JACK- the endearing dog

WARNING:

You must read the INTRODUCTION before you commence reading this book.

INTRODUCTION

Hi friends! I’m Jack about whom you are going to read in this book. Of
course, you may wonder how a dog can write like this. But, I strongly suggest you
to not to ponder over this issue since it is merely a short story.

Well, let us come back to our topic. We know many autobiographies of great
persons like Wings of fire (Abdul Kalam), Playing it my way (Sachin Tendulkar)
etc…. Have you ever thought of writing your own autobiography?

Well, a similar thought flashed in my mind. This book, merely, came from
that astounding thought. This book comprises of all the encumbrances in my life,
all my supercalifragilisticexpialidocious memories. In short, I can say that this
book merely elucidates my life story in a nut shell.

By:

JACK.

A wide range of difficult words have been used by me in this book.

As far as possible, I’ve tried to use utmost number of idioms as per the
corresponding situation. If you understand the vocabulary I’ve used in
this book properly, this book wouldn’t be monotonous to you. I hope so
you would feel spellbinding while reading this book. May I anticipate?

-Jonnakuti Pramod.
 MY LIFE STORY was very different from my friends’ stories. In fact,
whenever, I remember my past, it still knocks me down with a feather. I outclassed
many plights since the time I was born. Indeed, I wasn’t taken care of during my
childhood days. To make the circumstances barbarous, even proper food wasn’t
given to me to eat, when I was small. At last, after tolerating all those bitter pills,
now I’m in the seventh heaven.

I’d like to commence my story right from the moment I

was born. I can recall , when I was lying on a pavement, a person , so
affectionately, held me up with his hands. He was taking me to some place. My
mind was filled with full of zeal to know the place where he was taking me to.

Unexpectedly, the person took me to a pet shop. He talked to the pet shop
owner. He slowly had dropped me there and left the pet shop. I, still, don’t know
the reason why tears came down from my eyes, along my cheek, when the person
was leaving the pet shop. I cried my eyes out and in fact, I was down in the dumps
when the person abandoned me in the pet shop.

The shop owner put me in a big cage, no, a prison, in which other dogs were
also there. In a few days, all the 4 dogs Peter, Harry, Oscar, Max became my best
friends. The first few days in that pet shop ran well and I thought that the shop
owner was a nice person. But, my friends told me that my conviction was
erroneous. Contrarily, all my friends always used to objurgate the shop owner in a
bad way. I didn’t know the reason.
 As the days were running, I perceived the
viciousness of the shop owner in at least not giving proper food to me and my
friends. At that moment, I understood the reason why my friends used to rebuke
him all the time. Day by day, the pet shop owner appeared more barbaric. Every
day, the vicious and ferocious shop owner used to beat me and my friends with a
stick. All of us couldn’t condone that nefarious treatment. Indeed, we were in dire
straits. The pet shop owner treated us in a very, and in fact, a very very cruel and
violent way.

One day, a rich person came to the pet shop and asked the pet shop owner
for an adorable and a little dog. Unfortunately, the rich person selected my best
friend, Oscar as his pet dog. He paid the shop owner and took Oscar to his home.
On one hand, I was on cloud nine because my best friend, Oscar had got a
gorgeous and luxurious life. On the other hand, my heart sank in sorrow as Oscar
was no more with me.

I felt that bad times began for me and my remaining friends because of
fiendish treatment of arrogant shop owner. My friends and truly, I too, ascertained
that death is better than life in that aggressive pet shop.

One day, pet shop owner brought his wife and 2 children to
his shop. The 2 children appeared very charming and delightful. Unlike the shop
owner, they looked very innocent. But, within a short span of time, I cognized the
fact that my credence was, certainly, erroneous.

Both of them maltreated us. They pulled our tails, scourged us. We felt
deeply depressed and none of us wanted to stay in that atrocious pet shop. Both of
them looked very innocent but were actually, very arrogant. By this incident, I
clearly understood that we can’t judge a book by its cover.

In a very few days after Oscar had gone; many customers came to pet shop
and adopted my friends. They made me isolated by taking away all my friends.
This time, I got a face like a wet weekend owing to the fact that I had been forlorn
without my friends.

After all my friends had gone, the pet shop owner became more and more
vile. I couldn’t bear that brutal treatment anymore. Eventually, I decided to
abandon the pet shop and knock the door of freedom. But, surprisingly, I’d a dream
that night, in which I too got a sumptuous life and splendid home like my friends.
That dream restored all my hopes and I’d changed my decision.

Condoning all his callousness, anticipating

for a better life than this, I decided to stay in that odious pet shop. Surprisingly, my
hopes weren’t burnt to ashes. The day came, for which I had been waiting for ages.
It seemed me that my dreams had come true. A good-looking person came to the
pet shop and asked the pet shop owner for an endearing dog.

I started hopping up and down and moving my tail in happiness. In fact, I

was over the moon since I felt that good times had begun for me. Candidly, I was
happy as a clam owing to the two reasons. The main reason was that I’d been
getting out of that vexatious pet shop which, according to me, was worse than hell.
Anyway, I finally dodged a bullet. The other reason was that my dream, which I
thought a fantasy, had come true. I hummed joyously as I felt that I too, like my
friends, had got a delightful and sumptuous life to live.

