WHISKEY

Whiskey is sweet and it might cause a lot of pain, if you have any intentions to bid adieu. It’s a lesson well learnt. 

‘Whiskey’ is anything but sweet, and there is a reason to wonder why I am talking about it as if it is something that you share a relationship with... 

It’s not the beverage that I am talking about, but the little bundle of joy with a red ‘tilak’ that my brother-in-law Rahul brought home 10 months ago. He is a Bank Manager, and a Gujarati family gifted him an adorable female Labrador as a gesture of goodwill. 

Like my 4-year-old nephew, cute little Saarang, I was excited too at the prospect of having a little pup under my roof, though I hid my excitement under my nonchalant expressions, trying to act mature. 

The pup’s name, for God knows what reason, was Whiskey. Light cream yellow in colour, the single-boned Labrador was a beauty. 

My family and I lived in the same building. They lived in the first floor and a small room in the second floor was my dwelling. My usual breakfasts and dinners were with my family, and it was routine for me to play with Saarang everyday. After Whiskey’s arrival, I started to play with her too. She was simply irresistible. 

I have never had a pet in my life, because my mother was allegedly allergic to cats and dogs. I never knew and would probably never know if that was just a technique to stay away from all the hectic schedules that my mother will have to attend to if we owned a pet. Anyways, I used to see Whiskey every day and for me, she was like my first official pet. 

During this period, my sister was carrying and my family was totally against the idea of adopting a pet. But luckily, my brother in law didn’t have to fight for their approval for too long, as Whiskey spun a web of magic around my family with her innocent looks. Once my mother was eating Idlis for breakfast, and Whiskey sat near her in absolute silence, pleading with her eyes for a piece of it. The victory was Whiskey’s as my mother fed her a small piece, unable to avoid eye-contact with her. That wasn’t the first time my mother fed Whiskey. 

My family fell in love with Whiskey. It became Saarang’s main sport to check on Whiskey. Shouting, “Mummy, he pooped/peed on the floor” he would giggle and complain, as if he has never done that before. He loved her, though most of the times he would jump on a sofa, whenever Whiskey was around. 

Talking more about Whiskey, she would bite, only to make you feel ticklish. She would make random noises, only to direct your attention towards her. Whiskey would run around as if her tail is on fire, if you make her happy. (I don’t know why though) If you try to play with her, craning her neck, she would first observe your moments and fidget like a pigeon, trying to judge if you were serious about wanting to play with her. Once the decision is made, she would tilt her head to one side and start barking, only to spring into action the next moment with full enthusiasm and energy. Quit smoking, and you can play with her for 10 minutes at least. If not, you will be down under 5. 

I hate to use this word for all the ‘anti-pink’ and ‘anti-sweet’ concepts that I carry, but I have to say Whiskey was ‘Cute’. 

I had many dreams on how I would bring up my first pet, and how I would train it to be the best. The innovative ideas, I realised within the first few days itself, were easy to dream about and tough to implement. When it came to Whiskey, it was not easy at all. Like most of the labs or maybe a notch higher, Whiskey was loving and sensitive. No matter how much you attend to her, she would never get satisfied. Lesson: A Labrador pup craves attention and love, and if you can’t deliver it to them, you will end up feeling guilty every time you lock your eyes with it. The puppy-face, literally, comes into play. Like my friend Arun quoted, “Labs just can’t get enough” You just can’t spend some 15 or 30 minutes with a Labrador pup, and then consider your ‘duty to love’ for the day done. 

Some of my friends who visited my house occasionally pleaded us to train the pup only in English, as they feared someday they would have to struggle to communicate with her. She stole everyone’s heart with ease. 

For a month or so, things went smooth. She used to poop and pee everywhere inside the house, but we were ready to forgive and teach her in-house manners with patience. Whiskey fell sick and we had time to take her to a vet. She cried and my mother attended to her. She would not let us eat in peace, even if it’s Idli, but we were okay to share. We took care of her and soon, the pup and her poop, became a part of our family. 

All was well, until my family, except for Rahul, decided to move out of Bengaluru to our native place in Palakkad for a few months. It was time for my sister’s second delivery. This means, more than 5 months of hotel food! Adding to that, with my former roommate having the option to work from home (home as in, some 400 kilometres away at his native) it was left to my brother-in-law Rahul and me to take care of Whiskey. Mostly, I used to go to office by noon and return only by midnight. It was my usual working shift. Rahul’s was a normal one, but even his office timings were a bit unpredictable. This left Whiskey all alone in the house for more than 12 hours a day, or probably more. When our maid comes to feed her some rice or rotti for lunch, only then will she get to see someone’s face. Or else, she was all alone! 

