Barking Van

 

Monty was not rabid, he was just old, too old perhaps to wag his tail and jump around for his master's attention. However, when his master got tired, of his old age he was taken one day on a trip from where he would never return. As his master drove him, Monty saw lights of the city fading out in the dark, soon, dark shadows cast by the trees were his only companions for this trip. Then they too were replaced by small and pales shadows of remote and deserted area shrubs. To Monty, this looked very scary, for not a soul, bipedal or quadrupedal was seen.

 

He wondered where his master was taking him, so far from his cozy blanket, on which he sat and often waited for his master's arrival. They must have traveled quite a distance when suddenly the van stopped, Monty lurched forward, as the vehicle came to halt. There was an audible silence about this place. There couldn't have been a dreaded scene, so remote, so lonely and so soulless.

 

He was soon chained and taken out for a walk, and the fate of Monty from there on was practically sealed. He knew, where this was going, he constantly looked back at the van, and barked, he was pulled and entreated by the master to follow on. Eventually, they came upon a tree, where, his master sat for a smoke, Monty, was too devoted to his master, but he hated the habit of his master's smoking, and like his usual self, barked once or twice to remind his master that he did not approve of the habit.

 

He just sat there, looking towards the horizon like his master, perhaps, he thought, his imagination is acting up and his master has found a new place of quiet to clear his thought. Slowly, his master snuffed the cigarette, looked at him, scratched his neck, and said, " This is it, old boy, you have been a good and loyal friend, but now I must go." For Monty, scratching of his neck, was the only language he understood, he knew his master was missing him, he knew not why? Humans, they are strange he thought, these people miss others even if they are spending time with them, how strange is that?

 

While he was thinking over this, his master stood up and slowly walked towards the van. Monty, a creature of habit, also got up behind him, only to be asked to stay by his master. Monty thought perhaps his master is getting something to eat or drink from the van. As he stood there waiting and looking around he noticed,  his master opening the door to the driver's seat, he became excited with nervousness, for there was no food in the front, if it did, he would have smelled it upon entering the van first. What was his master doing, getting it the driver's seat? Monty wondered. The whirring of the engine of the van cleared all the doubts whatsoever about what was happening, he was being left behind. Monty looked at the van scared, was he forgotten? Surely that can't be, he was loved by his master who would never leave him behind,  he barked and ran with all his might towards the van, but someone was restraining him, someone choked his throat with a chain, Monty was surprised, he did not sense anybody to be there near the tree other than him and his master, barking and in surprise, he looked back, for there was not a soul in sight, he looked at the chain and where it was being pulled from, he saw a tree root, to which his master had tied his chain, when did his master tie his chain? he wondered, thinking and at the same time, he barked and called for his master, telling him, he had forgotten to untie the chain. He was struggling to break away from the tied chain, but the more he tried the more he choked on it, he continued barking nonetheless, it was a pitiful scene, yet his master did not look at him, how could he not see? how could he forget his most loyal friend? Surely he must have been mistaken, there's been a lot lately on his master's mind.

 

As the wheels started their motion, Monty, knew he was being left behind, yet in his heart, he did not believe it. He could not fathom his master abandoning him like that, so he barked and barked and barked, the van was picking up speed, it was no time to get concerned over choking, he must do something, so, Monty started gnawing the canvas part of the chain to break free of the bond, he chewed with such vigor, that strands started coming off the canvas, yet, he was not free. He did not know what to do, to bark or chew, or to run. There was a pitiful battle. Had Monty been in his prime, this would not have been a problem, but now as the time stole and sapped his strength, he was helpless, a small canvas belt was sealing his fate, of being abandoned.

 

Finally, when the last of the strands were chewed off with the help of old canines, Monty, took a breath of fresh air ran to the place where his master had parked their van. But where was the van?  There it was picking up speed more rapidly, leaving the clouds of dust behind. Monty ran and barked, and chased the van ahead of the clouds of dust which created a strange tapestry on the background of the silent remote sky.

 

Monty, like his creed, was never hopeless, he thought perhaps his master has forgotten him, no way he is going to leave him behind once he sees him in his rearview mirror, so, overtaking the clouds of dust, Monty ran with all his might, almost came near the back of the van, sure his master must have seen him, if not that, he was barking loudly too, his master must definitely have heard him yet the van was not stopping and still was picking up the speed. How could he do that? How could he abandon his old and loyal friend just like that? Monty was angry, and he knew not what to do besides run and bark behind a van. Monty ran for a great while, chasing a van, chasing his life, slowly the age was straining his lungs, they were a powerhouse once that he was used to and trusted for long chases after games but he was too old to do just that. He slowed and took some air, again ran behind the car, this time he had to stop again, gasping for air, and taking in more air, cooling his lungs, running, stopping often. Monty could not keep up with the van which was vanishing out of his sight, there was nothing he could do now, slowly he jogged and then walked behind the vanished van.

 

After a long and cold walk, gaining his strength, having perspired enough through his tongue, he came upon a van, standing near an abandoned house, he was delighted at first, to have found his master, he thought he would demand some answers for being left like that and upon getting a good scratching of neck and belly would forgive his master for leaving him behind like that. As he came close, he was shocked to see that this wasn't the van he in which he came, it was different and it was broken down, no windows, no tires, not even engine perhaps, was he dreaming, he turned and bit his tail, he sensed the pain, no it wasn't a dream. He was left behind, which van did he follow then, there weren't many in such a desolate place, that's for sure. Perhaps during his struggle with the chain, he was disoriented and followed a wrong van, or perhaps, it wasn't a van at all but some different vehicle altogether, or perhaps there wasn’t a chain to which he was tied and he was chewing the fibers of the root of the tree. He yelped, what was happening? he was sad and confused, not knowing what to do? he sat there on the ground waiting.

 

As the situation dawned on him, Monty couldn't separate what's real and what's not? How can that be, is the old age playing some nasty tricks on him, or was he there all his life. And being loved and cared for by a loving friend was just a dream. Disoriented and sad, Monty, looked at the abandoned van and barked and barked and barked.

 

For some time. the bark was being heard by distant ears, but it faded away too, as the night engulfs the earth in its dark and cold quilt, so did the bark was engulfed by the audible silence of the night.

 

 

Being left behind.

 

 

It would not be easy to be in place of Monty, in his years of prime, he did receive perhaps the best care from his owners, but being old he was left behind for good. It is not expected of humans to leave behind their pets, and abandon them to their fate, pets do have a mind and they do face extreme trauma, they do feel and envision things not seen, they do feel delusional, they too feel, what we humans can say post-traumatic stress disorder(PTSD).

 

The same thing applies to your parents and grandparents too, don't leave them to their fate, sure they can't help you now that they are old and sapped of strength and vigor, but they loved you when you couldn't walk on your own, or find a way by yourself. Abandoning anyone just because they are old and senile, or just because you now don't have much to do with them, is equal to committing a crime, though not harming them physically, you are subjecting them to the level of such stress that their old neurons cannot take them.

 

It's dreadful to be left behind, whether they be pets or humans. Take care of your pets and your parents and your kids will follow your example.

 

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