Charlie is not just a pet dog ❣️
I still remember it, TedTheStoner put up a story on Instagram for adoption of a street dog which was being taken care by a couple of friends. I always wanted to have a dog, I always loved to be around them but the social norm is to shop for a foreign breed while overlooking the lovely ones born around us.
It was December of 2020, world was struggling from the aftermath of a pandemic and I'd left my job at the end of August because it involved extensive travelling while not paying enough for my required monthly expenses. I was evaluating life and trying to see what strikes a better balance. Everything was just up in the air at home too - too frantic, too disturbed, everyone of us too distanced from each other.
Sister hating our dad because she doesn't understand what he does for the family or her and with no clear future image of herself or her career. Mother hating father because there is no love and he cannot provide for some of the luxuries of which she thought she should have at this point in life after serving the home and family for years. Father not being able to find love in anyone at home, feeling like that he has been working 25 years of his life - constantly going to work without sick leaves or holidays to bring bread & shelter for us only to hear that its not good enough, only to see that nobody meets him when he comes back home. He came home every evening, mom would give him sweets and water, she'll go to kitchen to prepare food and he would bath & wash his own clothes then spent hours on phone talking to work related people, had dinner, me or sister would gently massage his legs as he fell asleep. Everyday. Same problems for all of them. Going on since years.
I'd come back home and started living with them since April, I was away for a long long time from all of them - for studies and then for my first job, more than 7 years. Covid forced us to live together, I got to see how hollow my once beloved home now felt and had become same for others. Only that they'd seen the same thing everyday so were probably used to the slow process day by day. But it came to me as a semi-shock. I wanted to do something that would bring everyone together, bring love back into the family. I had no idea what to do. I was jobless and unable to solve the financial stresses which became the root cause of most of problems. I felt as if everybody had lost the meaning of life and is just a stuck in a robotic time loop doing same chores everyday without a hope, a goal or a destination.
That's when I saw this story on instagram, I contacted the guy and we arranged for me to see the puppy named 'Dadu' next day. This little one was estranged from his litter and parents. On my visit to meet Dadu, he seemed very docile, shy and silent. Sitting quietly on the small rug in the space provided to him, side-glancing me. He was so cute, I talked to the person and he enquired about me & family. His concern was that people abandon the dogs after a couple of days - once they are done playing and the real work & life with pet hits them. Perhaps I felt genuine enough to him and then he allowed me to take Dadu home with me, gave me his leash and some treats to get started while I get my own supplies.
Reached home, mom and sister extremely excited while dad was still in office. Mom and sister both love dogs as much as I did, they were very happy and playing, they too always wanted to have one as a pet. Dad returned home from office in evening and saw him in a corner of the house we were then living in. Before I could say anything, mom told him that the dog will stay for few days as its my friend's who is out of town for some work. I named him 'Budhdhu' (meaning dumbo but in a cute manner) as it is a name which has old family heritage attached to it from our village - dad's family named their male cows by this name back in the days of his childhood. My purpose was to make my father see him with a soft corner immediately. He smiled and petted him and moved on to his chores.
Two days later my dad had got the idea that the pup was here to stay and he did not like this, it was unhygienic and his hair would fall everywhere spreading the pathogens that he brings from outside and rubs onto his own body and he licks himself and licks other stuff then. Massive fights and arguments broke out in home, everyone versus dad. He said he'd leave Budhdhu on roof and wont be allowed to sleep in the home because thats what dogs are for, to guard us from outside our rooms. I could not accept it, I gave up. That little innocent being was meant to be loved and I could not let him sleep there in freezing cold temperatures of Lucknow which can drop down to 2-4 Celsius. I decided to pick him up and take him back to the guy whom I got him from. I cried all the way and came back & kept crying without anyone noticing. Mom and sister cried in a noticeable fashion. Mom said to me, this is how your father is - heartless. She said accept it and move on. We all were crying and sad for a whole day - non stop.
Father saw them both and my sister said she misses Budhdhu, she wants him back. He called me there and said go bring him back, I didn't even put my jacket on - couldn't control crying, just grabbed keys to my scooter and drove in those cold temperatures straight to the little soul. Got him back home. Hygiene concerns were immediately solved by washing and drying his paws after every walk outside. His own towels, shampoo and what not was bought.
Dad said he didn't like the name and named him Charlie on day 2 of his return. That was it, now he had named Charlie - there was no going back. Charlie slept in same room as me. He was unknown to world, didn't understand the concept of bed, table, chair, kitchen, bathroom, anything. He was curious and would go anywhere, dad got angry whenever he did these and thats how he learned not to go to to these places. He learned where his places are and where no-go zones like kitchen are. My boy is intelligent AF.
Day 3 onwards, when dad returned from office - Charlie is the first to run to him and celebrate his return by wagging his tail and playing with him. Dad laughed as soon as he entered home, he had not done this in all the years I have known him. Atleast not in any recent memory. Mom got another kid at home, one that she could pamper and take care of as an adult - as an adult with brain and perhaps more preparedness than when me and my sister were born, both of whom she had when she was mentally very young. And sister had a companion at home, one she could play with and care about, something she could not do with me ever.
There was now a central point at home, problems still existed but everyone could go to Charlie and forget the problems. Feel the pure love that Charlie is about, he only cares for your love and he loves you in return. He never damaged shoes or other stuff, he only destroyed his own toys and bedsheets. Nobody disliked him anymore for anything. Impossible.
Fast forward only an year, by his first birthday which I'd decided to celebrate in October on a date that has coincidently been a nice one for our little family all along the years, everyone had come closer to each other as the thing called 'LOVE' was back into family just via someone else. I'd read about things like this but now I had seen this happen in front of me, my dog kid had made us a family again. Dad started asking for Charlie to be in some of the family photos too, we had all come a long way from where we were. Now dad does not seek a companion in office work once he returns home from work, he still works on things but does not do it to fill his empty hours. He works if he has to and then focuses on playing with Charlie or living life in normal ways like taking a walk outside, watching TV with family, etc.
Charlie is not a pet for me, he saved my family from splitting into parts. He is family. He is my little kid.