At this moment, you might be under the impression that at last, after all the
encumbrances, I got an opulent life. If you are of that opinion, I say that your
perspective is assuredly fallacious. To make it crystal clear, I strongly suggest you
to pursue reading my story.
 The urge to enter my new life became stronger
in me. That good-looking person took me to his home. In fact, his home was
resplendent and magnificent. Every day, he used to play with me. In my point of
view, he is, truly, gregarious and benevolent person. I was of the perspective that I
was born under a lucky star. My face was lit up with contentment for living with
such an altruistic person.

One day, as usual, he went to office. As he was not there to play with me, I
felt very tedious and monotonous. Hence, I came to a decision to take a nap.
Nevertheless, before I went out like a light, somebody had given me a beating with
a stick. I turned my head and found that she’s his wife. Before I could apprehend
this fact, she walloped me again and again with a stick.

I couldn’t understand the reason why she was walloping

me. I cried in vain because of pain. I can’t forget that day in my life. She was more
barbaric than the pet shop owner. In an unmerciful and ruthless manner, she
tormented me and I had to condone her sadistic torment until her husband’s advent
from office to home.

Her husband saw me in a very bad condition. My body was full of stick
marks. I couldn’t even walk properly after her merciless torture. Seeing all this, the
person was reduced to tears. But, having known his wife’s fiendish behavior, the
person could do nothing contrary to his wife’s words. He was beside himself with
grief.
 The fallout of that savage agony was deeply depressing. I was under the
weather. I’d a sinking feeling since I was deeply hurt physically, as well as,
mentally. I couldn’t nod off that night. In fact, I was not able to fall asleep because
I lost my heart. I cried bitterly whole night. But, the fact was that I liked the
person. He used to play with me joyfully.

In spite of his wife’s brutal torture, I didn’t like to leave the house owing to
the fact that I liked spending time by playing with that kind-hearted person.

The next day morning, as usual, he went to office. But, I looked blue around
the gills in view of the standpoint that my health condition was not at all improved.
Despite feeling blue, his wife flogged me that day also many times. Indeed, it was
a very devastating & depressing incident. I was no longer able to bear that cold-
blooded torment. Without my awareness, I slept. In fact, I didn’t fall asleep. I lost
my consciousness.

I was at a loss seeing myself in a veterinary hospital, when

I opened my eyes. The person was standing in front of me. No sooner had I seen
his face, than I reminisced about his wife’s inhumane torment. Hence I didn’t want
to go to his home. As a sign of showing my anger, I barked loudly. But, the person
took me in his hands so affectionately and benevolently. Honestly, I melted like an
ice block in front of his solicitude. Anticipating a good life, I went along with him
to his home.

At this stage, you might have palpably got hesitation; why to live in his
home even after that pitiless affliction? I went to his home in spite of his wife’s
brutal torment only because I’d expected a good change in his wife’s behavior.

Seeing both of us in the house again, his wife became hot under the collar.
She was in a black mood. Her angry facial expressions made my blood run cold.
He left me in the garden and began heading for his office. But, at that moment, I
was transfixed with fear. In fact, my whole body convulsed when I thought of her
torture. It’s, indeed, very onerous to paint a word picture of my trepidation.

Surprisingly, the person’s wife neither flogged me nor

tormented me in any way. I was really bewildered. She used to torment me in one
or the other way but that day, she didn’t hurt me in any way.

I was of the view that my expectation had become correct. I thought that
she’d changed her barbaric behavior. Moreover, she brought me some tasty
biscuits to eat. They were not only tasty, but also appetizing and delicious. I ate
them and soon after, I fell asleep.

The reality was that this time also, I said, “I fell asleep” instead of saying, “I
lost my consciousness.” But, the latter one is precise. What actually happened was
that roguish woman cheated me by giving me some sort of poisonous biscuits
which made me unconscious. I became aware of this fact only when I had opened
my eyes.

SCRAP, SCRAP, SCRAP

everywhere! I was unable to believe my eyes when I saw myself in a garbage
truck. After I had become unconscious, she dumped me in her trash bin and sent it
to the garbage truck. I truly affirm that I’ve never seen such kind of arrogant &
vulgar woman in my life. I groaned inwardly as I missed that person, who was very
benignant & benevolent.

At that moment, I wanted to jump out of that truck and go to that person’s
home but I couldn’t. That’s only because of the fact that garbage truck had already
reached other city which was unknown to me. The truck’s journey pursued for
nearly an hour or so. In two shakes, the truck stopped. A person came and saw me.
I was dropped there and the truck went away.

I was left with no one surrounding me. I was solely. I was a bit intimidated
by the solitariness. I found nobody to help me. Slowly, I began walking along the
road. At last, I ended up at a place where many people were rambling here and
there.

I caught a glimpse of a group of children who were playing

games. No sooner did they catch sight of me, than they began throwing stones at
me. I couldn’t condone that pain. In the twinkling of an eye, with full of
exasperation, I barked at them loudly. In no time, they ran away. Actually, my
intention was not to threaten those children but their action made me to act in that
way.

Soon after that incident, I espied a group of intimidating dogs nearing me.
Those dogs frightened the day lights out of me. They scared me out of their senses.
I could do nothing at that stage other than heading for the hills. I took to my heels.