Whiskey had to be chained too, as she had the habit of chewing on anything that she could get her hands on, or rather teeth on. She had inflicted enough damage already, which included a 5.1 surround system, sofa cushions, earphones, shoes, chappals and many more. So we were not ready to take more risks, and were trying to do some damage control. But this damage control mode left the small pup no space to run and play, or even to take a leisure stroll. If my family were there, Whiskey would have been unchained and set loose every two hours, as my mother would see to the fact that she was happy. But situations had changed. We felt sorry for her every time we returned home. She would wag her tail and implore with her eyes, to set her free. We would be tired by the time we get back home, and once Whiskey was set free, she would come and chew on the bottom of our pants, trying to make us to play with her for a while. Being frank, we couldn’t respond to it, at least on half such occasions.

But I have to give it to Whiskey - there was no dearth of love in her eyes or actions. She was intelligent for a small pup, and even now, somewhere deep inside, I still believe that she bore with all the pain and suffering because she knew we couldn’t help it.

Whiskey went through a rough patch next. Health-crisis started to haunt her as she fell sick regularly. On one occasion, she was feverish and refused to eat food for close to 2 days. The pup vomited something green every time she ate food. We tried our best to spend time with her, tending to her needs and cleaning after she vomits all over the floor. However, we had to go to office and we had no option, but to entrust our maid with the responsibility of looking after Whiskey during the afternoon hours. But then again, she was alone by 4 PM, as our maid like every other employee, would leave at least an hour early, as her bosses were not around. We asked our neighbours to check on Whiskey once in a while, and we still don’t know how much it worked, though I thank them for their regular updates on when the maid arrived and left.

Whiskey’s fever started fluctuating like Sensex. It was totally unpredictable. One day, Rahul gave her the morning medicines, I fed her breakfast, like usual, and we left. We never knew we were in for a shocker next.

I was the first to return home that day and I was heartbroken to see the pup shivering, biting on the corner of some ragged cloth that she found on the floor. When I opened the door and took a closer look, I realised she was completely drenched. Someone had poured water on her. Our maid and most of our neighbours were aware of her sickness. So I wondered who would do something so cruel to a little pup that could have been life threatening. I dried Whiskey with a towel and hugged her as tight as I can. For the first time, my eyes welled with tears for Whiskey.

Before I entered the flat, I had seen kids from my neighbourhood playing with water, and the realisation struck me suddenly. The kids had poured water on Whiskey. Upon doing some serious investigation, I learned that they had poured more than 5 litres of water on her, that amounts to 20 rounds of water splash at least using a mug, after she refused to respond to their calls. (She would have if she wasn’t sick)

I warned the kids, and even their parents. My neighbours were shocked at the way I issued the half-threat, half-caution at them. I was fuming and to me, those kids were like some real life villains in the making. To be honest, I would have made them stand in a row and spanked them all.

In reality, I was helpless. Whiskey’s health had deteriorated, and from a pup that used to run around as if its tail is on fire, she transformed, or rather we made her transform into a silent pup. I couldn’t do anything else, but to feel sorry for the small pup that knew nothing but to love, and to ask for love. She was feeling cold and was shivering for more than 2 hours. Someone splashed cold water at her and she couldn’t even run. She would have cried, or maybe she would have just lied down, waiting for us to return and rescue her. 

This incident was just the beginning of the bad days that followed. We were dealt with a huge blow next, when Rahul’s transfer order came. It was part of the Bank’s protocol to transfer their employees, especially officers and Managers, once every three years. The sad thing was, he wasn’t shifted elsewhere in Bengaluru, but to Chengannur; this is to Kerala from Karnataka.

Suddenly, there was chaos. The unending discussions started: How will the family cope up with this move? My sister worked with CTS in Bengaluru, so how will the husband-and-wife duo live in different locations, and how will they manage it financially, that too with two kids to look after, if my sister was to quit her job? What about Saarang’s schooling in Bengaluru? Should Rahul resign? Should Rahul start searching for a new job? Sadly, a discussion on Whiskey was a rarity. 

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There were so many confusions within the family and poor Whiskey was not even in the picture. So much was at stake that the poor pup was not even included in the priority-list. 

