Jitesh Jaggi

But this dog needed to be consoled around the clock.

And I couldn't even bring myself to look at her staple leg.

So my wife took care of her, and I watched them both from a distance, too weak-hearted to even come close.

I have seen animals suffering, but never one that was under my care.

This felt personal, like I was responsible to put her in her misery.

And unexpectedly, this same line of thinking brought me the solution.

I reminded myself of all the stray dogs back in India, including the ones that bit me, how many of them often had open wounds with no shelter to recover in.

Coconut at least had healthy food, meds, and a loving home.

As bad as it was, I had to remind myself

that she was in safe hands.

So the next morning I woke up and I approached her, gently but firmly, lifted her in my arms as she looked me in the eyes for the first time, and in our own little way I let her know that she was gonna be fine, that this was gonna pass.

It was like both of us had

emerged from under our respective tables we were hiding under.

A month later, her scars healed up and it was now time to find her a permanent home to be adopted in.

Her cone was gone and she had started to camouflage in black rugs effortlessly.

She won, but we had failed.

at being foster parents.

Our adopted Coconut is at home right now knowing well that she's too precious to be let go of and is right now waiting for her second dinner.

The first time my mother saw me break dancing, she almost threw up. To make it less humiliating, I will narrate this incident in reverse. My mother runs into my room. There's a left foot shaped hole in my glass window. My body's upside down. I say to myself, this should be easy. I watch a hip hop dance video. She did not see a pretty sight.

The first time my mother saw me break dancing, she almost threw up. To make it less humiliating, I will narrate this incident in reverse. My mother runs into my room. There's a left foot shaped hole in my glass window. My body's upside down. I say to myself, this should be easy. I watch a hip hop dance video. She did not see a pretty sight.