I ran with all possible haste. But, those dogs too, chased me at the speed of
light. Those dogs discontinued chasing me only after I receded from their sight.
Actually, I hid inside a trash bin so as to escape from them. The dogs went away. I
had a sigh of relief as it was a narrow escape. I was oblivious of the fact that the
trash bin in which I was hiding was encompassed by crackers. Hence, I jumped out
of the trash bin after someone had fired the crackers.

Now, you can form a picture of my trepidation as soon as I heard

the sound of crackers in your mind. At that instant, I’d one and only one target,
which is nothing but to show a clean pair of heels. I found a way to abscond.
Thinking nothing, I escaped through that way. But, I delayed it. My tail was
burning.

No sooner had I cognized this fact, than I jumped into nearby fountain like
an arrow from a bow. I was struck dumb as soon as I got out of the fountain owing
to the fact that all those incidents occurred like a whirl wind. I was out of the blue
and indeed, jumped out of my skin soon after that narrow escape.

I began walking towards a colossal tree to take a nap under it. Actually, the
verity lies in the fact that I was seeing only that tree and walking towards it. But,
astonishingly, I didn’t pay heed to where my feet were going. I can say that I was
completely incognizant of what was happening surrounding me. An old man
shouted at me very loudly on the spur of the moment.

No sooner did
I pay heed to him, than I caught a sight of a car moving towards me at breakneck
speed. My mind was filled with confusion & consternation. In an instant, I tried to
jump. Unluckily, this time too, I delayed that task. But, the car hadn’t delayed that
task. What actually happened was that the car hit me. I was rushed into the
veterinary hospital, in fact second time, by the old man who shouted at me.
 After some days, I became conscious and actually, I don’t know the time
period during which I was unconscious. The old man who was standing in front of
me treated me in an amiable manner. He’s, indeed, an affable person. I was very
sympathetic towards him. I didn’t know what was flashing in his mind. I merely
dreamt of a new life. I didn’t desire for more than that and in fact I couldn’t.

Unexpectedly, he took me to the same pet shop from where my story had
been begun. Seeing the fierce pet shop owner and casting my mind back to his
threatening torment, I, promptly, beat a hasty retreat. I didn’t know what the old
man had thought of me after that incident. Caring for no one, I ran expeditiously.

I ended up at a place where my

stomach began roaring which connoted that I was ravenous. I was famished but I
could do nothing since nothing was there to eat. I was extremely hungry but there
was no one to mitigate my hungriness. I was roaring with hunger.

Seeing my worse health condition, a benignant dog alleviated my hungriness

by giving me some food stuff he had. I ate them and asked him his name. I found
that his name is Duke. In not more than a couple of days, Duke and I became good
friends. Duke told me that he too, like me was solitary and no one was there to take
care of him. I was full of the joys of spring and I was like a dog with two tails for
having such a good friend.

Duke is indeed, very affable and therefore, I divulged my whole story to him
in a nutshell. Duke felt very sad about my plights. Both of us came to a decision to
be as friends forever. Duke was not only good-natured and kind-hearted, but also
very venturous. I’ll tell you an incident which reinforced our friendship bond.
Duke extricated me from a bitter pill in a very valiant way.
 A group of dogs which chased me in the past
came when Duke wasn’t there with me. I couldn’t escape as there was no way to
abscond. I was scared a lot and screamed loudly for help. No sooner had Duke
heard my voice, than he came. Duke fought with those terrifying dogs in a very
courageous way. Finally, his valiant effort made all those dastardly dogs to run
away like the wind. In this way, Duke disencumbered me in an audacious way.

This is only one typical case but there are many more instances
which show beyond doubt that he’s my best friend. It was not once, twice or thrice
but patently, I can claim that he rescued me from peril many times. Some friends
stay with us only during good times and in fact they are our real foes. But,
genuinely, Duke was not like that. In my point of view, Duke was not a fair-
weather friend. As a matter of fact, Duke and I got on like a house on fire.

Now, I’ll tell you about a venturesome task performed by both of us. One
day, when Duke and I were walking on a road, we caught a glimpse of an old
woman who was carrying a basket filled with grocery items. In a trice, a stony-
hearted thief stole the old woman’s purse and took to his heels. The old woman
was unable to do anything at that instant.
 Witnessing the thief’s callousness, both of us flew off the handle. We went
ballistic and decided to punish that ruthless robber. Soon after, we ran like the
lightning and obstructed his way. Duke and I started barking in a vulgarly
obtrusive manner. Our terrible scream made the thief’s hair stand on end. He
dropped the purse and ran away with all possible haste. The old woman cherished
us by giving a small pat on our heads. Furthermore, she gave us some food items
from that basket to eat. Duke and I ate them blissfully. My face was utterly filled
with self-satisfaction & gratification. It wasn’t since I got some food but indeed, it
was since I helped someone!

One day, when both of us were just casually strolling around the streets, a
dog catcher spotted us. We were oblivious of him, ergo continued strolling. On our
way, I descried the dog catcher’s shadow with a net in his hand. Without turning
my head back, I told about it to Duke. In a flash, both of us headed for the hills and
the dog catcher ran after us but to our unpleasant amazement, we caught a sight of
another dog catcher in front of us who was cooling his heels keenly with a net in
his hand to catch us.

