Tiding

It is not everyday that you get up to face an enormous dog sitting by your side waiting to lick you as you open your eyes. The warmth of the animal is both interrupting and uncomfortable on a hot morning. Bit you accept it all gladly and start off your day.
Then comes the day of chores. Water chores, laundry chores and finally hitting the office door a minute after the ETA...

This happened to me twice in a row as i moved here. Initially i was glad to have a dog in the house, but later realized what befalls on the poor guy in this scorching heat. And the office delays, yes that were also to be accounted for.
I did not want to let the dog go. For the reasons of my delay to work were different; and definitely not the dog!

I reached the new city with a pocket full of expectations and new adventures at hand. It was sweaty and the cheeks were burning as i got off the train.
I made a couple of calls and then took an auto to reach my new "home". The roads were tiny but quite spaced out.
However, all the buildings looked the same!
After an hour of search, i hit the bell at 601.

The house was warm. The people; sweet. But the homely person was the dog.
The dog sniffed my luggage and licked my toe- i was approved in an instant!
I spent two whole days looking at the dog run around, sleep, eat, play, tug, throw tantrums, nudge, get pampered, snuggle beside you...
I did not realize i was homeless for those two days. I had my luggage in a corner of the room and slept in a 6ft. long area right beside it. But did not have a room to call my own. One roommate was leaving and i was supposed to take her place; but she somehow kept on delaying her departure, and thus a room for me was pushed further into time.

I was living out of a back pack, with the dog trotting around. I would often feel uncomfortable, and i was getting little impatient. I wanted a place which I could call my own!
Finally, i reached my tether. I was looking like a fool lingering around waiting for my place to be emptied... I opened my big mouth.

The very next day, i woke up with a start. The dog was howling and crying as if for help. I could see his hapless eyes through the ajar door. The firm fists that held his collar did not let it go even when i tried to reach out. In a couple of minutes the dog was dragged out and there was a sudden silence.
The dog was gone.

The roommate darted at me as she pointed towards a room. "Jagah khali hai!" (The place is vacant).