Home

I just had a dream about my little dog; my Julie. I was at the seaside with my friends, our house was right near. I guess the place was supposed to represent my grandparents house in Trivandrum, and though it looked nothing like that house, there was a feel about it.

My mother called me up from the beach while we were playing in the waves. We had to climb lots of stairs set in a cliff to reach our house, which had now absudly become a very queer flat. She told me Julie died. She was in a carboard box, lined with cloth, grey on grey. I said she couldn't be dead as she looked almost ready to wake up, and I kept seeing signs of subtle life in her like little breaths.

We buried her on the seaside.

As the sun set, under the sand we buried her where the sea would lap over her grave at high tide. I could still see her black button eyes almost hidden under the fringe of grey hair. My other dog Misha stayed under a chair the rest of the day. That evening as I sat alone in the house, reading, I heard a whine from my mothers room. I opened the door only to see Katie, Julies mother, who died more than four years ago. As I hugged her, overjoyed to see her again, she told me that Julie was still alive. I don't know how she conveyed that message, but she did. She leapt from my lap, and I and Misha turned and ran after her. As we ran down the stairs along the cliffs to the sea, everything seemed to go in slow motion, and Daughtry's 'Home' started playing in my head.

As I reached the grave, I saw every second wave was washing over it, and I feared that I was too late. I fell to my knees in the surf, and scrabbled at the sand frantically. I found the box, but when I opened it I saw sand had seeped in and filled the box.

But I saw movement, and soon Julie was coughing and shaking herself alive. I was so happy.

It was a dream.

Julie passed away yeserday at my home in Coimbatore, while I was a million miles away in a different country and I'll never get another chance to pet her; for her to greet me when I return home.

But, I still remember as she played that night in the surf under the moon, this song was playing

The miles are getting longer, it seems,

The closer I get to you.

I've always been man's best friend for you.

And your love, remains true.

And I don't know why.

You always seem to give me another try.

I'm going home,

Back to the place where I belong,

And where your love has always been enough for me.

I'm not running from.

No, I think you got me all wrong.

I don't regret this life I chose for me.

But these places and these faces are getting old

So I'm going home.

Well I'm going home.

And I will see you, Julie, Katie and all my dogs, when I finally go home.