I wish there was a fancy way to begin this.. i wish i could make it interesting... but an honest adieu is what i can write.. for once im shattered .. for once i feel helpless.. for once i regret... It all began in 1999.. I, entering the next standard.. sigh those days when all that mattered was simply passing and a higher mark here and there for the ying yang balance.. heck that's what my school days felt like... Going through a tough 97 and equally a more controversial 98.. it was in April 1999 that i felt god was actually paying attention to me... A miracle happened.. my mum- the so not dog lover she is (don't get me wrong.. she is just not fond of them) announced that there might be a surprise.. On my desperate attempts to convince here what it was.. she finally gave in once my results were out.. I was soon to get a small little daschund .. and on that very day.. So quickly i was chauffeured to our family friend's place to pick up one (Mum, the darling she is.. had already done the groundwork).. so here i reach.. and not one not two.. but i had to choose from 5 puppies .. if i had my way i would have taken them all back home.. but such is life.. so i stood .. observing.. finally the only words that i could come up with were... 'which one is the naughtiest' and lo behold.. that was my first introduction to miss crystal.. just feeling her lost in my hand made me feel i knew she was the one.. my child,.. my lil brown bundle of joy.. so calm , so tiny .. so cuddly.. On our way back, she seemed scared and i just stroked her and tried to have a telepathic conversation saying ' Dont worry i will take care of you.. '..I wish i could live up to that assurance... always.....
First few days came with hand feeding crystal bread and milk.. including my enacting out how yummy the milk is ... I actually went on my fours.. with my face near her bowl and said ' mmmmm Yummy.. Crystal yummy' and surprisingly it worked.. heck crystal was hardly ever a dog.. she was more like a child who never really grew up...What followed were lovely memories including crystal's fixation with Maa's salwars.. god she really just had to tear them apart.. Just when they were all clean and ready to be ironed.. oh yes it was always the fresh laundry that excited kichhu..Maa complained and cursed her zillion time ...But crystal would just show her lil innocent face and all Maa's anger would just fade and transform into a smile.
There were times when kittu would hijack our slippers or shoes and sleep with a pair in her basket...Probably presuming that one foot missing might stop us from going out:(...sigh.. No foot.. mind you .. we all have big feet.. and she that little hardly 11/2 feet four legged angel could lift.. managed to do and keep one foot hidden in her blankets..these little things make a goodbye so difficult...of course how can i forget her 'dushmani' with the squirrels..every evening.. sharp at 5... she would run towards the ashokas in our lawns and bark her head off at the squirrels.. it was a matter of time that we realised that crystal actually played hide and seek with them.. and surprisingly the squirrels waited for to enter and begin their game;p... that was crystal
They say a dog has one master... i guess mum was crystal's soft corner.. she turned Maa into a dog lover instantly. Mum would let her sit on her lap... take care of her.. talk to her.. we were just amazed.. and oh yes when crystal dirtied around.. mum definitely had somebody she could actually call a bitch....heeheeeeeee
Crystal had a boyfriend too.. well he was actually mate for life - Chip.. I used to stay in a joint family and chip was one of my closest cousin's daschund.. I think crystal and chip had fallen in love at the very first sight.. atleast that what i feel.. it was one of funniest couples ive seen.. crystal being petite, warm, naughty and elegant female.. (the amount she used to fuss over eating food) and chip the fat, arrogant and smart male.. well technically crystal didnt have an option since pluto (my other dog) was already introduced as her brother...
So Chip and Crystal had like 21 babies.. wait.. not altogether.. in litters of 3 or 4 sometimes.. my god kitty baba's babies were just so small.. very very tiny... haha i remember the first time crystal delivered ... i think i was having the last semester and had just gone to grab a cup of coffee.. when i returned .. i saw a tiny.. potty like thing on the floor.. and boy was i angry.. i thought she shat there.. uff... but then .. it started moving.. i looked at it, crystal looked at me (i could see that from the corner of my eye)... and then it hit... awwwwwww.. my baby had a baby.... bas that was it... i announced it to everyone who was on my memory speed dial..crystal had a baby... and then when mum came... crystal had started delivering more puppies.. boy was that an experience.. i quickly grabbed the only book on dogs.. did a crash course in an hour.. and made sure that i was there throughout the delivery...ensuring there was something to scratch for crystal, a basket ready for the new born and well that's all i can remember..
Watching crystal as the ideal mother was an amazing experience.. this little brownie.. was able to manage , feed and train puppies on her own.. without any training or someone to help.. that's a learning for humans.. how much we crib about babies.. just looking at crystal i could feel motherhood being so difficult yet so naturally training...
Crystal's babies were everywhere.. i think my cousin's ring ceremony was going in our house and madam crystal was delivering triplets upstairs.. once we were back from the ceremony.. mum and dad were simply shocked... crystal had taken her 3 babies and had taken the diwan for herself.. ..The whole night mum and dad spend cleaning the diwan and next day had the airing in store;p... that was fun.. atleast for us..i think she used to compare herself with Maa at times... because whenever she would put babies on the sofa .. Mum used to put them back in the basket.. and crystal gave that look that now 'i have babies and they deserve comforts as your kids'- This was translated by yours truely 's mother.;p..
Once crystal lost one of her babies.. he died of malnourishment... and i cried and cried... post the burial., crystal used to constantly look around for him.. this continued for years.. it was sad to see her longing and her hope to finally find him.. that's what a mother does...
