By Manoshi de Silva

Rehan was very excited. His cousin’s Alsatian dog has had puppies and he was promised one. A few days later Rehan went to see them, but only from a fair distance. Their mother was very fierce because she was very protective of them. They looked so cute and he selected the one he thought was the cutest. They were still very little. But once they were big enough, he’d be able to bring his puppy home.

Rehan couldn’t spend a minute without talking about the puppies. He was busy thinking of a name for this new puppy who would soon be his. While walking to the top of the lane for his school van, he kept on talking about the puppy to his friend Mevan. While they were standing by the lane waiting for the van, they heard a weak whimper. They looked around but couldn’t see anything. After searching around, Mevan shouted “Look here!” Rehan went and peeped down the drain which was closed with a broken cement slab. Through the darkness he could see a tiny brown thing, a little puppy!

This was a stray puppy that someone has left by the road. He had no owner to look after him and no mother to keep him warm. The puppy lifted his head up and looked at them with very sad eyes. He was being harassed by mosquitoes and the cement drain was making him feel very cold. “Someone has dumped him in there,” said Mevan. “What a mean thing to do!” replied Rehan. He took out his lunch box and threw some pieces of bread at the puppy. The puppy only smelt them. He didn’t eat any. “He’s too small to eat,” said Rehan. Just then their van came and they had to leave.

Even in the class Rehan couldn’t stop thinking about the sad-eyed little puppy. After school while coming home, he peeped into the drain again. The puppy was there curled up, looking very miserable and sad. Rehan went home and asked their house-maid to make a little milk. Then they both went and placed the small milk cup in the drain, with great difficulty. The puppy started drinking it at once. He had been very hungry.

“Some people do such bad things!” said Rehan’s house-maid. “If they don’t want puppies, they should get their dogs operated or give away the puppies to people who want them. Not throw them here and there. This is a great sin!”

“Can we give him milk every day?” asked Rehan. “That won’t be of any use. He’s small and he can’t live in this drain for long. If a water-monitor comes this way or if it rains hard, he won’t survive.” “No. Please let’s not let that happen!” cried Rehan.

Rehan spoke to his parents and asked them if he could keep this puppy as well. “We can’t keep two dogs Rehan! It’s expensive and time consuming. It’s also a big responsibility. We don’t even have space to keep two dogs,” his father replied. “Besides, you have already booked a puppy from your cousin.” “But the little puppy will die if we won’t do something!” Rehan said sadly. “Well, I’ll leave it to you to make a choice then. Choose one from the two…

Rehan had his heart set on an Alsatian puppy for a very long time. They grew into such big, good-looking dogs. He had a dream of becoming the master of a smart Alsatian, to take it to walk on a leash and to play with it on the beach. However the puppy in the drain was of ordinary type. Not anything like an Alsatian. Much smaller and very common. Definitely not the type his friends would admire or envy. But there was something about the little puppy’s eyes. Some sort of faithfulness and gratitude. Every time he went to leave the milk, the puppy would recognize him and show so much of appreciation. Rehan was confused. Although he wanted them both, he had to make a choice, and soon.

Rehan thought and thought for a long time. If he refused to have the Alsatian puppy, there would definitely be so many others who would want him. But the brown puppy was not wanted by anyone. If anyone deserved a good home and love, it would definitely be the one who had never had them. So he finally decided that he’ll have the little brown puppy.

When he revealed this decision to his father, his father smiled. “You have made a very hard decision, but it is also the right decision because you have not thought about your own need but about the little puppy’s need. It’s a self-less decision and I am very proud of you!” So they went and looked down the drain for the little puppy. The puppy wagged his tail expecting milk. “No milk for you to drink in the drain today,” said Rehan. “Today you are coming home with us.” They took the little puppy to the Veterinary clinic first to get him checked and then brought him home.

A couple of years later, Rehan still feels happy today, that he made the right decision. With proper care and lots of love, the little brown puppy who was named ‘Timothy’ has grown into a very smart, healthy dog. Maybe because Timothy knows he was rescued, he seems to have a deep sense of gratitude and faithfulness. Today Rehan says, that Timothy is a part of his life and his very best friend that he couldn’t imagine living without.

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