Two’s Company

It was 4 years ago when Simba walked into my life, he was 40 days that cute little fur-ball (Read more about him here). Today when I see him my heart swells with love and pride for I haven't seen a dog as soft natured and adorable as him. I may be biased but that's the general opinion. He has a personality of his own. And a very endearing one too. There isn't one person, adult or child, who doesn't love him. He has managed to make even the most indifferent and terrified one's to fall for him with his funny antics and an irresistible charm.


It's been a while since I wanted to get him another dog for company. It's heart breaking to leave him and go anywhere, his sad eyes don't help either. And even if it's for a mere 5 minutes that any of us step out, when we return we have to face the onslaught of complaints and whining accompanied most of the times with tears and tantrums. I heard of dogs getting depressed due to loneliness. I never thought I'd actually see one.


So now, after all these months, one fine Sunday, my parents and I drove down to a Kennel to pick up a pup. The sight that welcomed me there was a pleasant one. I was greeted by a variety of dogs and their litter made me wish I could have them all ,so friendly and so healthy! I couldn't help but notice how well groomed and healthy every dog there was. I fell in love over and over with the huge St. Bernards (which to my Mom's great surprise were really just a year old), the dashing Golden Retrievers and many others all of whom were oh so well behaved. We were then introduced to 6 tiny hyper active Golden Retriever pups, I noticed that one of them was tinier than the rest, a bit lanky if I may say so. We wanted a female preferably with a dark coat so that left us to choose between two and the scrawny pup was one of them. My Dad and the owner of the Kennel thought we ought to take the healthy pup. The decision was up to me. And I knew. My new family member, my Diva, the little scrawny imp who now is on a mission to ruin my Mom's carpets, Simba's tail (It's hilarious watching her jump, grab hold of his tail by her teeth and refuse to let go) and his toys (again, he's such a darling about it) and my Dad's sleep. Oh joy!

End of An Era

It finally came to an end. All the relatives had gone back to the familiar routines at their respective homes, all the friends had gone back, albeit a bit grudgingly, to the different cities they'd flown down from. The house was filled with flowers and an alarming amount of sweets, a bit too much for its 3 inhabitants. The years of waiting, the months of preparations, the countless arguments over the seemingly trifle details had all paid off.

After finishing the pending works, Mom, Dad and I sat down in the living room. It was eerily quiet after a fortnight of non-stop activity; it seemed off somehow. Exhaustion was finally catching up and my parents resigned to rest, for a week as I would find out later. And I, tired like I've never been before, couldn't get to go upstairs where the bedrooms were. There was a horrible feeling of a void so big and permanent it made me numb as it struck me with all its force.

I was not going to be alone. I had my parents. But I wouldn't have someone to wake up in the nights for a mid-night snack, or to have idle chitchat with, someone who I could share a wardrobe with, someone who apart from me would leave an annoying mess in my bedroom, who I could snuggle next to when reminded of a scary ghost story (*embarrassed*), whose opinion was always asked for when confronted with the decisions of attire, food, outings, makeup, shoes etc. So in a way, a major way, I was going to be alone, much more than I realised.

I realize now how big a part my sister played in my life. Twenty three years of living together and one day she decides to get married and leave- I claimed to be the happiest with this development during our fights, when the sentimental sister phase (which are VERY rare) I'd bawl like a baby. But nothing prepared me for what I'd feel when the truth of it actually hit, when I was sitting in the living room of my house alone, too distraught to go to our rooms upstairs which were (much to the distress of my mom) left as they had been the previous day, the day before the wedding, when we had one last crazy night with friends and the bride-to-be.

I had to learn to live without my sister. Sounds simple, I bet most of you'll might even find it amusing or ridiculous. I wish I could too. It isn't like we didn't have our share of fights, some of them really ugly, there were times when we hated each other vehemently, there were times when we both wished, in the heat of the moment, we could be the only daughter, but these couldn't last long enough to change how we really feel. I love my sister, warts and all, and that's all there is to it. (I might deny this and give a very sophisticated and calm lecture, in my true style, when I'm mad at her again).

So here I was, with a heavy heart, a messy bedroom and my sisters entire wardrobe as mine (Yay?).

To be continued...


Picture: Scribbled on my S-memo and uploaded via Lightbox.