The Dog Surprise
I was at the airport that day. It was finally summer time, and after spending 4 months in my dorm, immersed in club activities and semester preparation, I was finally getting a 3-month long respite from everything. So I coaxed my parents into letting me go to the hills with my friends.
On that day, we were to leave for Bangalore from where we would take the road to Ooty. I had arrived early that day, and was done with the security check within 30 minutes. I was there in the lounge area, munching on Pringles and watching an episode from Sword Art Online (I’m an otaku), when I noticed this couple sitting across the bench. They looked fairly young, and were in formal attire. Both were bent a phone, and were fussing over what I supposed was their baby.
The lady kept saying, “Be a good boy, and don’t trouble Nana too much.” It might have been their first time away from the child. Their fussing only increased as time passed. I looked over, and found the lady crying.
Hearing them talk, my mind wondered off to my childhood memories. I am from a middle class family where both of my parents worked to support the family. Both of them were often out on their job trip. So I had to spend most of my time with my grandparents. I kinda always felt lonely and incomplete. Its not easy living away from your parents at such a tender age, but grandpa sort of always tried to make it upto that. You can say I was quite disturbed in the beginning, but eventually got used to them being away. I never got to build the sacred bond that all the children have with their parents. Many a nights I found myself troubled and crying myself to sleep, unable to find a motherly touch to comfort me. Just reliving those memories now makes me sad beyond compare.
I was going over those times when I was rudely pulled out of my thoughts by an announcement of my boarding. I slowly got up, and began walking to the queue. I don’t know why, but I had a strong desire then to find out who this couple’s child was. I stopped midway, and went looking for them. They were still seated in the same place, and were still talking to their baby. I tried my best not to look suspicious or cringy, and walked behind the couple, trying to get a good look at the baby.
To my utter surprise, I found that for the last 40 minutes, the baby this couple has been fussing over is nothing but a small Labrador puppy. A month or two old Labrador pup made me go over my childhood memories in the middle of a bustling airport. I almost doubled over laughing at the sudden turn the events took. The couple gave me a questioning look, so I excused myself. I still found myself recounting the details to my friends over the flight. Quite a laugh we had back then.
