Browny, the Alarm Dog

The earsplitting sound of the alarm clock forgotten to reset on Saturday night faded into the fresh bright-lit Sunday morning. The alarm clock makes no sense on Sundays unless somebody comes to the bedside and pulls off the blankets! Browny would walk slowly into the bedroom and climbed on the bed staring at his snuggling master. Then he went on to perform his duty- pull off the blankets- like any other day. Meet Browny, my ‘stupid dog’ who does not know how to differentiate the days of the week.

He is a spaniel. He catches me rabbits and I had to get up in return and take him for a walk across our backyard where he will do his ‘morning wash-ups’. Then he has to be taken to the kitchen where he waited for his share of tea and biscuits. He eats like a real doggie! We try to feed him well but at time it is not always possible. He is as sly as a jackal on such occasion. He will just lay there at the doorsteps with his head set on the flowerpot without saying ‘goodbye’ to anyone. Aunty will take pity on him and we had to part with our share of bacons.

Browny is a flirt. The moment the gate opens he will run ahead and jump into the air performing various defying acts along the by-lanes. We forbid him from doing such ‘silly acts’ but the story repeats every time the heavenly gates open. . We do not encourage such activities and would scold him like any mischievous kids. He would then lowered his tail and walk along by side by side like a good boy. I came to know later from our local veterinary doctor that he was trying to impress his female species, just as humans do. Henceforth, whenever I took him out for a walk he is now like any young man who presents to take a morning walk a long the park to get some ‘scenic’ beauty.

My sister and Browny are like cats and dogs. Of course Browny is definitely a dog but sometimes I wondered if my sister could be really a cat. She once hit and kicked him when he unleashed pile of his mature on the carpet. He snarls at her as if to say ‘I’ll never forget that.’ So, I warned Browny that if he ever does that again to her, he would have to go. Since then there was reserve peace between the two.

One Friday afternoon, I returned home from college there was nobody coming to greet me. Not even that ‘stupid dog’ who spoil my Sunday mornings! It had run away because my sister had beaten him with a broom for repeating his toiletry act on the carpet. I search for Browny fearing he may be in trouble or upsetting others. As nightfall and still no signs of Browny, I pray for his safe return.

As the clock stuck 9’, which means dinner for us, and also for Browny. We heard him wailing and trying to get into the house like the runaway child. This time Browny must be saying, ‘I’ll never run away again even that ‘cat’ hammer me.’ He ate to his fill and slept soundly that night. From then on he became quite and would droop his head as if in shame.

To my surprise my sister now prepared food for Browny and they would be seen going to the grocery together to buy kitchen stuffs. They became closer each day and sometimes Browny even refuse to hear my calls. They must have signed a permanent peace accord!

To my surprise Browny now gets not only a share from my plates but also from my sister. Every now and then I try to bribe him out but all that he did was just eat up the booty and do nothing to return my favour. H must have met a priest who told him to renounce his earlier behaviour on that fateful day! My notion about his stupidity gradually changed. I started to believe that Browny is no longer as stupid as he appeared to be. Stupid or wiser, I do miss his morning calls, which he no longer cared to do for two protracted years.

One fine morning just as I was beginning to think my days with Browny will not be the same as it was 2 years back, he came running with a huge lump of meat in his wet mouth followed cautiously by my furious sister pleading him to keep off the meat. Browny came beside me and sat down. I see this as his petition to save him. So, I did what I had done many times before. I allowed him to go ahead with the meat as I celebrate my triumph!

Browny is now 6 years old and grown much more mature. He has learned how to greet and go along well with everyone in the house. Except for the fact that he suffered from mild to moderate arthritis, and had several fatty tumors around his abdomen he is great. So, a kennel was prepared so that the last several years of his life will be spent with boundless supplies of love and attention. Beloved by all, Browny is still energetic, playful, and loving. Known for his loyalty, he now makes great pets for young and old alike. It's not possible for the innocent face of a now transform dog not to melt anyone's heart! However, I no longer had the Sunday morning wake up calls, but then we still go flirting along the neighborhood on Sundays.