Bingo and Bublee

Bublee came to the window of her room as she heard the loud barking of Bingo as if he needed help. She saw that Bingo was anxiously moving outside the gate of their neighbour Mr Sharma’s bungalow. Moved by his barking she rushed to the kitchen and took out some food in a dish and within a minute she reached Bingo. He wagged his tail as he saw her, and grabbed the food from her if he was seeing it after many days.

She watched him empathetically as he gulped the food.

Mr Sharma sold the bungalow and left the city a month ago!  He left the dog outside the house. Poor Dog! From then he did not leave the gate of the house for a second also, he did not understand that he was ‘ABANDONED’.  Mr Sharma had brought him when he was a puppy. For 5 years Bingo’s world was only his master and the house, he had lived in.

She softly patted Bingo and said, ‘Bingo, don’t you understand they have abandoned you? Left you on your own.’

Bingo stopped eating, and his eyes became teary as if saying Yes! I do, but I am still hoping my master would return and take me along.

‘They will not return!’ She softly whispered to Bingo.

‘Bublee…where are you?’ Suddenly Bublee heard the shout of her mistress Radha and rushed back to her house.

As soon Radha saw Bublee, she shouted, ‘Again you went to feed that dog? How many times did I tell you not to do so? He is not our problem.’

Bublee nodded and rushed inside the kitchen for she had to first finish the cooking, and then cleaning of the house. After lunch, Radha and Mohan went to their room for the afternoon nap, and she also came to her room, and lay on the bed.

Bublee looked at the picture of mountains which she had hung on the wall of her room. She was ten years old when she was brought to this house by her brother. After that she never heard from him. She doesn’t remember her village name, only remembers it was in the midst of mountains. But that hardly matters now, for this is her home. For last 8 years she had lived in this house with Radha as domestic help.

Radha and her husband Mohan were an elderly couple. Their only son was residing in the USA who hardly visited them, she had seen him only twice in last eight years. Though they did not want to shift with him but used to visit him every year.

The house was very big with many rooms now locked up. Radha had given Bublee one of the best rooms in the house and treated her like her own child. Bublee also took care of them like her own parents.

A few days later Radha and Mohan left for the USA to meet their son, to return in a month.

Bublee brought Bingo into the house. Together they ate, slept, played and went for walks. They formed a bonding of understanding and caring for each other, and she did not missed Radha and Mohan at all.

One day, the doorbell rang and she ran to the door, only to see a stranger on the door.

‘Are you caretaker of the house?’ He asked.

She nodded but was confused by the way he surveyed the house.

‘Pack your bags and leave the house immediately. This property is now sold.’ He spoke.

‘What? The owner of the house is in the USA. They will return soon.’ She spoke hesitatingly.

‘No, They have decided to stay back in the USA. Last week their son had come to India and sold off the house.’

She could not believe what she just heard and stood in a numb state. After a pause, she gained senses and said, ‘I think you are a fraud. Let me call them first.’ And quickly she dialled the number Radha had given her to call in case of any emergency.

Mohan picked up the call. Bublee quickly said, ‘Mr. Mohan, someone is at our doorstep, telling me that the house is sold off and I must leave. Is it true?’ In her heart, she was very sure to hear that the news was not true.

Mohan replied, ‘Yes my child, it is true.’

She got the shock of her life, almost shouted, ‘But where would I go? I don’t know anyone to go to. How would I live without you and Radha.’

Mohan sounded very calm, ‘I will send some money to you. But you have to vacate the house now.’ And he kept the phone.

Bublee looked at the stranger who smiled at her. Shaken by the news, she slowly went to her room, took a deep breath, and sat on her bed. Praying hard that soon Radha will call and say that it was a prank by Mohan.

After some time she heard the shout of man, ‘Are you leaving now? I have to put a new lock on the doors.’

She realised that no call would come. Slowly she got up, packed a few clothes in a bag and came out of the house. Bingo followed her.

A few steps away from the house, she turned and looked at the house – this was her world, her home! Radha and Mohan were like her own parents! She had never ever thought, even in her dreams that they would leave her like that. She had no idea how the outside world is! She started crying, tears welled up.

Bingo barked loudly as if saying, now you understand my feelings! She smiled through her tears and said, ‘Yes! Bingo, I do understand now, the feeling of being ABANDONED is very difficult to accept! It is because we are scared to face the outside world. But now together we will find our way out!’

Bingo wagged his tail, as they walked down the road.

Rakhi Sunil Kumar