As we keep the Navaratri Golu this year, couldn’t but help think of Mr. D,
The one and only year when we kept the Navaratri Golu at home, when Mr. D was with us,
To keep or not to keep that year, that was the question,
To keep was the decision, with quite some apprehension.
Will he allow us to keep the golu stand and the dolls?
Will he bark at them, either in excitement or fear?
Will he jump at them thinking they are real, leading to a breakage of dolls?
Quite some people would be invited and amongst those invited,
some would be petrified of pets (dogs).
How do we handle such situations?
So many thoughts and so many questions!!
One thought that kept coming back to the fore was – If different people come and go for about three to four hours at a stretch,
keeping him locked in a room for those many hours doesn’t seem ok.
Then emerged a solution.
One section of the house has two rooms connected by a passageway, with one of the rooms leading to a balcony.
We decided to keep Mr. D in this section of the house, when we have people visiting,
This was keeping in mind that he could then move between the two rooms and use the balcony, for his biological breaks, if he wishes to.
One of us from the family could pop in to see him from time to time (Some consolation!!)
We thought the issue is sorted!! That’s what we thought 🙂
When the first few guests came, a few whining sounds we heard.
When we popped in to see what was happening,
we found him huddling near the closed door that leads to the living room.
Eavesdropping? Perhaps yes, to the voices he would have heard.
That was a ‘Eureka’ moment!!
Ah!!! How did we miss this important aspect? His love for meeting people!!
His need to be where people are!!!
That got us thinking.
It was a double edged sword situation –
Some guests being scared of dogs and Mr. D’s need to be where people are.
Plan B was in operation now!!
We decided to keep a sofa at the doorway that connects one room to the living room,
so that Mr. D could see people but can’t come out,
and if people are scared still, we partially leave the door open,
so that he can see people and they also know that he can’t come out 🙂
Both parties satisfied!?
We thought this issue was sorted out too!! That’s what we thought 🙂
Until one evening after every guest left,
with all the paraphernalia of sofa still blocking the room’s doorway but the door open,
Mr. D was called out by the person he considers his ‘master’,
“D, jump and come.. 1.. 2.. 3.. come”
“D, jump and come.. 1.. 2.. 3.. come.. jump..”
And Mr. D followed what his master said – jumped across the sofa and landed in the living room with a perfect gymnastic 10!!! What a jump that was!!
I wanted to clap but I was like “Acho”
If he has done it once, he will do it again; and when guests are there at home.
True to my thinking, that’s exactly what he did the following day!!
He jumped with no one calling him out to.
Fortunately that day, those who had come, were not fearful of dogs,
Different people showed different emotions, seeing him jump.
Some with
and some with
Once he was out, his wagging tail (a sign of happiness and excitement) was all over the place,
almost near a doll, ready to smack it.
My heart was in my mouth because the falling of one doll,
is like a dominoes effect,
If we call out to him, he may turn in all that excitement,
and the dominoes effect may most certainly happen.
The golu then… (that’s anybody’s guess) 🙂
One of us would need to go near him and gently move him away,
taking that hit from his wagging tail.
This was certainly preferable than the dominoes effect on the dolls 🙂
Oh well!! His Navaratri with us went past without any mishaps!! Whoa!!!
It was a Navaratri that brought the NavarasAs out, at home..
ShringAra – love / beauty to keep the golu.
HAsya – joy / laughter of having people at home (for Mr. D and for us).
Karuna – Compassion towards Mr. D, hearing his whining and his need to be around people; and coming up with a back up plan.
Veera – Courage to keep the golu with Mr. D at home :-). This was bravado 🙂
BhayAnaka – Fear of the dominoes effect.
Bibhatsa – Aversion of those visiting towards pets (dogs).
AdbhUta – Wonder that all is well and at the courage of keeping Golu with Mr. D in toe!!
Shanta – Peace every night that that day went the way it had to.
Mr. D – who would think that keeping a golu, with him at home, would bring out all the navarasAs!! I certainly didn’t..
Brings a wide smile whenever I think of that year’s golu at home..
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