Jackie is a puppy-turned-dog, whom we brought up when we were Higher Secondary students. When we left, we left him to the Dairy section of our school, where he works as a guardsdog now. This sketch is based on our days at our residential school.
———————————————————————–
“I know what you’re thinking, punk. You’re thinking “Will he sink his teeth into me or only bark?” Now to tell you the truth I forgot myself in all this excitement. But being I am a Great Dane, the most powerful hunting dog in the world and will tear you head clean off, you’ve gotta ask yourself a question: “Do I feel lucky?” Well, do ya, punk?”
Jackie was gawping at the TV screen. This was his favourite movie, Jackie adored Dirty Tommy. What wouldn’t he give to be a swashbuckling badass like that – hell, life wasn’t worth living if you didn’t get to be a jawslinger. Becoming a jawslinger was Jackie’s ambition in life. Speed, stamina, sass. Boy he was built for this life!
But daydreaming was about to be over, because it was nearly 3:30 pm and the peacocks would be here soon. Jackie nipped viciously at a persevering flea on his left hindquarter, cursing his daily routine. Life was tough here at Sarada Sadan. Yes, yes, – he got a lot of pampering and playtime, all that was there, – but what’s life without a bit of glory? Jackie wanted glory! Leading a pack of hot-blooded hounds into battle, tearing through the enemies defense with sheer ferocity – that ought to be his thing! But did he have any of it here? No. ‘Jackie, chook chook chook! Aah – aah – aah!’ ‘Jackie, chhooh!’ ‘Jackie..’ – followed by more stupid rub-downs and frisking by humans. The fifty strong team of daddies who stayed at Sarada Sadan with him. Okay, rub-downs were kinda nice. Nice, felt good to lie and doze after a rub-down. But did that mean he was to be mollycoddled all the time!
And then there were the peacocks. The stupid punks. Jackie would have shown them long ago who was boss around the place, but the clowns had real mean beaks. Very sharp. So he generally stood at a distance and barked. His loud, rich, commanding bark. Not that the birds cared. Not bright enough to appreciate real threat, the bird-brains. Jackie did not bother himself too much with thought of such inferior creatures.
Footsteps. On the stairs. Hmm what’s that now? ‘Arreh Jackie. Come on, its almost tiffin time. Let’s get out.’ Tiffin time already? – man this was so cool maybe there will be chicken paratha today? Slurp! Chicken chicken chicken….
Jackie romped alongside the pair of boys, wagging his tail happily, on their way towards the dining hall.
……………………………………………………………