For Paa, crystal adorned the role of an assistance.. Now my dad the complicated man he is.. is extremely fond of fiddling around the house.. so every sunday crystal would follow him everywhere.. if you could see a long tail peeping out of garage .. it was obvious that crystal was exploring the car while papa was busy polishing or cleaning it... if the electric room was open crystal would be standing ether guarding till papa finished his work.. and she hated being disturbed at that time... it was her time with papa.. her sunday funday:)
We all loved especially I and Noodley (that's what i call my sister).. crystal knew all our secrets..she would celebrate with us, play 'ghar ghar' with us ;p.. and even comfort us when we were upset.. crystal knew what to do.. Like mum said ' crystal always knew when someone was upset..She would just sit and nudge her head against to show she was there'....
Even pluto.. she used to trouble pluto by constantly barking at him.. it looked like she was complaining .. frustrated with his laziness and troubling him .. irritating him so that he would move and play with her.. and she had guts.. pluto was always wary of her.. always.. i think she controlled him.. sounds strange considering crystal was hardly 1/12 feet and pluto is about 3 - 4 feet ... but yes... when cyrstal had babies.. pluto was very protective of the puppies.. he was very gentle.. being a indian shepherd breed, gudies are very ferocious.. but pluto he was like their babysitter;p.. it was fun watching him trying to play so carefully with the little monster...
Soon crystal had to undergo sterlisation considering her health was getting affected... at that time chip and crystal used to go for their evening walks and just sit beside each other during that time.due to paralysis .. chip passed away..very very sad...i think crystal knew that he was going even before it happened.
Years passed.. we shifted to a new house..crystal got older.. then a tragic accident happened... i think it was in 2006.. she was attacked by an Alsatian..and was very weak.. it did not look as if she would survive the night.. that night i prayed.. prayed that god gives her years from my life.. prayed that my only angel is around me .. prayed that she gets better.. i did not sleep the whole night.. i guess i already had experienced possibility of her loss that night. Morning came with a bright sunshine and post visit at docs and constant care she recovered though her breathing became heavy.. i remember that within days pluto broke his chain and ran and attacked that alsatian...
With recovery came constant worry and protection...though i was away most of college, pg and work years.. mum took good care of crystal... she was quite active for her age.. naughtier than ever.. Chocolate were her weakness.. just a whiff and that was it.. you'll have the most pathetic, the most sad and the most desperate look thrown at you.. that used to make me feel that im such a horrible horrible person to do this... and i used to give in...I had become more protective of her as years passed.. worried and dreading this day...
Crystal was my support, my pampered child and my little baby... she was fussed over.. i used to love shopping for her.. ive never been the decorate your pet in clothes sorts.. so pampering meant getting a new basket or a house.. she used to love that house and that basket'
i remember the first time the 'introdcutions' between the basket and crystal happened.. she was confused.. she was acting as if i was putting her in a forbidden comfort zone.. then i actually had to tell her that this is yours.. that was it she just understood me.. the same happened with the house.. but once she got used to it ... it was difficult to get her out... even i tried peeping in.. and she simply ignored.. what attitude man;p
Sigh so many memories have come ... there was this daily routine .. she just wouldnt eat her food.. unless it was chicken.. i tried the yummy bit it worked but again she was back to fussing around.. then out of anger i started saying that im going to feed pluto and you arent getting any goodies... this worked.. she immediately started eating.. i dont know how she understood all this.. but she always did..
One incident that comes to my mind is when a friend pug was at home.. crystal started acting weird.. we had our family friends for dinner and it was winters.. so crystal thinking that she has been replaced.. went and sat at the farthest corner.. even after the dog left it took me 2 days to get her back to her bubbly self.. then i realised that this child just wanted that attention.. we meant the world to her.. we were her world.. when actually she was the world to us:).
when i was leaving for australia for higher studies.. crystal was the one who was running around the house,, licking me all around and giving the best farewell ever.. and similarly whenever i came back i used to feel like princess ... the welcome she gave.. the unconditional love i got... i guess i learnt a lot from her... she was an angel.. who stood there through my toughest times.. was a support for each member of my family... she was just an angel that god had sent for me.. she was , is and will always be my baby...She s taken care of me.. all important steps of my life.. whether it was boards , tiffs with maa or paa, or noodley or friends or even boyfriends.. crystal was there.. she would just sit next to me.. and i knew things would get better..
With eyes swollen, unstoppable tears and a regret for life that i just could not meet her ... i bid you farewell crystal... words cannot ever express the amount i love you... i really wanted to say goodbye.. hug you hold you and kiss you that one last time... but as a close friend says.. i could never say goodbye to my kicchy... never..... i really hope god is taking care of you there.. and you are happy... i love you crystal ... my kiggly... my baby... my angel... Actually im going to have a big piece of chocolate and say 'till we meet again... Im sure we will crystal.. im sure we will':)
O Poof what do they know about dogs .. i grunted
I remember feeding you milk and bread.. putting small pieces in your mouth.. you would always be careful not to bite my fingers... always be gentle.
When crystal, our little mini daschund (who we lost last year) came, we were very worried about Pluto's reaction. When we unleashed him .. all he did was go sniff crystal and give her a big lick... he was always so protective and loving... But yet an excellent guard dog.. Alert, daring and the attacking kinds...There was one very silly habit he had .. Every month he used to wait for an opportunity when he was untied, and no one was noticing.. He would just run away out of the house only to come back all messed up and silly grin on his face which translated as ' heehee.. i did it';p.. mad he was... the next few hours went in scolding and bathing him.. 
Years passed by.. I was away all the time ..you were my companion .. my protector and my baby.. and I was constantly away running the rat race.. you always understood .. always welcomed me.. always called me in a unique.. wolfy sound 'baaaaaooooooohhh'.. of all the chicken bones ive sneaked out.. and the bikis you loved... and your rug...your red and black grand throne ... baby you are and will always be a part of me... the best years of my life,....you gave me everything... 
