Page 34 - Masala Lite Issue 163 July 2024

34 USINGS OF AN AUNTY WHO NEVER EVER MESSES WITH FATE

Man’s Best Friend

Dolly Koghar looks back on nostalgic times with pets that made going on possible.

But Ozzie didn’t remain anonymous; he anchored the hospital was squeaky-clean, and the staff, besides
us through the transition instability and became a being caring and polite, were super efficient. The
confidante to my daughter and me. When sad and doctor treated him like she would my human child,
forlorn, we’d sit him down and pat him, then we’d and was gentle when she relayed his diagnosis: cancer.
mutter everything that we couldn’t even express to The cook and I were lost for words, and then with
each other. He’d gaze up with those doleful brown tears streaming down my face, I looked into Snoopy’s
eyes and wordlessly acknowledged that he’d heard us, innocent, trusting eyes and mutely begged for his and
and all would be okay! his Creator’s forgiveness for the decision I was about
to take; to scoop out his eyeball.
The shift in ‘95 to a hitherto-unknown place like When we once again began the unexpected process of
Bangalore wasn’t easy, but it was especially traumatic resettling back into Bangkok, by then, even my little But it didn’t end there and in less than two years,
for my youngest, who’d already experienced with girl had flown the coop. Having no home of my own his remaining eye needed to be removed. This time,
me one of the biggest here to bring Ozzie to, I was forced to give him away. my daughter and I took him to Chulalongkorn
quakes we’d felt to After which, he lived a fruitful life and sired many Hospital and brought home a blind Snoopy. After
date, the Great Hanshin pedigree puppies, who sold at good prices. But to us, bumping around for a few days, he found his bearings,
Earthquake. So our Ozzie had never meant an investment; he was a pal. but through it all, his love never waned, he neither
resettlement, which whined, nor complained, nor blamed; not even when
was both sudden Returning to the disease ravaged his whole body and water oozed
and without much Bangkok and from every pore. We put him into a clinic hospital in
forethought, made starting life from Thonburi, requesting them to neither prolong his life,
things worse. Thus, scratch was nor to end it; but to ease his pain and suffering for
when she wanted a dog, anything but a whatever time remained; which wasn’t long. My last
we got her a golden homecoming. visit with Snoopy hails him a valiant hero. He’s blind,
retriever. Although a So, to brace with pus-filled skin clinging to his gaunt skeleton, and
pedigree breed, Ozzie myself, I got dying. But, hearing my voice, he forced himself up on
never grew to be myself a beagle wobbly legs, and mustered whatever strength left in
brawny, with a deep and he, like Ozzie, tided me over with his theatrics, him and willed himself towards me.
bronze coat like his fuddles, and muddles. But life has hiccups. One
award-winning sire. In weekend, my son noticed a dark dot near Snoopy’s It’s then I comprehended A.D. Williams’ observation,
fact, he was almost effeminate; slightly built with a right iris. I took the cook along with me to the “When I look into the eyes of an animal, I do not see
ginger mane and a longish snout. He wasn’t the first affordable government hospital a daunting distance an animal. I see a living being, I see a friend. I feel a
dog for me; I’d seen many impressive breeds in my away, somewhere near Don Mueang; and was I glad soul.” Snoopy couldn’t see me, nor could I gaze into
parent’s house, but they stayed outdoors to ward off that I did! The corridors of the huge hospital had every his; but our souls recognised each other, as kindred
the commonplace Sukhumvit burglaries in the 60s and variety of mammal, winged, and reptilian life I could spirits, regardless of our forms!
70s, and never graduated into pets. ever imagine. The wait, though long, wasn’t all bad;