Shunki Popi... Shunka...
R.I.P
We lost our pet of 13 years.. 2 days back.... and my mind has been a mess... devastated.. muddled.... sad. This blog should help me reflect on all that he meant to us.. in a comprehendable manner.. though of course.. there are no words to gauge / express how much he did for us and me.
13 years is a long time..and even though the last 5 years have been spent away from him..cuddling him only on those weekends at home... he's never been away in my thoughts for more than a day.. each day's prayers included family members & shunki... That was the only way I learnt to be close to him...to not miss him too badly.. by sending him my kiss everyday... till now there was a definite address for that kiss to land on.. so to say... now i wonder where to send it..
To all those who knew him..or came across him even once.. they all knew he was no ordinary cat.. He had a mind of his own.. his attitude.. likes & dislikes.. He was more human than most people i know.. and it took time to crack his indifferent exterior to get some loving out of him :)
All our attempts at training him.. ( He was our mini dog/ cat - He sometimes had an identity crisis himself !! ) resulted in him learning 2 words in English.. "Fishhhhh " preferably in my dad's loud grizzly voice and "Shunka" when we were calling out to him .. desperately trying to locate him in the compound!! Anything more than that was simply not required to be learnt -according to him.. !! So try as we might.. he had a mind of his own..
To think that the Vet had proclaimed him to be terminal with ulcerative colitis when he was only a few months old.. and to literally have exhausted all his 9 cat lives.. maybe some extra too.. and live for 13 years seems like a miracle in itself.. in retrospect.. but still its really difficult to believe that I wont get to cuddle him the next time I go home.. it must be so empty at home...
All my college friends..even those who were only acquaintances have heard of him .. seen him.. meowed him.. laughed at his non-cat like antics ... and asked about him every time they spoke to me hence.. Difficult to ignore him.. and not like him.. everyone always patiently heard my stories too... coz I always had so many of them about him... My all time favorite boyfriend..
He sat up with me when I studied for my entrance exams.. both times... he tolerated my whining and never left when I was crying.. He loved my rajai as much as I did.. same goes for my bed ! He had his own bean bag too ! Who could have asked for a better partner.. especially coz he could not talk back !! I always wonder what he would have said.. or how much things would have changed .. if he could talk... More memories? More episodes to remember? Is it possible to miss someone anymore.. ?
His excited eyes when he would hear the sound of a plastic bag.. maybe with fish in it.. or the cracking of a boiled egg.. to his boredom at our antics.. trying to get him to play like a dog.. and his uninterested stare - like he was telling us to wrap it up and behave like adults..
His aversion to cold milk.. or milk which was only a few hours old.. His penchant for hitching a ride in the lift with the other residents of the building.. His circus in the car while going to the vet.. His circus in the bathroom while trying to give him a bath..and the cold shoulder for 2 days after it .. His loud meows asking us to open doors.. announcing his arrival or departure... His knack of making dad stop doing office work at home by sitting / sleeping on his papers.. sitting in front of the tv to gain attention.. getting us headless pigeons or rats for breakfast.... these and many many countless memories to live by.. and smile at..
Teaching me so many things..by not saying a word... Showing me what unconditional love was.. to only give.. and for showing me that I was capable of it... Shunka is loved and hugged every single day.. every moment .....
Thank you for coming into our lives.. and making it so much more livable.. even though its difficult to believe that you are no more.. You had a purpose .. in our lives.. and I'm hoping that what all those spiritual guides say is true.. That you will always be connected to us.. and come back soon.. :)
Love you always & forever,
One of your mommies.
