When my parents entered the house screaming “SURPRISE” on a chilly December evening, I did not have the faintest idea that a “surprise” could mean a palm- sized, black ball of fur! For a fourteen year old longing for a pet, I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw this tiny Alsatian pup bundled up in a towel staring up at me with its big, beautiful eyes. Dad told me that it was a “girl”. We put her down on the carpet and the first thing that caught my attention was the way her hip swayed as she sashayed towards me. That moment told me that she would grow up to be a sexy bitch and a christened her “Cheryl”- after the gorgeous redhead in Archie comics! We bonded instantly and she took to me more than anyone else in the family.

Since she was only a few days old, she needed special care- one of the family bathrooms was readily vacated and set up with blanket, heater, insect repellant and the works. It was my duty to literally spoon-feed her with ceralac and that is when I developed a taste for it as we ate out of the same bowl (and of course spoon). I stopped sharing her meals after mom started “fortifying” it with raw egg. She became a teenager at the age of one and we sailed through the tumultuous years together. She did not seem as shaken up as I was when she had her first period but she did give me an empathetic look when I bantered endlessly about “teenage issues”- a look that said “I understand honey, everything’s gonna be just fine.” She licked my face when I cried, probably because she loved the salty taste of tears, but to me it meant a lot. I placed her above my best of friends and family favorites. No other bitch in the locality could stand up to her intelligence, sensitivity, agility and of course, curves! She was truly the hottest female canine around. She would race against my “scooty” at sixty kmph and swim like a pro in the dirty pond near my house.

I was still stuck with the “teenage” tag and it was time for her to find a mate. Sure enough, she chose a handsome stud from the same species and refused to even look at him after her purpose was served. Women’s liberation, eh? Her pregnancy was probably the most rewarding for her palate as she was showered with all the goodies that were prohibited for the human members of our health conscious family. Nevertheless, she was in better shape than most non-pregnant women! The moment I came back from school, I headed for her dog-house with the hope of hearing puppy squeaks. Finally, the big moment arrived (it was almost as if she was waiting for me to be present on this auspicious occasion) and out tumbled her very first babies! No howls, no screams, no labor pains and in no time there were ten plump pups heaped up in front of me. I was overwhelmed and a bit scared to handle those tiny, delicate babies. Cheryl sniffed out my apprehension and nudged one of them till it landed onto my palm. Then I knew that it was perfectly alright to lift them up- they wouldn’t break! I helped her raise her kids and babysat for her when the toddlers annoyed her with their I- want –mama attitude. I was fascinated by the way she fed ten babies all at once and I wondered what dog milk tasted like. Well. I plucked off a pup and helped myself to a spoonful (now don’t go “yuck”). In due course, the puppies found themselves new homes and new people. After motherhood, Cheryl turned a lot softer and careful when around human kids and lost her wild streak.

In a couple of years I went off to college and we met only during vacations. She greeted me with immense fervor and clung to me as if there was no tomorrow. As the years passed by, her energy levels drooped and I knew she was growing old. I just hoped she would live to see my wedding day. She was a weak, old woman by that time but the passionate twinkle in those doe-like eyes had not dwindled. She was given all the honors that a bride’s sister deserved and even got the best ring (the one given by the groom to the bride’s sisters). I was happy that she was with me on the most special day of my life but somewhere deep down inside I knew I was seeing her for the last time. She parted with us when she was fifteen in a silent and peaceful way- the news of which shattered me from within and weighed my heart down with grief. Why couldn’t she wait for me this one last time when she had done so all these years? Her life span was the only factor that differentiated her from my existence. As I recuperated from my loss, I felt relieved that she had lived a long and happy life- the kind which dreams are made of. She lives within my heart and her sweet memories bring a smile on my face and sometimes tears in my eyes too. She has taught me to be a good listener irrespective of language barriers, to be true to those who truly care and has proved to be an epitome of unconditional love, endurance, patience and loyalty. She has been my baby, my friend, my sister my teacher and my companion and each time I think of her, I realize that a woman’s best friend are definitely not diamonds….

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