There were two options available with us when it came to Whiskey. One was to give it off to someone in Bengaluru or in Kerala. Selling, or gifting – anything worked. The second option was to handover the pup to my brother-in-law’s parents in Kerala. Here, yet another problem stood as a hindrance. Rahul’s parents were not actually willing to take care of Whiskey, though they liked her a lot. They had their own reasons to choose not to.   

Either ways, the pup had to leave. I was heartbroken. So was my brother-in-law. But he had bigger problems to deal with. 

There were days when I used to tie Whiskey up outside my room, in such a way that she can rest under my roof, but at a safe distance from my bed (biting issues). I used to get irritated when she whined, and there were occasions when I have hit her too. I should confess! But as soon as the verdict on Whiskey’s future came out, I regretted everything, even the minute moments I have ignored her. From then onwards, I started to cherish every moment with her. I started to spend more time with Whiskey, and I started to enjoy Whiskey’s baby complaints, when I tied her in my room, when my brother-in-law was away.   

Though he was busy, Rahul was not bad either. He looked at Whiskey in a way that conveyed his helplessness in making her stay back. But then, he had too many farewell parties to attend to.

We had only started to train Whiskey. If I shout, ‘SIT’, she sat. If I ask her to stand up and run, she would obey too (rarely). She knew fetch too. But, that was it! That was all about the unofficial training she had undertaken from us. She had to leave!

Finally, the day of reckoning came for us. Rahul’s uncle had agreed to look after Whiskey. This man stayed in Nilambur, Kerala, and the plan was to drop Whiskey at his residence as soon as possible.

We were crestfallen. There will be no training and she will have to live the life of a local dog at Nilambur.

I still remember kissing Whiskey’s forehead when I bid her goodbye. It was a relationship with only a few months’ life. But she was dear to me.

I cursed myself for not having the guts to say, “I l do it myself”. My brother-in-law regretted bringing her home. It was as if, she was going to her third house within just 4 months. It was as if, we brought her home, only to give her away. We never really owned her, and we never got a chance to enjoy her loyalty and love. In a way, we never deserved it, or at least we thought so...   

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6 or probably 7 months passed, after Whiskey left for a new home. Labradors grow fast. Within 6 months, they would beat an average stray dog in height. If you feed them properly, they will be all healthy, and fleshy. In a nutshell, let’s say, a lot more cuddlesome!

People move on. After disastrous love failures, or even after death of loved ones, people stage a comeback. It might take time, but in the end, it happens. It leaves a gaping hole inside, but life goes on. Some people fail to grow up, and they nail their life refusing to accept change. I was not one among them. At least in this case! I moved on.

I wanted to see Whiskey though. I wanted to know how she looked and what her reaction would be when she sees me after a long time. I am no longer its master. I was just one of the chapters in her life.

Well, I got a chance finally. It was an opportunity that presented itself through the same person, who made the first move, unintentionally though, in changing Whiskey’s fate – my 2-month-old niece. We were supposed to go to some temples as a part of the tradition in our caste that calls for newborn babies to be fed rice, anytime after 2 months’ of their births. My sister had decided to do it at the earliest, and we embarked on a small pilgrimage.

The first place we were supposed to visit was ‘Thirumandhamkunnu’ in Malappuram, Kerala. As this was close to my brother-in-law’s native place, we decided to stay at his house, and start early in the morning. I was happy to do so. My plan was to drive my family safely from Bengaluru to Nilambur first, take a nap, and finish off the day with a supposedly nostalgic visit to Whiskey’s new or rather real home.

We reached Nilambur by evening, and as per my plan, I took a nap. As soon as I woke up, I made plans to visit Whiskey next.

Whiskey’s new home was roughly a five-kilometre drive from my brother-in-law’s house in Nilambur. By the time I reached Rahul’s uncle’s house, I was welcome by a royal woof-woof.

The house stood on a vast expanse of land filled with green lush. The earth was damp, and I could feel the drizzle that paid a visit some time ago, with the smell of it still clinging onto the ground and piercing my nostrils.

When we were about to park the car, Rahul’s dad pointed his finger at a dog saying something, and all I heard was ‘Whiskey’. I was a bit nervous and excited, and I didn’t hear a thing that he said.

It was a Labrador! And guess what, the colour was matching too. I jumped off from my seat to have a better look at the dog. When I started to get a clear sight of the dog, the words from Rahul’s dad became more and more audible to me.

“Whiskey is inside the cage right behind this one.”

