Rocky II

I got my first dog, Rocky II, when I was ten. Rocky I, our neighborhood dog, had yet again fathered a litter of some seven little pups. First there were no eyes as they whimpered away day and night by their mother’s side. Then came the eyes and they could now look at me peering down on them.

One of them was of particular intrigue. Stronger than the rest of the litter and would persevere to get the “lion’s” share of his mother’s milk. He would be the loudest and most eager to take on life’s challenges, I named him Rocky II. As days passed I kept going back to their den and soon enough they were venturing out of their mother’s safe side. Rocky II was the first to go out and the last to get in.

He grew stronger by the day and by the time he was six months old he was independent and detached from his mother. He would bounce behind me as far as my door and then Ma , an ardent hater of pets would shoo him away. If dogs can express; I could see the disappointment in his eyes. “Am I not wanted here?” Probably that’s what he was asking! with his big innocent eyes!

Back in school I happened to chance upon “Lassie Come-Home” in our huge library. As my reading progressed I more and more longed for Lassie for her unconditional faith and longing for home even though she had her own kind to keep her in good company. I really wanted my Lassie. Back home I found Rocky II to be just like lassie as described in the book, even though he was not. So I plucked him up from the streets and took him home. I hid him under my bed.

He kept quite, probably a little dogged by his new surroundings and the smell of home. During dinner when all four of us, as mandatory , had to sit together. I let ma and dad know that I had serious amount of studies to do ,so I had to be in my room during dinner so as not to waste time on food. Astonished with my new found crave for sincere efforts ma let me go with my dinner. Back in my room Rocky II lapped up everything I had on my plate.

Next day Rocky II was thrown out on the street. Because dogs are not humans he did not understand the graveness of the situation and gave himself away by whimpering loud enough to invite Ma to haul him out under the bed and treat him just like a dog.


I protested ,shed a few tears and then reasoned “ Rocky II is a good dog" .

Ma in her firm tone said “He is not of the right pedigree” … I did not understand the word then but years later I would experience it myself.

I did not try to smuggle him back into the house. But kept looking out of my window to see if I could see him . Yes he was there by the door whimpering as ever. He would vanish away for sometime, probably to find food , but he was back. Much later I wondered he was with me for just one day ! why did he keep coming back? One day was not enough to make a bonding. But I am not a dog !

Rocky II was there by the gate for a week or so, then he disappeared. Chanu ,my neighbor and partner in crime, came one day to tell me rocky II was dead. I did not bother to find out if he really died.


Ritu wrote to me one afternoon that I was an idiot and could not understand that she loved me! Preplexed with the sudden outpour of female attention, I pondered over the proposal ! Being of below average physic I always took for granted that girls liked stud like boys. I let her know of my thoughts to which she answered that sheI too was below the standard! Satisfied somewhat I began to explore her thoughts and found out that she promises to stand by me in the course of this arduous journey of life. Assured that she was the one I found myself floating on seventh heaven. Her only wish was that I must be at par with her cousins in the US otherwise I was good enough to match her mum’s expectations.

I, being a struggling software programmer ,jobless ,living by the day , pondered over the fact. How on earth will I be at par with her US cousins ? But love is stronger than the strongest in the world so I went on to refuel my ambitions and set out for shores far away. With a meager savings to last me a few days I too a risk ! I toiled hard for five long years. Love had perhaps persevered. I found myself to be at par with her US cousins, or so I thought. A few bricks were missing here and there in the wall, which Ritu and I could fill up together.

Keeping with the traditions we had to approach her parents. She gingerly let know her parents of our relation of eight years , which was quickly cut down to five. Funny enough Ritu did not have the faith to tell her mom that we were seeing each other right behind her back, for three years. So minus three years. But then the five years that we had known each other I was only in touch with her over the phone so how come we are in a relation ?

The fact that I flew down to see her quite a few times and spend some intimate moments with her were to be censored lest her mum disowns her. Eventually, I was called to see her parents. While she kept quite during the meeting I was bombarded with questions pertaining to my qualifications ,roots and so on and so forth to be accepted on the job of ‘son-in- law’. Love so far did not play any role. With a numb head I tried my best.

Meeting over I was hopeful that I was at par with the US cousins and that I did not have a multiple entry visa to the US will not be a black, as black as I was, spot in our love.

A few days later my world fell apart, I ceased to be a Human Being. I was told I was not of the ‘right pedigree’.

I am still around. How long I would keep hovering around at her door step I do not know.

Ma now lives with two stray cats at home.My Lassie never existed and my new identity is “Rocky II part II”