop, I chose to write a piece of fiction because I love to write the stories untold.
‘As a writer, you try to listen to what others aren’t saying…
and write about the silence.
- N.R. Hart
Here comes a piece of the decade through my words, from the perspective of someone who can’t share the inner thoughts with you in a vocabulary.

The Sun’s rays, coruscating on the windowpanes …and the soft orange hues in the sky melt into golden yellow sparkle, uncovering the blue canvas of the sky.
The morning hours are my favourite ones; serene and peaceful. I am an early riser, because I am not blessed with the luxury of sound sleep. The Almighty has distinctively blessed me with this quality. A slight noise of creek of the door or a tiny beep of that text message and I am all ears. My family is proud of my alertness. But ask me…how painful it is. Just when I am about to slip into the cosy warmth of sleep, these intelligent species called human beings would either switch on the TV or make some kind of noise with their endless gadgets. Can’t a dog have a peaceful life?
I am noticing some changes in the arrangement of furniture and some colourful decoration with marigold flowers in every nook and corner of the house. Also, the piled up beddings and blankets are eating up my favourite space under the staircase. Why there is such a hullabaloo in the house since past one week? With so many fussy visitors, I am kept tied up to the railings for hours. I am not a free dog in my own home. Some guests shriek at my sight or while some loving ones cuddle me.
They are up to something and I can swear that on my beautiful wagging tail.Uff…No one is bothered to take me out for morning nature’s call.
These human beings…I have been wondering since last ten years, where do they relieve themselves? Or don’t they do the shitty stuff at all? They have a separate room with water and some strange structures, where I am not allowed to enter. I am unable to fathom some of the ways of their lifestyle. But honestly speaking, being a decade old pet in a loving, caring and humane family, life has been too kind to me. Often, Ghoongru, my street friend asks me how is life when you live with human beings, giving up all your freedom and getting accustomed and adjusting to their way of life?
…mmm I guess he is plain jealous. He sits in the courtyard and I nap during the lazy afternoons, chained to the railings of the balcony. Most of our chit chats happen during these hours only.
Anyway, let me make a puppy face and pull the corner of the nightgown of Mummyji. She is the only one who can do hundreds of tasks at the same time, that too without losing her cool.
The other day Mummyji said to me in a choked voice. “You know Ronnie, Shriya is soon going to leave us and go to a new home. I am happy, yet I am going to miss her so much.”
I wondered how she can be happy. I used to get so anxious when Shriya left for her school and college for some hours of the day. The moment she was back, I would jump around to express my happiness and tried to tell her how miserable I felt when she was away. She is the one who gave me a shelter a decade back. I was a tiny puppy, shivering with cold, drenched in rain crying out plaintive howls under a bench. Separated from my owner in the park and nowhere to go, I was wailing all alone.
Shriya, who was just a fifteen-year-old teenage girl then, scooped me in her arm and whispering kindest of words in my ears, wrapped me in her scarf and brought me home. I snuggled in her warmth and felt assured that I was not all alone in this world. Though I was not a very pleasant surprise to Mummyji and Papaji, yet they just couldn’t act uncompassionate and accepted me. Jay, her younger brother leapt in joy, as he had been insisting to have a pet of his own for quite some time.