I could see a silhouette of another lab, right behind the one I had wrongly assumed to be Whiskey. The second dog began to bark and jump, silencing the first dog in the process, making thumping sounds on the wooden cage. (You can’t call that a cage, it’s more than enough for me to sleep) When I went closer to the second cage, I saw a Labrador jumping and barking at me, like it was sort of angry at me for some reason.

It was a bit dark, but I saw her though I couldn’t bring myself to touch Whiskey’s face. Through the narrow openings in the cage, she put her drooly mouth for me to touch. It was a mixed feeling for me, I was nervous though I tried to act calm and composed. I knew that the dog I was looking at was Whiskey, but it was too big for me to deal with it like good old days. It was a big one and a bite would no longer be trivial, or ticklish.

I summoned all the courage I had and went for it. I touched it slowly!

My nephew who came with me, was all excited till then to see HIS PET, as he called it. (You have to give it to him. Even after some 6 or 7 months, he wrote his ‘favourite pet’ as ‘Whiskey’ in one of his homework) But as soon as he heard the matured barking sound of the dog, he ran towards the house and hid himself behind my sister’s knees.

I touched her! The energy levels came down and for a second, I felt like Whiskey was imbibing the moment. This was a good sign and this motivated me to open the cage. I was scared as my Rahul’s dad kept on warning me that Whiskey would jump on me. But I took the risk, and there it was!

Whiskey jumped out and went in circles around me, before running like a mad dog all around the house compound. Just like old times! She was so fast that my sister locked herself inside the house. Whiskey was bigger than a sheep and muscular than twice a sheep, if it makes sense. Whenever it came close, I could the impact on my knees, as they quivered on their own. Whiskey would come to me, sniff, snap its jaws once or twice near my clothes, and run around again. This scared me. Finally, I plucked up the courage to call her name in my usual style.

“Whiskeeeyyyy.....”

You should have seen the way it responded to my call. It was like a wake-up call to her memories from the past. It was as if she decided to kill the months that passed, and be my good old pup.

It came close and jumped on me, before I started to play with her saggy skin. Suddenly all the fear I had was gone. I started to cuddle with Whiskey, as I massaged her forehead and droopy neck. I learnt from my brother-in-law’s dad that Whiskey had less hair because of some illness that has already cost more than 10 grand from the house exchequer. Nevertheless, she was a beauty.

Within a few minutes, the new owners started telling me stories of how Whiskey caught a fish from the aquarium and ate it, and how she denied the homecoming of two electricians who were perched on top of an electric pole, and many more. I realised that Whiskey was having the time of her life in Nilambur. And with plenty of space to play around, she was on a roll!

By this time, I had gained complete control over Whiskey, which shocked everyone in that house. She was listening to me and obeying my orders. Whiskey was sweeping the floor with her back as I cuddled and massaged her. She was not that clean and I could smell the typical dog-smell on her. But that was something that least bothered me as I played it without any break. I made Saarang get out of the house, and urged him to play with her as well. For a sweet little kid he is, Saarang trusted me and started patting Whiskey slowly.

I didn’t even know how 1 hour went by. People around me said so many things, and all I heard and saw was ‘Whiskey’!

Shocking me for a second time, she remembered ‘fetch’ and all the other stupid games that I tried to teach her in the past. I looked like a farmer coming after a day’s work on the muddy field, but I truly didn’t care for my appearance. Even I would have written Whiskey as my pet’s name if I had homework as Saarang’s.

Finally, the time came for me to bid farewell to Whiskey! Whiskey’s new owners said she would obey if she is asked go to her cage. This time on, she didn’t listen to them, as they shouted the orders at her. She was hesitant and I had to plead to her, to make her get inside the cage. And I left after planting a few kisses on the dog’s forehead.

For a second time, tears welled up in my eyes. This time on, I didn’t give a fuck if someone saw me.

I could hear Whiskey barking behind us and I knew I wouldn’t see her for God knows how long. My nephew was sad that we had to leave Whiskey behind. He wanted to take Whiskey home. But I was not that keen to do so.

I wanted Whiskey to stay at Nilambur. I wanted Whiskey to live there. Even if she dies of a snake-bite, she would have lived her life with full freedom. She isn’t trained, but she obeys and knows how to love and respect. She has another Labrador for a friend, people to feed her at the right time and so much of space to run around, play and explore (some in-house fishing too). What more can you ask for?

I love that dog and I would never chain her again!

You have to drop certain things, even if it pains. A better outcome is in the offing, and you will feel good about it later. Let them live a better life...  

Hemanth Sreekumar