All the regulars on this blog are not new to Sultan. He has written a couple of blogs for us and is languishing in all the love and attention he gets from us human folks.
But today, the blog is about him.
Sultan came into my life and made a mark. He was the kind where one would get up and say, “That’s how I want my dog to be”, and by that I also mean a “Non-Dog-Lover” would also say that. He, as I have described him earlier, was a thorough gentleman. Calm, Composed, Obedient and a Laid Back character. Sometime so laid back, that the same quality could irritate you.
He moved from Delhi to Pune to come and live with his human parent, D, who was newly married. So here is a DOG who has moved to a new city with his parent and her newly wed husband. Now, our dear husband was not so much of a dog lover. From the distance was all fine, but to have one in the house is a completely different ball game. As a non-pet-owner, one has to be ready to a “dog smell” that lingers on and your feet and hands licked just for the sake of being licked. It does take some “getting used to”. But Sultan and husband managed it and husband finally managed to come around to having him around. Also, because Sultan didn’t really give anyone an option of “not loving him”. Trained to the T, wipes his feet before coming into the house, house trained, never spills water, sometimes begs at the table, but just needs a sharp NO to snap out of it, a wagging tail that could knock of things off the table, I mean, what more could one want? So naturally, for the husband, who was a first time pet parent, it’s all joy.
And then offcourse, there was the unfaltering love. Sultan carried a wet nose and a bag full of love with him. He was pretty much like Santa, the bag just never got empty. Be it the vet, extended family, the house-help, new dogs and their owners, children all were loved with equal gusto and the same wet nose. A quick sit, a handshake and Sultan had a friend for life.
He would come and stay with us everytime his parents would travel out. His parents, like any other parents, would feel guilty at the time of dropping him and Sultan would be walking in hiding his “glee face” which said- Parents are out- lets party 🙂 Much to his parents disappointment, he very rarely would look back to wave the final bye as his parents got in the car to leave PetSitters. He had his gang of friends-Sasha, Lucy, Steffi, Lily, Rolf, Omi, Sherry, Jazz, Whiskey, Snoozy and the list could go one. He loved the cool winds, would sit basking in the morning sun and cool breeze for hours together. He always wanted to be Chiquitta’s friend, but he was slightly scared of her. He had a bunker to himself, he would go stand there. He had an Army background, so bunkers were a part of his life. So whenever Chiquitta came prancing around, he would eye her from his bunker seat.
Always ready to fetch a ball and always ready for a tummy rub, such was the boy. For the life he lived, I mean, even I was jealous. Makes you get up every morning and say, God I want to be Sultan in my next life. Such was the joy to have him around and such was the love he spread wherever he went.
Cut to TODAY, I miss him. A great deal infact. Not a day goes, when i look at the bunker and he doesn’t enter my memory, rather barges into it. But then, I know he is making some other people happy or maybe he is making the Gods go Crazy. Who knows? Everytime i have a tale to tell about pets settling into new environments, his name comes up. I thank his family for allowing him into my life. It was meant to be.