We couldn’t abscond. He caught me with a net. Duke

took his courage in both hands and bit the net with his razor-sharp teeth. As soon
as he bit the net, I made a quick exit. Instantaneously, Duke and I fled from that
place. Having reached a safe and sound place, both of us had a sigh of relief. We
felt that we’d dodged a bullet.

Before Duke set foot in my life, I’d confronted many adversities but there
was no one to rescue me from those plights. In fact, impediments weren’t faded
away even after Duke entered my life. Actually, they became more and in each
step of my life I began to deal with extreme adversities. But, I was not at all frantic
only because of the reason that I gave credence to Duke’s self-sacrificing
friendship. I proudly allege that he was my best friend.
 Before Duke entered my life, I was solitary and indeed, no one was there to
look after me. But, startlingly, after Duke had become my best friend, I perceived a
remarkable change. The change was that I no longer felt lonely. In bygone days,
when Duke wasn’t there with me, I used to be in the doldrums whenever
encumbrances came across me. But, after Duke had entered my life, I no longer
felt crestfallen.

Furthermore, in spite of stumbling blocks, I pursued stepping forward in my

life gleefully only because of my conviction according to which Duke would bail
me from all tribulations out.

As you can see, whenever I compare my life before and after he entered my
life, I can assuredly assert that my life was in high spirits only after his advent. Let
me tell you another intrepid deed done by Duke to save me from peril. Actually, it
was corroboration of his altruistic and self-sacrificing friendship.

One day, when Duke and I were casually ambling, it began raining cats and
dogs. Consequently, both of us decided to stay under a gigantic tree as soon as we
set our eyes on it. Seeing the quiet and tranquil climate, both of us really felt
chilled out. But, the mood of climate was changed in not more than a minute.

The horrendous sounds of shaking branches, blood-curdling reverberations

of thunder; all these made both of us to shake like a leaf with fear. It was, indeed, a
very gruesome situation and actually, very enigmatic to narrate it. All of a sudden,
a small but heavy branch of the tree under which both of us were standing fell
down.
 In reality, it had to be fallen on me. But, I was in a state of shock to see my
best friend, Duke shedding tears because of pain. By now, you might have
hypothesized the actual thing happened. No sooner did Duke become conscious of
the fact that the branch was broken, than he pushed me and unfortunately, the
branch was fallen on him. Duke tolerated that pain instead of me. Obviously, this
deed endorses Duke’s self-sacrificing nature.

For a few days, Duke couldn’t walk properly

since his legs were injured in that traumatic accident. I took care of him for those
days. After a few days, Duke became alive and kicking. He could walk properly.
As soon as I found that he was in a clean bill of health, I felt over the top of the
world. My life would have been worse than hell, if Duke hadn’t been there. I felt
that my life was better than heaven only after his advent.

Everyone is acquainted with the fact that friendship entails not only ups but
also downs. What I mean to say is that small clashes among friends are inevitable
in friendship. But, those don’t last longer among true friends. I too believe in this
fact, since I’d encountered it in my life.

Our friendship was also not in the absence of minor clashes between Duke
and me. Of course, those didn’t last longer. Those minor clashes couldn’t break our
friendship bond. For instance, I’ll tell you a small clash between us. Verily, it
lasted for not more than 2 days.

One day, Duke brought me some biscuits to eat. We shared those biscuits
equally. I ate those mouth-watering biscuits. They were very scrumptious and
luscious. I devoured those biscuits at one go. Unlike me, Duke consumed only
some biscuits. I asked the reason and he replied me that he wanted to have them
later. I ate all of my biscuits but Duke ate only some and concealed the remaining
somewhere.
 If truth be told, I knew the place
where Duke had hidden his remaining biscuits. In fact, Duke concealed his
remaining biscuits in the presence of me but I acted as if I didn’t know the place
where he had hidden them.

After Duke had gone away, I went there at a snail’s pace. I scrutinized all
around hesitantly whether anyone had been staring at me as it was my first and
foremost theft. Having noted that no one had been looking at me, I pilfered those
biscuits at a leisurely pace. I couldn’t control myself, ergo I ingurgitated all of
them at one go. After some time, Duke came to that place and looked high and low
for his remaining biscuits which he had concealed before. He didn’t find them.

Nevertheless, he found out that I’d eaten his biscuits. He turned out
splenetic. He blew his top as soon as he knew that fact. I begged his pardon for
executing such a theft. But, he was up in arms the whole day. He didn’t utter even
one word the whole day. I apologized many times for my mistake. I felt nothing
short of living in hell that whole day.

As a matter of fact, that small clash between Duke and me couldn’t enfeeble
our friendship bond. No sooner had Duke pardoned me the next day, than I felt
very euphoric & ecstatic. This is patently a good instance which endorses the
statement that clashes don’t last longer among true friends and in an earnestly
magnanimous friendship. There were many small clashes between us but we soon
became friends, not giving a chance to those clashes to debilitate our friendship
bond. In actuality, those minor clashes toughened our friendship bond.

