It was a difficult 2010 with the year ending on a bad note and taste when I stumbled upon adopting you from my dear friend Nagesh. I had always seen you from a distance and then you came to our humble home Dhole’s Den and I was happy to have another member in my pack of two after the departure of Jabu and Simba to Bannerughatta. There you moved in and ran around and would love to play ball and drop down your long tongue making us give you the Name of ‘Hechelmeister’ or Master Panter as unlike our hounds you would pant much more and easily. I still remember we could spend endless hours with the ball and frisbee and you would always go and get it. Well getting it back from you wasnt easy… I had to have a another ball so you would drop the first one! And yes you would understand commands in Kannada!
As time passed it was a routine and you grew up healthily and looked much stockier than before and resembled your wolf Cousins. You did your running away bit but everytime I would drive out and call for you you would run back to my call of Rex Brownie. That my other two King Shaka and Zulu didnt see in you a canine was a strange thing that is so true of hounds. Well anyway I had my time which I divided and cherished every moment of it.
The inevitable happened and in May 2011 Jabu and Simba returned and it became increasingly difficult for me to save you all the time. The reason was the pack of two had turned 4 and the Boys Jabu and Simba were strong large beings and together with their mother Zulu a big force. This was not easy as she rallied together and even attacked you herself finding a chance. The last was when Shaka clung on to your neck and I realised that it was such a difficult life for you my beloved adopted son as whatever I did my other 4 were only to get jealous. Add to it was the fact that I wasn’t able to create a new kingdom for you in time.
I decided to find a new home for you and my friend Nagesh and I did visit the place and to our happiness we realised that you would be leader of the pack there. I kept getting reports of you running away and one instance of someone trying to take you away. You who was so friendly and so good looking, why wouldnt the wily humans try and steal?
Time passed and I made visits to your farm and was happy you were happy to have found a loving Family. The last time I enjoyed giving you the goodies but had no ball in my Hand. You carried a rock and ran almost 500 m to my car and dropped it at the gate that separated us. This time in March for some strange reason the melody of ‘Bye Bye Colonel’ from was on my mind and while I got on the plane I said I will surely visit my ‘Hechelmeister’.
The other day your adopted Family drove into Dhole’s Den and over coffee told us you were no more. A Leopard straying around your home put and end to the life in your Body. A terrible end to a happy and joyful you.
Days havent passed once without thinking I should have done better and had I had managed to get a new kingdom for you this wouldnt have happened. I have my new farm but have lost you to the fangs and claws of that Leopard who was but looking for food. I have one hope that someday you and I will meet again on the rainbow Bridge and on that day I am sure Shaka and his pack of four will have no jealousy in them as we all would have departed from this wretched existence on earth. Bye bye Comarade…till we meet again.
In Love
Karthik