Keep the Door Open

I live in an apartment. My neighbor Bina lives just opposite to our flat. Our front doors face each other and are separated by just seven feet. If both our front doors are open, both can see each other’s drawing room. And we are friends.

Neighbor Bina has a six month old male dog. The moment we open our door, the dog used to rush into our flat, run here and there, jump on us playfully and topple everything in sight. While he stayed quiet in Bina’s house, he would go wild in our place and used to bite our chappals and shoes. After a few days I found him a nuisance and didn’t have the patience to play with him. I started chasing him away and closed the door immediately after him. But my wife was fond of the dog and she used to pet him whenever he came.

My wife went to Chennai for 10 days and I was alone at home. Few times I kept the door open inadvertently, but the dog didn’t come. I sat in front of the TV in my drawing hall and he sat in their drawing hall but he ignored me. Even when I called and offered biscuits he didn’t come.

My wife came from Chennai. The dog was all over her and didn’t leave her for the rest of the day. I mentioned to her that the dog didn’t come when I called.

She said, “Kumar, when he came, you didn’t want him. When you wanted him, he didn’t come. It seems you lost a friend.”

It struck me hard. I feel many times now that I could do with some friends. Many of us do not nurture friendship and then long for them after we lost them, especially when we retire from work. In this meaningless rat race, we keep evaluating the usefulness of a person we come across forgetting the need for companionship later. I realize now that if I don’t care for others, even a dog wouldn’t care for me. I am learning it the hard way. I need to keep the door open.