But woefully, a peculiar thing happened in my life. Indeed, it was a very

mysterious thing. Now I’d like to paint a word picture of that strange thing
happened in my life.
 As usual, Duke and I slept side by side one night. The next day morning, no
sooner had I woken up, than I was startled to see Duke missing beside me. I
searched for him. I went along the streets and ferreted around. My exploration
didn’t yield any results. I found him nowhere.

I was worried sick about Duke. My mind was entirely perturbed. I looked
like sad sack without Duke. I decided to ask other dogs in the street regarding
Duke’s details. But, their responses pushed me into despair. All those dogs gave a
reply that they knew nothing regarding Duke.

In a courteous way, I asked them to lend a helping hand in search of Duke.

They concurred with me. All of us commenced searching for Duke individually.
We were spread across the whole city to search for Duke. Indeed, the quest for
Duke pursued for nearly two days. I was entirely in desolation & despair since our
quest for Duke didn’t yield anticipated fallout. But, without losing our hopes, we
carried on our hunt for Duke.

Our quest for Duke went on for many days. Nonetheless, we didn’t find him.
Not only dogs in our street, but also other animals were sued for help. We searched
for Duke vigorously for many days.

By a good fortune, after many days, we got an intimation regarding Duke

from a dog of other city. As claimed by that dog, Duke went into the dark forest. I
couldn’t decipher what the hell was going on. Having told nothing to me, Duke
had gone into that perilous and pitch-black forest, ergo I was in a brown study.

Despite everything, I came to a dauntless decision which is to enter that

dicey forest in search of Duke. Only owing to the verity that I couldn’t live without
Duke, in spite of the admonitions of all other animals regarding that dark forest, I
intruded into the forest.
 Beyond my expectations, the ill-lit forest was so tranquil you could hear a
pin drop. To make Duke conversant with the fact that I’d been in that jet-black
forest, I commenced calling at the top of my voice, “Duke, where are you?”

No sooner did I shout like that, than I heard some sort of sound
from the bushes. In a flash, I became cognizant of the fact that someone had been
approaching me. But, I couldn’t do anything since I couldn’t see anything in that
caliginous jungle. That beast approached me.

No sooner had I figured out that the beast was none other than a reckless
jackal, than I beat a hasty retreat. I hurtled towards the way I found. I hastened at
the speed of light but the jackal was still hot on my heels. I was entirely heedless of
where I’d been going since I could see nothing in that stygian jungle.

I ended up at a place where I’d beheld no one running after me. I pondered
over the question why the jackal refrained from chasing me. Well, I got the answer
as soon as I observed the location where I’d ended up at. The certitude that it was a
lion’s den frightened me out of a year’s growth. In fact, I was scared to death. I felt
that it was nothing short of escaping from bear and falling to lion!
 The news that lion was not there in its den gave solace to me. I made up my
mind to skedaddle post-haste from the lion’s den. After I’d stepped out of the cave,
I glimpsed the lion proceeding towards the cave. This intimidating scene sent
shivers down my spine. Candidly, at that stage, a Lilliputian dog like me doesn’t
want to and in fact, can’t have a dust-up with the gargantuan lion. Of course, I
couldn’t even fly the coop since I knew the lion’s speed. At that moment, I’d one
and only one way to abstain from being killed by that unmerciful lion which is
nothing but to hide somewhere. Opportunely, I found a place to hide. I hid behind
a huge rock which is beside the den.

I was drowned in the ocean of panic. Although I hid in a risk-free place, I

became a bundle of nerves. But, I didn’t call a halt to my long quest for Duke in
spite of my trepidation. As soon as the lion went into its den, I remained there for
not more than a second. Promptly, I cleared off with all possible haste. Despite all
those hindrances, I didn’t give up exploring the woodland in search of Duke. I
recommenced my hunt for Duke in that parlous jungle.

I came apart at the seams since I was distressed regarding Duke. In spite of
many days of strenuous quest for him, I couldn’t find him. But I still hoped for
good times. My hopes weren’t faded away. I pursued my quest without abandoning
my hopes.

I asked all other animals in that jungle about Duke but all of them replied me
that they had known nothing regarding Duke. Nonetheless, I procured intimation
from a monkey. It showed me the way through which Duke had gone. I expressed
my gratitude to that monkey and soon began walking in that way searching for my
best friend, Duke.
 Before I found Duke, I’d gone through the mill. Unfortunately, the lion from
which I absconded occluded my way. While it was about to kill me, I rushed for
my life caring for nothing else. I darted across the forest until I reached a dead end.
It was, in fact, not a dead end but a highly elevated place. I was not sure of its
height above the ground.

At that instant, I’d only two options in front of me. One of those certainly
leads to my death. Another one doesn’t assuredly lead to my death. The option
which leads to my death is nothing but capitulating to that fierce lion. I couldn’t
opt for that, ergo I opted for another option which is nothing but jumping down
from the edge of that elevated place.

By God’s grace, I landed on a big heap of leaves. Indeed, it was a prodigy. I

still can’t believe that mystery as it was a supernatural phenomenon. I felt that I’d
dodged a bullet.

In spite of those many pitfalls, I didn’t forsake my hopes and recommenced

exploring for Duke. In search of Duke, I approached the other end of that dark
forest. I caught a glimpse of someone lying on the ground with grievous
lacerations. His face wasn’t perspicuously visible. I got closer to him to help him.
No sooner had I looked at his face, I was extremely shocked. Speculate why?

