Chapter 1
JUNIOR, THE SEIGNIOR!
Chapter One
Restless, Vasudev Kurup rolled in his bed. Thoughts on Junior were dogging him.
Junior’s face had beamed in excitement when he knew about the proposed pilgrimage, Kurup recalled.
How smartly had he smelt about the trip being planned to Benares and other holy places! He was sure that he would be an important and beloved member of the team. So he became starry-eyed. His chest puffed out with pride. He had always been very fond of outings.
Hence, he became disillusioned when he got a whiff of his ouster from the team — on account of his being a canine, a dog. He tried, in vain, to hide the disappointment on his face.
Restless, Kurup rolled in his bed.
It was the women’s group of the pilgrims’ team that raised the banner of protest (or the murmur of dissent, rather!): “Folks, have you ever heard of such a practice? Taking a dog along on a holy trip? That too, to Benares?”
This had reminded Kurup of a past incident: a friendly tiff he, once, had with the High Priest of a great temple. The High Priest had been Kurup’s boyhood friend. Hence, once, Kurup asked for his permission to take Junior inside the temple. When the High Priest denied permission, Kurup taunted him:
“Then how come that Yudhishtira was able to take his dog to paradise?”
“There are many interpretations for that story, Vasu. We don’t have time to go into those. But I cannot allow you to take your dog in.”
Kurup did not intend to have a similar tiff with the ladies for the sake of Junior. However, he carefully took note of the repeated utterances on their lips:
“After all, isn’t Junior a dog? If you are constantly in the company of a dog, won’t it affect your cleanliness?”
In fact, Junior led as hygienic a life as any civilized human being. However, Kurup did not want to raise an issue highlighting it.
The Kurup couple’s younger son, Sajeev, was around two years when Junior came into their life. Till then Junior had been the pet of Major Arun Saxena.
One morning Major Saxena and his wife paid a surprise visit to the Kurups. And Junior was tagging along them. And straightaway they came to the point:
“We have come to you with a request. We are going to the States for about six months. Would you mind keeping Junior with you till we come back? ”
After a brief pause, Major Saxena smilingly added: “If, by then, Junior steals away your hearts, then you can have him. Or else, we will take him back.”
The Kurups had just come back from Bengaluru after admitting their elder son, Raaj, at a prestigious residential school there. His absence was creating a painful void in their consciousness and surroundings. Somehow, the Kurups felt that Junior would help alleviate that emptiness.
As Junior was of the same age as that of Sajeev, the Kurups decided to grow them up as if they were twins.
While bathing Sajeev, the Kurups also gave Junior a shampoo bath, ensuring to brush well his teeth and mouth. Whenever they tailored garments for Sajeev, they did so for Junior, as well. Besides, they got made exclusive footwear for Junior for his outings. Sajeev had not been weaned from his feeding bottle. Hence feeding bottles were bought for Junior, too. Sajeev used to relieve himself in a mobile, plastic commode. Junior also got one for himself.
Junior had been growing under such meticulous care. Yet, he had to be packed off to the home of Sebastian (Personal Assistant to Kurup) at the behest of the women’s group...
Restless, Kurup rolled in his bed...
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