Human Nature

Have you ever wondered how difficult it would be to express yourself without being able to use words? What if all you had was your face and a desire to be around people all the time?

In our last house in Agartala, we had a front patio bounded by a short wall. By the time Lyka grew to her full height, she was able to rest her head on the wall and watch the world go by. If we'd go out, Lyka would await our return on the patio, with only her triangle face and raisin like eyes visible above the wall. Her face would be absolutely immobile and would stare at us beadily till we got to the front door. Till such time she would assess us and determine whether we were planning to abandon her once again and leave for distant parts.

When we moved into our current house, Lyka investigated the whole place thoroughly and demarcated all 'her' places. When we sat upstairs watching TV, she would heave herself up and pad her way up the stairs. We always knew she was coming by the clicking of her claws on the marble. After dinner she would automatically go up to the TV room and await our arrival. If we didn't show in sometime, she would come out on to the landing and look at us questioningly, wondering why on earth we were taking so long, when family time was supposed to have started long ago.

In some ways Lyka was more eloquent than any person we've met. She would express her pleasure with a wide doggy smile and a thumping tail that had the power to sweep things off a table and whack your shins till they were 'black n blue.' If she was depressed she would refuse to eat. If she was concerned about anyone of us being upset or ill, she would spend the whole day by our side, not asking for anything, making sure we knew that she was around if we needed her. Just her presence sometimes would make all the difference in the world. All she asked for in return was our company. Her brand of unconditional love is hard to come by.