Toddy

Dipendu wedded Kajol in Kolkata, and they had to fly back to Delhi as his job was there. Dipendu was a responsible government officer with his office quarters in Dhaula Kuan. Kajol was a bright young girl full of life, a young graduate who was a primary school teacher working in a reputed school in Kolkata.

Dipendu wanted Kajol to continue her studies and sit at home managing the household affairs. But Kajol had something more in mind and though she was privately doing her masters in English Literature, she kept on applying for the job of a teacher in the Delhi schools.

As she had a knack for teaching, it didn’t take long for her to get a good teaching job in ‘Blue Bell’ school which was near their office quarters. One late night when both were coming back after a night party a stray puppy got hit by a car and Dipendu stopped his vehicle picked up the frightened pup and took him home.

He nursed the puppy and soon it grew to be a handsome dog with a shiny brown coat. Meanwhile, Kajol had become a mother and the proud parents had a loving son. Though sometimes the grandparents visited them, mostly Dhruv was under the supervision of his nanny, Mrs. Primrose a nice middle-aged lady who had a good experience of bringing up children.

Kajol re-joined her school when Dhruv was a 3-year-old baby. Now it was time for him to get admitted to a good school. Dhruv for two years was in a nursery school near their house and Mrs. Primrose took care of taking him as well as bringing him home.

Later Dhruv was admitted to Delhi Public School which had a proper school bus. His school timings were from 8.30 to 2.30 but by the time the school bus came to drop near Dhruv’s gate it was almost 3.30 pm. Sometimes Mrs. Primrose used to go to the gate that was a little far from the apartments but slowly she left doing this job as she had developed pain on her right foot.

Dipendu requested the older boys to take care of Dhruv when he got off the bus as the way was quite long for the child to walk alone. Sometimes, Dipendu used to take Toddy along with him when he managed to reach home early. But every day it was not possible for either Kajol or Dipendu to take leave and come home for Dhruv. Though Kajol’s school work finished at 3 pm, by the time she reached home it used to be past 4 pm.

Now is the best part of the story. The coming morning both the husband-wife left for their jobs and the only satisfaction they had was to depend on the older boys who were nothing but careless.

Today Toddy did a wonderful job. He looked at the grandfather clock to strike 3 and started scratching the main door. Mrs. Primrose came slowly with her pained foot and wondered, why Toddy was behaving like this. She finally opened the door and Toddy ran out of the apartment. As the apartment was on the first floor he quickly jumped down the stairs and went to the main gate, waiting for the school bus to come. He saw Dhruv coming down and escorted the child home.

This became a daily routine for the faithful dog to escort his friend home from the bus stand. Toddy did his job earnestly till Dhruv was in his final year of school and old enough to look after himself. Toddy had become old and weary and often fell sick. Dipendu and Kajol took him to the vet but now no medicines worked on him.

One day Toddy left the family crying and there were a few relatives who had come and tried to console them but no words soothed Dipendu. When one of the elders said, ‘ Don’t cry, Toddy has gone to Heaven’.

Toddy was ever grateful to Dipendu when as a puppy he was hit by a car and was nursed by him and always looked after. Dogs never forget kindness. Today when we visit Dipendu’s house there is a lovely big smiling photograph of Toddy. One fine evening their friend suggested they keep another pet but the couple shook their heads. ‘No dog can replace Toddy. He never had a name of Alsatian, German Shepherd Lab, and many more. His only identity was, ‘I am Toddy’.