By Savitri Narayanan
‘So boring, wish something exciting would happen!’ thought Hero and Zero as they roamed around the bungalow. The balcony door was open but nothing interesting to see, except the cashew groves.
“Bye dearies, see you soon!” said Bhabhi as she stepped out, closed and locked the front door. Bhaiyya had already started the car. Hero rushed to his favourite spot, put his front paws on the windowsill and watched the car drive away.
“Maybe they’re out shopping!” said Hero as he settled down in his cushy chair in the corner.
Zero went over to the carpet near the bookshelf where their toy basket was kept. It had plenty of things like balls, ropes and stuffed toys but those were of no use!
‘Unless someone throws the ball how can I chase it,’ thought Zero. He scattered the toys around and sprawled on the carpet.
‘We’re blessed to be here,’ they thought often.
They were stray dogs, roaming around Paltan Road. Thanks to the eateries, they were never short of food. Things changed one afternoon when the dog van came along and captured them. Then onwards they stayed in a shelter, in cages with many other stray dogs.
One morning, to their surprise, there were visitors! There they stood, at the door leading to the corridor, along with the manager madam.
“We’d like to adopt two dogs!” said the cheerful young couple.
“So kind of you, we’re honoured,” said the manager madam respectfully. “Take your pick; all are vaccinated and castrated too!”
“Let’s take these two, I like their colour,” said the lady.
“Sure,” agreed the man, “There’s something in their eyes that I like!”
Soon both the puppies were in the backseat of the car, headed for their new home. The only other time they’d been in a vehicle was when they were captured and brought to the shelter in the dog van!
‘Aren’t we lucky!’ they thought as they exchanged glances.
They parked the car outside a bungalow.
Everything was new! Apprehensive, the puppies were in no hurry to come out!
The maid opened the front door. A few children gathered from nowhere! “What a surprise, we’ve pet dogs,” they screamed in delight. “What fun, thank you bhaiyya and bhabhi!”
“Hero and Zero,” they pointed at the puppies.
‘Now we have names,’ the puppies smiled at each other.
When bhaiyya opened the car door, they bounced and gleefully entered their new home.
That was four years ago. Hero and Zero got used to life in the bungalow.
“There must be a party,” said Hero. “Lots of food and fun in the offing!”
Zero’s thoughts were different.
“I think they’re going somewhere; last evening bhaiyya brought down the suitcase,” he guessed.
“That means mummy would come over,” Hero’s tone was laced with joy.
Bhabhi’s mother stayed close by, in the apartment behind the supermarket. Whenever bhaiyya and bhabhi went out of town, mummy came to stay over.
Bhabhi helped her mother out of the car. Mummy was rather old, used a hearing aid, was slow in whatever she did yet had a commanding presence.
Zero and Hero rushed outdoors to welcome her, barking in excitement.
They didn’t leap on her or come too close but just stood there wagging their tails!
“Zero, you’re growing fat, soon you’ll become like a big fat zero!” mummy said with a fond smile. “Hero, you’ve grown thinner!”
Gleefully they wagged their tails harder and ran around in circles!
Next morning the taxi to the airport was at the door.
“See you in a week!” bhaiyya and bhabhi cuddled the dogs. “Keep an eye on mummy, ok?”
“What you really mean is, ‘mummy, look after the dogs’, right?” mummy laughed, “No worries, enjoy your holiday!”
It was a pleasure to have mummy around. The front door was always open! She sat on the portico and read. Zero and Hero moved in and out and roamed the neighbourhood as they pleased. Their favourite place was Maria Aunty’s home, just two blocks away. Tom and Jim were at home as the winter holidays were on. There was lots of food and fun.
“Darlings, go home now!” Maria Aunty shooed away the dogs. “It’s aunty’s nap time; must be waiting for you to get in to close the door!”
***
‘What’s the matter! Why isn’t mummy opening the front door,’ thought Hero, impatient to go outdoors.
Usually by four o’clock mummy would be out in the portico with her cup of tea. But the front door was still closed!
So was mummy’s bedroom door!
Zero and Hero barked continuously but there was no response. The bedroom door remained closed!
Hero peeped in through the half-open window and raised an alarm. Mummy was not on the bed but lay still on the floor!
He barked louder. Zero too barked at the top of his voice, no response!
“Need help! Let’s get Maria aunty!”
“How? The front door is closed and bolted!”
Instinctively, Zero and Hero put their paws on the window sill and barked aloud. They barked non-stop, till the neighbours opened their doors and assembled outside the door.
‘Where’s aunty?’ was the question in everybody’s mind.
At the sight of their maid, Hero and Zero barked louder.
“Let me try the back door,” she said, “Maybe it isn’t latched!”
Within seconds they were inside the house and aunty was under medical care in the nearby hospital.
“You saved a life,” said the doctor. “She’s had a mild heart attack, just in time you brought her here!”
In a few days mummy was home, recuperating.
Grateful to the caring neighbours, bhaiyya and bhabhi said, “We can never thank you enough for the timely help; let’s throw a party and the chief guests will be Hero and Zero!”
(Savitri Narayanan is a retired educationist at present in Bangaluru. A mother and grandmother, loves readig, writing and
travelling.)
