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Writer's pictureAnurag Sharma

The Red Lipstick and Ben !

People who love dogs, are good people.

When a dog loves a man, he is a good man.

When a man loves a dog, he is a good man : Hathoda Tyagi (Pataal Lok)


What has been common to both of us? Struggle? She laughed it out.

A random chat over WhatsApp with one of my friends came up in lockdown. The tale of our friendship started during my internship days.

I was young, wore bright tees, and had cut my hair short. I was standing in my college clinics uninterested when I happened to have eye contact with one of the clients at the clinic. She was young, charming, adorable just like her dog on a glucose drip. However, her clothes seemed to have been picked from a kids' section. The red lipstick was bright enough to brighten someone's day up.


She looked at me, while I was sitting on the bench outside the room, waiting for a gloomy day to get over. I sat there for a while noticing her, flipping my drug index book and playing with my stethoscope.


She also intermittently chose to look, too and fro, worry creases all over her forehead, hands shaky, caressing the amazing Labrador that slew on the examination table of the OPD. The samples were collected and the dog came to a bit of a relief. While the tests were being run, she decided to take her pet out in the open and let him breathe the fresh exhaust of mountains.

I walked slowly making no noise with my ever chirping shoes to exit the clinics and to look at her once again. She sat on a bench and I choose stairs.


Hey, You okay?

Yeah, a bit worried about him. She said.

What's wrong? I asked.

You are the one supposed to know that, she replied with a pain in her voice.

Can I see the health card? I said.

She handed the card and I again noticed her small tiny hands, apple watch, iPhone, and the eyes that sought relief for her dog.


The snow-capped mountains grew darker, suddenly a burst of thunder and lightning made us rush inside of the clinics. I tried wiping the health card for the water drops that drizzled over it and chose a place to sit with her.

Ohh! I exclaimed.

Is there any treatment for Ben? He has been sick for over 6 months now. She asked.

Ummm...I kept silent recalling all my medicine classes and every possible answer that I could come up with.

The dog had suffered seizures for long.

I can get his brain surgery done as well, will he survive then? she inquired.


Ben played with her feet, wagged his tail at times, and seemed restless.

Days, later I found her on Facebook, inquired her dog's health, and got to know that the dog has passed away.

She was shattered. I wondered how deeply people are attached to the animals. How wonderful the bonds could be! How resentful some people become for not being able to help the voiceless creatures and feel their grief!


The world surely needs people like her. Especially in present times, where we come across news on animal cruelty daily. It's a co-existence which will strive for us longer on this planet that provides us everything we need...animals too.

I am happy to share this tiny tale from the hills of Dharamshala. I hope you also loved reading it.

Stay safe, stay compassionate to animals!

I have been friends with her since then and what connects us both is the connection that pet left behind.

Take a pa(w)se and reflect



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