The Beginning - Goldie
My dad was chief architect to the King of Bhutan in 1970s and he says that my best mate whom I knew as Goldie was a gift from a monk who was very happy and grateful for some advice from my father. My dad, alone in Bhutan at the time was not sure how he could take care of the little puppy he now had and yet fully in love with him, decided to take it to his mum and dad who lived in a small town of India called Roorkee.
When Goldie first arrived home, his fur had lot of spots and was initially named Spotty only for my elders to realise soon that his hairs were turning golden and so he was renamed to Goldie. However, true to the Lhasa Apso tradition, that golden colour was temporary too and soon enough Goldie was a black and white dog stuck with a name that had nothing to do with his colour. This story was my first lesson in naming pets – never name them on colour for that may not stay the same.
A year or so later, I was born and ever since Goldie was always there to guard me. He was my best friend, my partner in every mischief I ever did, and I firmly believe it is his influence that shaped my character – I learnt to be a confident child who was quite stubborn and naughty and would not shy away from picking a fight with someone twice my size – all this while being fiercely loyal – That is how Goldie was and that is how my friends describe me.
The Journey
Goldie was not just another pet. He was a member of the family with absolutely equal rights. He would show his displeasure by not talking and refusing to eat even his favourite sweet if my grandma left him alone for long duration – although he was also quick to forgive and would return to giving kisses fairly quickly.
He had very few toys and there were no grooming salons in India in those days so he was groomed by my grandpa and so I learnt it first-hand how tricky it could be to catch hold of the little guy. It used to be a complete strategic approach – three people stationed on each escape route and one stationed in front of the dining table so he can’t go and hide below it.
Even then he would make sure he has made each one of us run after him enough before we could get him bathed.
After bath rituals were another fun to watch – For him it was like whole body can be wet but for the snout – that has to be fully dried and so off he would go from one end of the bedsheet to another until he was satisfied that there is nothing more he can do.
In rural India trousers were not that common and many people wore Dhoti which is a long and light cotton cloth tied around the waist. Goldie had a particular dislike for people who wore “Dhoti”. So much so that the man who delivered milk at our house had his Dhoti pulled out twice – Goldie would think that was a game – pull the cloth and run.
The morning and evening walks with Goldie and my grandpa were something I always loved and looked forward to. Now as a child I was not big on walking and it was only to give company to my best mate Goldie that I was ever up for walks – he on the other hand would be ready for a walk any time of the day or night and would give up on that dream solely because I would not have agreed for it. We were quite good at coming to such compromise solutions.
The Learning
As protected childhoods go, mine was perhaps at Fort Knox level and I was blissfully unaware that our furry friends do not live as long as we humans do. I was 13 and Goldie was 14 when one unfortunate morning he parted ways – he went away peacefully in morning when my grandma got up to look at him, he walked to her, lied down next to her, and slept to never get up. I was at that time in another city and the news was broken very gently to me but the shock and pain was no less severe for it. I learnt at that time that when I get a pet, I will ensure my child is well prepared for that eventuality.
Everything I learnt from Goldie helped me raise my first dog Magic (a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel) but sadly as sweet as that breed is, it is plagued with Mitral Valve Disease which took away Magic from us earlier this year.
We were all grief stricken and I told my wife and daughter about Goldie and how I believed he had come back as Magic for me and that I believe he will be back again. This somehow caught my daughter’s attention and she wanted to know why we could not get a Lhasa Apso — and I confided in my wife that I am scared that if I get another Lhasa Apso, it may somehow dilute my memories of Goldie. My wife convinced me to rethink that, and we agreed to get back to the breed I have always loved and desired but was too scared to get home for the fear of losing memories.
So started the search for our newest family member — Music. The one who arrived on 22-June 2021 right next door.
I have come to realise I was wrong and so very wrong — my memories of Goldie have not gone weak but have grown from strength to strength ever since Music arrived in our life on 19th September.
The New Beginning - Music
Music — The one who makes us dance to his tunes.
From being a brother to a Lhasa Apso to being a dad to one is a life changing experience. I now admire the patience my Grandpa had, given he was dealing with two Lhasa Apsos (Goldie and I) while I have just one (Music) but with the amount of energy this little guy has, come night time, we are so utterly and comprehensively shattered that we can sleep instantaneously no matter lights are on or off, no matter room is cold or warm.
We are showered with kisses as Music loves to play Doctor Lick. I do apply my lessons from childhood and groom him every single night — a good 40 minutes ritual which I must say my little boy has gotten used to and doesn’t mind — I won’t go as far as to say he likes it, but let’s just say he has learnt to tolerate that, in exchange for the nice treat mommy gives once the grooming charade is done.
I can also see he has the same relationship with my daughter as I had with Goldie and the pleasure it gives me to see him jump with joy when his sister is back from school is not something I can express in words. I believe it is Goldie who came back for me as Magic and now has come back as Music for my daughter — You may very well think I am crazy but then I told you in the beginning that I have the “Lhasatude” — so am bound to have crazy theories and I can get away with them too.
