Come football world cup, I would miss him the most.
He had landed on my lap when the glittering inauguration ceremony for the coveted cup was on and I had aptly named him FIFA for his size was not more than a tennis ball and his naming coincided with the event.
This little ball started peeping out from a cozy basket which my daughter had made for him.
It appeared he was observing and understanding the outside world where he would play a part.
Truly he lived up to his name and soon started bouncing like a ball and later the very ball becomes his favorite object of play.
Surprisingly, he learnt to kick it, pounce on it and holding it firmly like a deft goalkeeper and with the growling he would not let his heart throb slip away. Or any one can venture to have it.
Probably he had no count of how many balls he had lost which my wife had provided to him.
My son used to call him a thinking dog who used to walk around with attitude staring into your eyes and blatantly disobeying the unpleasant commands as if telling no rules apply to me.
He was vociferous greeter to guests in my house and would jump around with wagging tail to usher them inside.
Only person in the house he was scared off was my three year old grand son who would treat him like a toy and would fiddle with him with his idiosyncrasies and he was supposed not to react.
As my ardent companion for morning walks, he would wake me up at 5 A.M. and wading through lonely road would run around the chirping birds and had made them his morning play pals.
He loved everyone and in return every one loved him leaving behind a message why can not human beings love each other selflessly to free themselves of needless strains.
Fifa had entered into my life as whiff of fresh air and remained in the family for two world cups and vanished into oblivion staring innocently right into my eyes as if promising that he would be back after the eternal journey.
He left me bewilderedly peeping into memory lane forcing me to think was he a dog?