Bingo

No, it was not always like this! I think we began as a fairly ‘normal’ family.  For a good number of years we were a family with just two dogs. That’s quite sane isn’t it? Bozo was a handsome specimen of a dog and though Bingo was the first rescued animal of our family, he was Quite different from all the other animals that followed. He was amazingly good looking and no one could believe that he was a stray, abandoned by his mother.

Friends often said that they would love to pick up a dog like him but I wonder how many of them would have done so! He came as a scraggly little pup with huge boils on his skin. Within a week he had lost all his hair and looked a sight. We bravely tried out all possible beauty treatments and some home remedies like neem leaves on him. One fine morning we discovered the 5 o’clock shadow look on Bingo. There was a tinge of blue on his skin and thereafter, there was no looking back…

I returned from the hospital with my first born and could not recognize Bingo. He tail was like a shaggy chrysanthemum and he was beautifully shaded like some painting. I heard of how naughty he had been in my absence and how he had been stealing chocolates and sweets.

Soon, Bingo became everyone’s favourite. He was exceptionally intelligent and well behaved. He won over all those who were dead scared of dogs. Somehow everyone loved him. None of my friends came over with sweets only for my daughters. Bingo was always included. On one occasion we went out for a day trip and later I was told that our house never had so many guests dropping in. A close friend took a dive from office to baby sit Bingo. He was however most unimpressed and we were given a very, very cold shoulder on our return!

Bingo did not believe that he was a dog. In fact, none of us treated him like one. The question of him being taken out for a walk just did not arise. He would smartly hop on to a scooter and stand in front, unfazed, like any human kid. Similarly he would hop on to the nearest rickshaw even if we were going for a short walk. At times he would even try to go off to parents’ place, which was not too far off, on his own. On one such occasion, not finding a rickshaw, he decided to hop on to a cart of a ‘press wala’!
You can imagine the poor guy’s horror! One of our neighbours stopped his scooter to have a laugh at this guy’s expense. He did not laugh for too long. Bingo, seeing the scooter, was only too happy to change the mode of transport!

Bingo was regal. Never got into a fight with other dogs and if he got attacked, we found we were on the road fighting his battles!  Wonder of wonders he was never interested in any female (my father-in-law was convinced he was a high soul)! He was a connoisseur of good food. If Bingo liked the food it meant it had to be good. He could give his verdict not only on things like kebabs but also makai ki roti and sarsoo ka saag. He had some peculiar tics. He thought it was undignified to show his approval of the food given to him. He would NEVER begin eating if he thought we were watching him.

Bingo was fiercely protective. I can never remember getting out of bed and not have him following me around. He could take up any challenge if he felt the kids were in danger. He loved my husband the most but would rather stay and guard the kids and me than abandon us to go off for a walk with him.

Bingo passed away in my husband’s arms at the age of thirteen. It was the end of a chapter in our lives. We have had a variety of animals since then but Bingo will always occupy a very special place which no other animal can take.