They Were Never Mine Subhiksha Parthiban   © Copyright 2022 by Subhiksha Parthiban

Photo by Akram Huseyn on Unsplash

I feed them daily, they are there for my arrival. No such bond exists between me and any human soul including my family. I am worried if they are not there. Scared when they don’t be there for me. One day during my hectic schedule I decided to take a break and be with them although I don’t feed them regularly or make them a pet, they can feel me from a distance, I stayed there for an hour and tried to enter their beautiful world. I created a back story for them and made them play each role in my story. I figured out the big ones to be parents and the smaller ones to be their kids. after eating their meal, I would say the father takes the kids to have some water which is again poured by me. These cute creatures come together as a family and reside in my place for a while they strictly eat only once a day. I did observe that they don’t eat for fun when I tried to overfeed them, they just went away and did not look back! They are truly my weakness when they appear on the scene, I ask them are they hungry and they respond in their way. One bright sunny day I could see them coming to hunt their food but they stopped I feared something bad and looked all around, shouting for help but in vain. After a minute or two I could figure out that they were scared of another big creature standing next to me – my pet dog (Titan). I asked my titan darling to move back and he went, after a while they came near me and had their favorite lunch. I would be petrified when I go on tours, I used to ask my neighbors or maid to take care of them. Usually, none of my flat members care about them but they made my life beautiful for that I love them. This incident left a scar on me, it was the thunder nights that shook the entire nation my lovelies had no place to go, partly inside my house, and without electricity, it was a difficult task to pull off. These cuties used to wake me up when there was no current and they helped my mind to be in shape for the board exams. Another lovely incident involving them is their fight for a place, they fight a lot, especially for their place on my hose and their food, I don’t think they were thought about sharing in their school. The race day was quite interesting. The entire gang had planned for a race and wanted to determine who was faster, they ate their share looked at each other, drank some water, and then started the game unfortunately the youngest member of the family had a broken leg and I gave the required aftercare and made the little one walk on its leg. they too have clans; this is amazing and it was unbelievable for me. Although they are fewer in number they don’t mingle with other kids and they don’t allow other kids to share their food or home, in short they don’t Share me with anyone else. This act of kindness by them made me stronger, it was during my thin times, they supported me. This might be something out of science fiction movies but this is true, they can’t speak but imagine you have a bad stomach, growling , crying all day and your parents are not in town due to some kind of major emergency life might be hell for many. I was in that category I thought I would not overcome those three days since I had them, they came into my house, went out of my house again came in, went out, came in, went out and the cycle went on until I laughed, they distracted me from my pain all the time and kept me happy for three straight days. they were not the prettiest, at the same time they had a rare skin tone, an almost impossible skin tone I have never seen another one with the same skin tone. They were magnificent and perfect for my eyes. They will always be that way for me . I became very close and named them. I named the father Rocky, its pair as Lovely and the name of the two kinds was Nina and Nancy. I did not get involved in determining the sex of the new ones, satisfied with my name at times I used to utter their name and shake my hand on seeing my actions they clinged on swiftly . I pampered them a lot and personified them every moment, might be that was a mistake on my side. I should have known better since they are not us to remember and analyze every action. Those brown and white mix pigeons flew from my house at the right time. I fed them, they gave birth and stayed at my house till everything was alright and left back to their own nest. I think they felt like a guest at my house but I never felt that way for them. In remembrance of them I usually put the feed on my rooftop and wait for them, they disappoint me now but like many humans I am greedy. I would always wait for their return and always have the idea of persuading them to stay at my house, which is again an artificial setup for them. As their former caretaker, I always pray that they are safe and healthy and I want them to know my house is always open. I can’t post my letter, which I have written for them ….

Letter for my beautiful pigeons ….

Dear cuties,

How are you guys, hope you guys can make ends meet, I am and was always in love with you all, take proper care, and don’t forget my house is always open for you guys … I Miss you guys. Have a great life …

Yours lovely,

The former caregiver

(The one who loves u all)

*****

I am Subhiksha from India, I am 23 years old and have not started my publishing journey yet, do read my heart-felt story and I hope you guys like it.