Seeing Duke in that spine-chilling condition, my heart was broken down into
minute pieces. I was impuissant to see my best friend Duke, in that critical
condition and I broke out in a cold sweat. Duke was neither able to walk nor able
to talk properly and due to this reason I was deeply desolated.
 On one hand, I was as happy as Larry for the reason that I’d found Duke
after facing many encumbrances. On the other hand, I was down in the mouth
owing to the fact that Duke was acutely maimed.

Discerning his ill-health condition, I couldn’t ask him anything concerning

his contusions. Since Duke was unable to walk properly, I helped him. Fortunately,
we got out of that murky jungle and ended up at a safe and secure place.

For many days, Duke hadn’t been capable of walking properly. I’d taken
care of him during those tough times.

I didn’t know why Duke was savagely wounded. I wanted to know who had
caused those brutal injuries to my best friend, Duke. Concurrently, I felt that it
wasn’t the right time to catechize Duke concerning that issue since Duke hadn’t
been able to utter even one word. Over and above that, I didn’t want to mutilate
him with my questioning; ergo I didn’t ask him about that issue.

I endeavored to make him exultant all the time by reminiscing about all our
jubilant memories. Despite his bruises, I triumphed in making my friend, Duke
blissful. Unhesitatingly, we can propound the fact that being ecstatic and exuberant
is nothing short of being physically fit. The same verity was plausible in case of
Duke as he was ecstatic and exuberant all the time in spite of his dire injuries.

It took me many days to see Duke in a clean bill of health. Duke was back
on his feet. After a month, I felt ebullient as soon as I heard that he was full of
beans.
 At that moment, as he was physically fit, I decided to ask him what actually
had happened and who had caused those traumas. Duke gave me a description of
the actual thing happened in a nutshell.

Actually, on that day, Duke had woken up before I woke up. As I was
sleeping, he didn’t want to disrupt my slumber. So, he merely went out for a casual
saunter across the streets.

Ominously, a dog catcher spied Duke at a distance. But unfortunately, Duke

didn’t espy him. It was a very woeful thing that Duke had been ensnared by that
dog catcher with a net. Duke had commenced vociferating loudly for a helping
hand but it was a futile attempt since no one had been there to emancipate him. In
fact, I couldn’t hear his scream since I was in a profound sleep.

The savage dog catcher put Duke in a prison in the dog catcher van under
coercion. Duke could do nothing at that instant, wherefore he remained still. While
the van was going, Duke had been keenly twiddling his thumbs for a split second
to abscond. Well, opportunely, he got a moment to flee. The van stopped abruptly.
By a good fortune, the prison in which Duke was put hadn’t been locked; ergo he
fled without further ado.

No sooner did he make his escape, than the dog catcher made a start on
chasing him. Without caring for anyone, Duke irrupted into that tenebrous and
threatening forest to forbear from being chased by him.

Having understood that Duke had set foot in that perilous jungle, the dog
catcher didn’t run after Duke. Duke wanted to get out of that gloomy jungle but he
couldn’t since he feared that the cold-hearted dog catcher might again seize him.
Thus, Duke continued to traipse through that dodgy forest.

A small sound was heard by Duke in two shakes. He surmised that someone
was approaching him. But, the fact was that he could perceive nothing in that
dingy forest. He was scared shitless as he felt that the creature might be a lion,
tiger or any other vicious animal. As soon as that mysterious living entity
approached him, he had a sigh of relief because it was nothing but a small monkey.

In a very courteous way, Duke asked that monkey to show

the way to get out of that forest. The monkey showed him the way to leave that
forest. Duke began walking through the way the monkey had shown him. Duke
had been trapped in uttermost endangerment when he was about to get out of that
forest. Unexpectedly, a wild bear blocked Duke’s path.

Duke got his knickers in a twist by seeing that humongous bear. In fact,
Duke was on pins and needles and he began quaking in his boots. In spite of his
sense of foreboding, Duke arrived at a temerarious cessation which is to have a
punch-up with that herculean bear. Duke resolved to fight with that elephantine
bear though he couldn’t win because that was the only option in front of him.

Duke had forsaken all hopes on his life before he decided to fight with that
gnarly bear. It was, indeed, an uphill task for a small dog like Duke to bring that
mammoth bear to its knees. But without abandoning his morale, Duke moved
heaven and earth to vanquish the bear. He struggled strenuously to pulverize the
gargantuan bear merely for his life, caring for nothing else.

But, in actuality, it was a streak of bad luck that Duke had been abominably
bruised by that barbaric bear. Being incapable of putting up with that affliction,
Duke suffered from a black-out. Having thought that Duke had breathed his last,
the bear hit the road.

After sometime, he became conscious but couldn’t do anything since he had

been savagely maimed.

Genuinely, I was reduced to tears on hearing that incident. I was immersed

in desolation. Nevertheless, it was an auspicious moment to see him alive and
kicking. Both of us reached a resolution to ignore all those grief-stricken
circumstances. We’d resolved to relish our future life and thereafter, stopped
reminiscing about those woeful incidents.

