BOOK MANUSCRIPT
Ben’s Trip to the Beach
by
Amritaa Gopal Krishnan
I am a 16 year old girl living in
INTRODUCTION
"I have started my long life as a dog and it really will take very little time for me to end it too, but please do not think of such things. I think differently and Einstein's relativity comes into question here -- times haven't changed and I will live this way. The reason for me to talk of relativity is that, I am a dog and my time to live is equal to about 14 human years. Did you know that? And, that every year that passes for you (a human year for you the way you count years!) is actually seven human years for me. I grow very fast and when a year ends for you, 7 years end for me. Isn't that just what relativity is all about? The way every person thinks of time. I think differently than you." These were the great words of 'Benjamin' as he told them to me. I don’t know why he told me this except to say his actions which may seem silly to us, are only because he is different. Now, let me tell you what happened the day we went to the beach.
TODAY WAS NOT AS IT WAS EXPECTED TO BE….
As planned, we started early between 5.30-6.00 AM and jumped into our jeep with a very excited and reluctant Ben. There were three rows of seats, and the last the biggest for me, Anjana, my sister and Ben.
The ride was extremely uncomfortable with Ben jumping up and down, low and high, and so on. I and Anjana were prepared and didn’t mind even when he climbed all over us to peep out of the window. We were determined to be comfortable all the same.
We left home very early and managed to get to the sea at 8.00 AM. We didn’t exactly know where to stop and searched for 10 minutes before we found a perfect place to park. We got out, with excited Ben leaping everywhere, and forgot his rein at the last minute.
I ran towards the water with Ben and Anjana, but Ben was not all that excited as I expected him to be. In my own joy I forgot all about his moods and started playing and throwing water at the poor creature. He with his ears tugged right-in and with a look of pure distaste and horror was ‘playing’ with us (God only knows why) and I could hear small cries of his confusion -- very small, but cries.
We played for 1 ½ hours and the time was mostly spent in bringing water bottles from the jeep and then the camera again from the jeep, for which one had to walk 30 minutes, coming and going, as the car was parked far away.
There were many street dogs there and luckily only one huge family. Ben somehow was unconcerned but a courageous old man came walking towards him and moms expression changed within seconds, to one of pure fright and horror, as we didn’t know what the outcome would really be – Ben can be UNPREDICTABLE!
But dear Ben just went round the man and came back to me. The old man happily walked away thinking of his bravery and at the same time he had a smile of contentment on his face.
Mom at first didn’t want me to enter even 10 feet into the water, but later she gave up and let me do as I pleased, even I was a little frightened as the water was pulling at me. I then sat on the water and tried and tried to swim till some salty water went into my nose and mouth and eyes -- and so much sand too, it was irritating. Ben was not enthusiastic to get wet and just wanted to play with us. He would come running to me, then into the water, then away from me, and then away from the water to dad and mom. Anjana had gone to get the camera and I was getting bored without her to play with.
Ben has a very bad habit of drinking water -- and so it all started. He drank every time he entered the water and drank and drank, and drank. I got mad at him and did slap him and shout at him, but the fool wouldn’t listen.
As he is a dog, he is short and the water kept entering his mouth and nostrils even when he didn’t want it. Then he ran towards dad, who was seated on the sand, and sprayed out a jet of water from his bottom -- pure white water, and then he vomited 4-5 times. Even so, he continued to stop the ball from rolling when thrown, didn’t stop running here and there, and didn’t stop drinking the sick water!
He sprayed 100 times after that and then we decided something was wrong with our beloved dog. We all crept out of the water and watched him in silence. The poor sufferer who couldn’t control himself any more, and even while walking couldn’t stop. After a quick discussion, my sister and I decided to pack home, as mommy and dad had come there only for our enjoyment and not theirs -- and we couldn’t continue to enjoy ourselves under such an occasion. We wanted some water to clean Ben and ourselves to start back home. Ben couldn’t walk back easily as his hind legs were threatening to give way. I was on the verge of tears and Anjana too. Mummy said there was nothing wrong with him and dad didn’t know what to do or say. We all walked back to the car and gave up the idea of bathing ourselves, except Ben. Dad. Ben and I went in search of a place where we would get at least 1 bucket water for Ben. A man showed us a place and said he would charge us 10 rupee and gave us a mug -- and so we started giving Ben a through wash from the well water.
