This is a story about love... A story about a couple with huge hearts who gave a new dimension to this life...
This is the story of Cocoa...
It all began over a month ago. It was an early Tuesday morning, and I was busy getting ready for work- my thoughts pre-occupied with the patients we'd be operating on that day. My phone rang. It was Viren, my husband. He was on a morning walk with Caesar, our two- year old Labrador retriever. My pulse quickened. What had Caesar been upto now?! I really didn't have time right now for this!
"Manasi, there's a tiny pup here. He's followed us home," Viren began as soon as I answered, "He was being chased by the strays across the street. Caesar took a liking to him and he's now in the parking lot with us. He looks ill. I don't think he'd survive on the streets!"
"Alright, get him home!" I said.
Minutes later, Caesar barged in through the front door, looking mighty pleased with himself. He wagged his tail, gave me a lick and walked back towards his Dad, who was gingerly carrying a small brown bundle in his hands.
The tiny little thing was shivering. We wrapped him in a rag and he cuddled up to Viren. He lapped up all the water and dog food we gave him.
We took a closer look at him- his hair was in patches, his skin was raw and itchy. He was covered in mud. He was all skin-and-bones- a scrawny little thing! But he had the most beautiful gray eyes- quite akin to Puneri Peth- dwelling Brahmins!
Later in the day, Viren took him to our Vet. He was diagnosed to have scabies. He was contagious, not just to us, but most importantly to Caesar. My father-in-law was recovering from a recent cardiac bypass surgery and had a borderline immune system. We had to isolate the pup. The treatment for this disease was long- drawn, and required a lot of patience.
We began his medicines and confined him to our balcony. The day after we dewormed him, he passed 8 long coiled worms- I was amazed at how this tiny stomach could've held such nasty worms! His poop then was the colour of cement.
He loved to sleep in the basket we prepared for him, lined with cosy towels. Caesar and he would look at each other through the glass doors often! We named him Cocoa- because of his lovely brown hue, and his 'Koknastha' eyes! He slowly began to regain his appetite, and his poop too, normalised.
He was adorable! Loved to cuddle... He had been neglected for so long that he welcomed any sort of human touch! But we had to be very careful while handling him. It was heartbreaking to isolate him, especially when Caesar is such an integral part of our existence that we can't even think of leaving him out of anything we do! Both Viren and I have grown up with pet dogs, and treat them even more as family than perhaps we'd treat humans!
But a few days later, I received a text from one of Viren's oldest friends- Hrishikesh. "Are you planning on putting Cocoa up for adoption?" My heart leapt! Hrishi and his wife Pronita were eager to adopt Cocoa, and we couldn't be happier! They visited us one night to meet Cocoa and loved him! Cocoa loved them too, much to Caesar's anxiety! But we decided to continue to foster and treat Cocoa until they could sort things out at their place and be ready to welcome him home.
A few days later, I met Pronita again. "We've got Cocoa a new feeding bowl," she began excitedly, "And also toys!" I could see the shine in her eyes, and I knew that we couldn't have hoped for better parents for the little one!
And then one fine afternoon, Hrishi and Pronita took Cocoa to his forever home! He settled in immediately. They have a huge garden, where he'd love to bask in the sun and roll in the mud. He was very playful and energetic. He'd spend hours playing with Pronita. He was teething, and would snap at things. He'd love destroying coconut shells- spend all his energy on it! Pronita and Hrishi would send us pictures, and we'd feel a warmth in our hearts, to see him doing so well.
A few days ago, we visited him- for the first time since he was adopted. He recognized me at once- spent a good five minutes talking to me in a high- pitched voice, before he proceeded with running amok in the garden! He couldn't contain his excitement!
He had put on weight. He'd grown bigger, healthier. His fur had all grown back. His eyes had become a bit darker, but had the same playfulness and love when they looked up at you! He was the same cuddly wiggly baby!
We saw Pronita and Hrishi in their roles as new parents- fussing over him, talking about his antics, feeding him his dinner. We saw Cocoa's excitement when Hrishi's parents came home- he almost tripped over himself while running out to welcome them at top speed! And we saw how happy they all were to be a 'complete' family!
And boy, were we glad!
Glad and proud... That we knew this incredible couple who could've easily 'bought' a healthy, bred pedigree dog, but who chose a sick Indie instead. Glad that there are people like them who choose to love and be loved by someone like Cocoa. Glad that they chose to ignore snide comments on why they brought home a sick dog, from the same people who now recognize their home as 'Cocoa's house'! Glad that Cocoa has found the most beautiful home, where he's loved beyond measure. And glad that lives transformed for the better, just because they chose what they felt was right!
The writer is an animal lover and a young dynamic Obstetrician, Gynaecologist and Infertility specialist practicing in Pune.