In fact, both of us initiated our new life. We commenced adoring our new
life. Duke and I went on an excursion exploring the whole city. We enjoyed our
tour utmost. I can’t forget those supercalifragilisticexpialidocious experiences with
my best friend, Duke in my life.

Now, I’d like to paint a word picture of a soul-stirring incident. With that
schmaltzy incident, Duke remained eternal in my heart.

One fine morning, as soon as I woke up, I caught sight of Duke holding a
bone in his hand. I felt that he’d been doing something. I couldn’t figure out what
he actually had been doing. To discern clearly, I drew near to him. I gazed at the
bone in his hand and perceived that he had been carving something on that bone.

My mind was utterly filled with zeal to know what he’d been sculpting.
Second by second, the urge to know what he’d been carving on that bone was
becoming stronger and stronger in me.

With no loss of vehemence, I approached him and catechized him about the
thing he’d been doing. I didn’t get the precise answer to my ardent queries. Duke
merely replied, “IT IS AN ASTOUNDING SUSPENSE”. After saying it to me, he
concealed that bone somewhere. I didn’t see the place where he had hidden that
bone.

Day by day, the impulse to know that astounding suspense grew

expeditiously in me. Being fanatical about that suspense, I began rummaging for
that bone, when Duke wasn’t there. I delved in everywhere but I found nothing.
After sometime, Duke came. He got a glimpse of me searching for that bone. On
seeing that, Duke merely grinned at me like a Cheshire cat.

I couldn’t interpret the inner meaning of his smirk. My face was solely
occupied by hesitation. Perceiving my dubiety, he replied, “DON’T SEARCH
FOR IT. YOU WILL GET IT SOON.”
 Having understood that thing, I hit the hay that night quietly. The next day
morning, as soon as I woke up, Duke took me by surprise. In fact, my eyes were on
stalks soon after glimpsing the bone in his hands. No sooner had I discerned that
bone clearly, than I was struck dumb.

“DUKE AND JACK ARE BEST FRIENDS”, this sentence was carved on
the bone by Duke. Perceiving his magnanimous friendship, I felt that I struck gold
for having such a supercalifragilisticexpialidocious friend in my life.

Duke gave that bone to me and asserted, “It’s a small gift to you. Whenever
you see it, you can remember me.” As a token of his awe-inspiring memories, I
kept it with me. In fact, it’s still there with me. Whenever I glimpse it, I remember
not only Duke but also all those fantabulous memories. Genuinely, by this event,
Duke remained perpetual in my heart.

Now, I’ll give you a rundown of a very doleful incident which in fact still
makes my heart bleed.

One day, Duke and I decided to go on an excursion. Both of us excogitated

to relish that day on the top of the elevated mountain which is far away from that
city. We started from our place and it took nearly two hours for our trek to that
mountain. We ended up at the top of that peak by walking through the roadway
which had been constructed for transportation purposes.

As soon as we got to the top of that peak, both of us luxuriated with the cool
breezes. We were chilled by those breezes. In fact, the climate on the top of that
elevated mountain knocked us down with a feather. It’s, indeed, an uphill task to
give a detailed description of the climate there. Duke and I let our hair down on
that hill.
 We relished our day and had a good time there. The truth was that the cool
climate reinvigorated my mind. My body was perfectly enlivened by those bracing
winds. It was afternoon. But still the weather was chilly. In that cold and frosty
weather, I’d a cat nap. In fact, without being cognizant of the fact that I slept, I’d
forty winks in that frigid afternoon.

No sooner had I woken up, than I felt a bit shocked and surprised to see
Duke missing. I again feared that something might had happened to Duke as in the
past. I went to search for Duke.

By a good fortune, my trepidation hadn’t become true

since I found Duke playing with a charming child. That small child was, in fact,
very appealing and delightful. That cute boy threw a small plastic ball and Duke
returned it again to that charming child. The child’s face was utterly filled with
ecstasy soon after Duke brought the ball. That adorable child gamboled in extreme
exhilaration.

I too wanted to play with him joyfully; ergo I also joined in their game.
Duke and I played mirthfully with that cute boy.
 After sometime, the boy’s mother took him away. Nevertheless, we relished
playing with that little boy. Both of us felt very exuberant after playing with that
frolicsome child. Some hours were spent while playing with that child.

After the child had gone, we acknowledged that it was late afternoon. In the
evening weather, that place appeared more salubrious than usual. I admired that
place in that delightful evening. I wanted to stay there for some more time and
relish that amusing atmosphere. But, Duke told me that we must go or else we
couldn’t go after it gets dark.

I concurred with him and began walking down the hill through a roadway. I
was walking beside him. At this moment, an unforeseen and lachrymose incident,
NO, an accident happened by a worse luck. In fact, whenever I reminisce about
that atrocious and unfortunate incident, my heart sinks. That egregious accident
happened in this way.

When both of us were heading for our place, an ice-cream van commenced
moving gradually towards Duke. It’d begun moving without a driver owing to the
fact that it was a hilly area. Regrettably, neither I nor the driver had discerned the
moving van.
 When the van was at a stone’s throw away from Duke, I heard the sound and
turned back. If truth be told, before I became conscious of that peril, Duke had
been hit by that ice-cream van. It was truly an infelicitous incident. That dolorous
accident took away the life of my best friend, Duke.