Ben was very dehydrated and drank 12 mugs of water. I didn’t want him to fall sick again of drinking poisonous or dirty water so went on telling dad. Dad was getting angry and went on scolding me and Ben started crying as he detests loud voices similar to quarrels. Later, when leaving the beach, I saw a villager sweeping the road and I asked dad where he could be living, and then the idea struck me that a villager would only live in a village and he would have water! So I ran to the old man and he said we could come at that very moment and make use of his water. I ran towards mom and Anjana who were beside the car and told them of the water for washing. Mom was crying when I went to her, as she too was very upset. I am sure we had all cried as we never expected THIS to happen to our dear Ben. The old man had offered dad some breakfast too and he seemed impressed by dads Marathi (language of
Again dad gave him a wash and Ben enjoyed it, but still looked very ill and tired. A couple of kids passing by saw Ben and were impressed by his weight, height and sheer beauty. The three kids came and started serious conversation with dad about Ben. Dads spirits rose very quickly looking at them and answering their questions and slowly started enjoying himself. Ben didn’t go to attack any of them but behaved in a neutral way. Soon, one boy threw his ball for Ben to catch -- Ben did run and catch it, but that is a duty for every dog -- catching a ball, even if he didn’t want to.
He caught the ball, then he stopped it from rolling and came back to dad. He went many a times round the trees to do his “big job” again and again which was now very small. Just water. How did the water reach his stomach so fast and where was all the rest of the food? Did he not have any thing in his little stomach other than dirty, stinky salt water? We could do little else to help him. It was sad thinking of him and mom said again and again that a dog’s place should be its own home and he will love only that place the best -- not any beach!
And that’s how it got into my head that a dog, my dog’s place is at home -- a place where he will feel nice and comfortable. Why do we humans want go the beach? Water? There is water at home too. What benefit do we get playing with large expanse of water like the beach -- excitement? Does a poor creature ever want that? Isn’t he happy the way he is? Did he ever ask for more? A creature that has survived all obstacles, a brave creature who didn’t want anything much from any one but love.
We all loved Ben and didn’t know what to do. If something should happen to him, there would be a great pain in all our hearts forever. WE SHOULDN’T HAVE
It was only after returning home that mom and dad told me what could have happened. That even a half-hour more at the beach would have killed Ben as he would have been unable to walk and would have fainted because of dehydration and the nearest doctor would be 2 long hours away. What would have happened then?
We stayed in that life-saving place for 4 hours resting and thinking. Ben too had calmed down but refused to eat anything. One of the kids went home and brought Ben one of the ripest and costliest mangoes, called “Alphonso”. It was just for him and as Ben loved mangoes he showed his gratitude by barking at the boy and eating the whole mango, even the seed -- he loved it. Then we fed him tea and our breakfast. He ate all that and we too were contented.
Then the time came for us to return home with a completely changed dog. Benjamin didn’t bark at the driver, didn’t leap around, but sat quietly and for some reason I feel he cried too, as I did see tears forming in his eyes. What did he feel? What was his experience? Did he think that he would leave us so soon? Did he think that he would not be with us anymore? Did he feel sorry for us or was he angry for spoiling his little dog’s life? But after a long while things changed. Ben came back to his real state and stopped crying and started barking again, but still refused to eat his food.
That’s what happened today. I did enjoy myself when I was away from the beach and when I saw Ben eating and basking in the sun. I did enjoy my first and my last trip with Ben as I will never-ever make the mistake of even initiating the idea of taking Ben out -- other that his parks and gardens close to home.
THE
The next day we were all very tired, still suffering from the extreme stress of the previous day. I was only up for a few hours and went to bed again at
My brain is so very big but it rarely stores useless information. Well I don't know what useful Information it stores, but it must be storing something even if I don't really know what it does most of the time. Tomorrow I will go cycling, no, I can’t do cycling tomorrow as the tires have no air and have to be filled. The cycle is on the balcony and so has to be brought down the stairs, and believe me, that's a big Job as Ben has to go through the “locking procedure” and then we have to go through the “lifting cycle procedure”, and then “taking-it-to-the-shop procedure”. All this takes so much time and effort and at the moment I feel the like the laziest person on earth.
Instead of cycling maybe I shall probably go jogging with Ben. If I do, I hope he behaves well or else he will probably be taking me for a Big Run – he has done that before. I would open the house gate with a lot of pride and would go out with Ben on his rein. At first he would be behind, and then immediately within the next 3 seconds, Ben would take over. I think he feels “why not take my master for a ride once in a while?” He would pull with all his strength and just like in some movies, I would be running behind Ben as he would be talking me on a long, never-ending jog. The last time, Ben was so pleased with himself he even showed me the doggy world by running behind every dog that he saw.
Ben is a dog? Well he looks like one but at times I feel he is just some school boy wearing some good Doggy makeup. I shall try removing the make up someday to find out.
Who is Ben? Ben has so many qualities, no, human qualities that he has already defied the rules of behavior for a normal K9. I guess in time I will eventually find out just who Ben is. But, if there’s one thing I know, Ben is not meant to be a sea dog.
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