I wasn’t an expensive, high breed pet who was bought with choice; rather, I was the one who was added to the family because of the kind of upbringing and values which Shriya received from her parents. She showered her kindness towards me and I found a caring family, a roof over my head and immense love in these ten years of my life.
When I look back, I realise how the decade transformed me from a lost puppy to a beloved pet dog. Though my actual breed is yet to be established, I am supposed to be some kind of crossbreed. Though I have often seen these human beings having differences based on caste, creed and community, however, I was never discriminated. I guess this is one of the perks of being a dog…no social divisions.
I was nearly a month old pup when these guys took hold of me and placed me in a steel tray in front of a man who wore some suspicious kind of gloves. He touched me, poked me and looked into my eyes and mouth through some strange glasses. He checked my teeth and spoke something to my caretakers. Even before I could realise, I felt a sudden painful sting on my hind leg. This man had the audacity to prick me with a needle in front of my family. To my surprise, they didn’t protest, instead, they handed him over some money. I was repeatedly taken to this man after every few months for the ‘needle pricking ritual’. I would whine, cry and make a lot of fuss, but alas, I had to go through this barbaric practice year after year.
Later, Ghoongru told me that these were the vaccinations which the owners injected to the pet dogs, as a measure of precaution from deadly disease called Rabies. I inquired if he was ever given one. He grinned and told me with an air of attitude, that the street dogs are not the pampered puppies of human culture and no one cares for their immunity or health.
I was growing up and so was Shriya’s family in age and status. Papaji’s business reached greater heights. A strange creature was brought in our house during the middle of the decade. It was white in colour with no eyes, ears or mouth. As Papaji went inside it and made it move, it made a roaring noise. Initially, I barked at it frustratingly. Later, Jay calmed me down by stating that it was just a harmless car.
I hesitated as I was forcefully made to enter the car along with others to enjoy the maiden ride. On that day itself, I fell in love with this creature called the car. It magically zoomed past the road and the fresh breeze stroked my hair through the open window, making the world seem a better place. I have enjoyed many long drives in the past ten years. Though due to my age, the frequency is reduced now-a-days. How I wish, someday I could take Ghoongru with us.
In these ten years, love happened… more than once.

There were often some beauties from the neighbourhood who came for a walk with their guardians. With my silky coat and swashbuckling appeal, I was never deprived of female attention. Though I was allowed to play with them and interact during the outings, yet sadly, I was never allowed to enjoy my animal instinct of mating for many years. Then, one day life took a beautiful turn.
Papaji’s friend had a cute looking female Labrador named Jenny and he asked if I could be allowed to mate with her, as they wanted some more pups. Life felt complete the day I sensed the bliss of procreation. We touched, sniffed, cooed and cuddled. Her silky hair and innocent eyes stole my heart. Soon in a few months, I was a proud dad of five cute puppies. But this joy was short-lived, as my kids were sent to different homes. Only one of them stayed back with Jenny.
I meet both Jenny and the kiddo once in a while during my evening walks at the park.
Shriya turned 21 and Jay was 18 when they left home for some reason. They would come to stay for a few days during festivals.
Yeah, festivals…I never understood this concept of human beings.
They would be extra noisy, extra decked up during the festivals…and such variety in food full of oil and sugar. Poor Mummyji spent hours in the kitchen.
Kids seemed to be okay being away from home. Mummyji would proudly flaunt about the wonderful placements they got at distant places. I could see them talking through the screens of mobiles, but couldn’t sniff or touch them.
Video calls as they are said…just virtual and not really real.
My heart broke. I terribly missed them.
Why can’t they just stay here, just like the old times…with all the love, pampering and cuddles and homemade meals too? Human life is too strange.
And now…Shriya is leaving forever?
Something called marriage is taking place. I overheard Papaji saying that she would be happy with Vikas in Australia.
With a heavy heart, I move towards her room, wagging my tail softly to nuzzle her and shower her with my licks and cuddles. I smell something strange in the room. She is glowing with happiness, laughing and giggling with her friends. She comes forward to hug me, but suddenly steps back. Something in green is painted on her palms and hands. She is showing it to me…It’s Henna.
She is stepping into another decade with someone she loves, into a new family. A decade ago I found my family and happiness. I pray she too finds her happiness in the future decade. However, I won’t survive the next decade. You know dogs don’t live that long…
Yet, looking back at the bygone decade, I am content and at peace. Some questions about human life still puzzle me. I don’t bother much about it; as long as love is there, the difference of species doesn’t matter. We are all a close-knit family.
There goes Shriya, clicking selfies with me again for her latest Petgram… (I am rolling my eyes.#Humanlife and #pics, you know…Uff).

This post is a part of ‘DECADE Blog Hop’ #DecadeHop organised by #RRxMM Rashi Roy and Manas Mukul. The Event is sponsored by Glo and co-sponsored by Beyond The Box, Wedding Clap, The Colaba Store and Sanity Daily in association with authors Piyusha Vir and Richa S Mukherjee