This mournful accident actually happened on the spur of the moment. I

couldn’t control the flow of my tears as soon as I realized that my best friend,
Duke had closed his eyes forever. I cried my eyes out on realizing that my best
friend had been taken from me. I couldn’t believe the fact that my best friend had
met his end.

You will believe it or not; that weepy accident occurred in a very less time;
before you can pronounce the word ACCIDENT. Honestly, I’d been in source of
distress for not a few days, but for many days. I couldn’t get out of the sea of deep
desolation and in reality, I drown in it.

After Duke had entered my life, I didn’t get a feeling of solitude. But, after
Duke had departed, solitariness crept in my mind gradually. The fallout of that
loneliness was persistent perturbation by which I’d suffered from mental-illness. It
is left to you that you will believe it or not; after Duke’s unfortunate death, I cried
everyday bitterly.
 After Duke had entered my life, both of us decided to be as friends forever
not only in life, but also in death. But grievously, Duke had passed away and I was
left with only his bodacious memories, predominantly that bone which he’d given
me as a gift.

I hated God for isolating me from Duke. I didn’t want to live anymore
without Duke. God separated both of us permanently by that grief-stricken
accident. I didn’t fancy living on this earth without him. In no time, I strongly
decided to kill myself. Whether you think of it as a stout-hearted decision or as a
moronic decision or whatever it may be, I arrived at a decision to commit suicide
since I felt that I could do nothing in my life without Duke.

The next day morning, I got to the place where Duke had lost his life. I
didn’t want to convince myself to desist from suicide and actually, I couldn’t. So, I
arrived at a decision to jump down from the top of that peak to kill myself.

While I was about to jump, a bizarre thing happened. Well, is your mind
zealous to know that peculiar thing? If you want to know that mysterious thing,
you must do one small thing for me. SEE YOUR RIGHT. Sorry…..sorry! SEE
YOUR LEFT. Ah! Don’t see HERE and THERE. See in this book. If you are
ardent to know that strange thing, proceed with reading my story.
 SEE YOUR SEE YOUR
LEFT RIGHT

In fact, it was a serendipitous thing. What actually happened was; while I

was about to jump, someone had pulled me back. You will believe it or not, I’d
have jumped, if a small and gleeful girl hadn’t pulled my tail. She held me with her
hands. She wanted to play with me and therefore, she’d dropped me there and went
to bring a ball.

But in reality, I wasn’t in a state of mind to play with her mirthfully. I didn’t
give up committing suicide; ergo I again went there as soon as she dropped me.

This time also, the same thing repeated. While I was about to jump, she
again pulled my tail and in fact, stopped me from committing suicide. If truth be
told, it’s not once, twice or thrice but it happened six times. I mean that the same
thing repeated for six times. When I’d been at the death’s door, she pulled my tail
and rescued me from my death.

After these 6 nugatory endeavors, a wondrous thought had flashed in my

mind that God wanted to see me alive; ergo he stopped me from killing myself.

Nonetheless, I wanted to meet my end and hence, I made my seventh bid for
suicide. This time, unfortunately, that blissful girl hadn’t stopped me but another
cryptic thing happened.
 Astoundingly, I became a bundle of nerves soon after I saw the height of that
mountain. The feeling of trepidation crept in me which connoted my fear towards
the action of suicide.

I became aware of the fact that life is a coin with good and bad as its sides.
Leading a life is nothing short of tossing a coin. Tossing a coin has 2 outcomes
which are heads and trails. Everyone is cognizant of the verity that if we toss a
coin 10 times, 100 times, 1000 times, 10000 times or 100 thousand times, the
outcome will always neither be heads nor be trails. Similarly, leading a life too has
2 possibilities namely, good times and bad times. What I mean to say is that both
good and bad times are part and parcel of one’s life. In fact, they are inevitable in
one’s life.

Without comprehending this fact, I felt that it’s merely a hare-brained act to
kill myself. Hence, I erased my decision to commit suicide in my mind. But, I
wanted to thank that rapturous girl who brought a gigantic change in me.

But to my bewilderment, she wasn’t there. I went to search for her.

Fortunately, I found her walking along with her mother. I jumped for joy soon after
I found her. But, that ecstatic girl didn’t glimpse me. I continued following them
until they reached their home.

After they had arrived at their home, the girl turned her head back and saw
me. No sooner had the girl glimpsed me, than I commenced moving my tail in
extreme exuberance.

She liked me very much. She took me in her hands very affectionately.
Being overjoyed, the girl took me to her home and told her mother that she wanted
me as her pet. Her mother concurred with her.

They are very poor. But, they treat me as their family member and take care
of me. I understood that gladsome life is possible in poverty also. Having
comprehended that fact, I decided to stay with them. In spite of their poverty, they
look after me well.
 At present, I’m a happy camper. That girl plays with me everyday very
jubilantly. In fact, I’m as happy as a flea in a doghouse.

-------------------XXXXXXX----------------

THIS IS MY AUTOBIOGRAPHY……!!!

-JACK

All humans don’t treat their pets as their family members

but all pets treat humans as their family members. So,
please DON’T MOLEST YOUR PETS.
-Jonnakuti Pramod