The perfect dog

Tania wanted a dog for a long time. Her dad promised one for her sixth birthday. So the day she turned six, and her father woke her up to wish her, all he heard was – “Papa, can we go look for a dog today?”

Her dad laughed.

“Please papa? You promised.”

“Yes Tania. I remember! Let’s go today evening.”

Tania was visibly excited.

“Thank you papa. We must find the perfect dog!”

Her dad wasn’t sure what was in store. “Perfect dog Tania? How will that be?”

“It will be small and cute papa. More than that, it will be spotless white.”

“Spotless white? I am sure we can find one.”

Her dad spoke too soon, for it led them on a hunt across several kennels and stores. All white dogs either had a brown patch, or a small scar or not “clean white”. The hunt happened for more than a week and he was losing patience.

“Tania, we *must* get a dog today.”

“But papa, what if it is not perfect?”

“I don’t care, really!”

Tears welled up in Tania’s eyes. Her dad’s stance softened. After all, they were going to do this only once, at least in the near future.

“OK, let’s find you a perfect dog!”

As fate would have it, they found one that same day.

“Oh papa, it’s spotless white. It’s perfect!”

The puppy was small and cute and took an instant liking to Tania; almost like it was waiting for her to pick it up. All through the drive back home, Tania getting her face licked was becoming very usual. Her dad was relieved that he could put a long overdue promise to rest.

“So Tania, what are you going to name him?”

“Oh papa, I should think of a perfect name!”

Her dad sighed! Two days passed, but no name was in sight yet.

“Tania, no name yet? We are finding it difficult to call him!”

“Papa, I am going to wash him and scrub him today. I will think of a name after that.”

That evening, her dad returned home to find Tania weeping bitterly.

“What happened Tania?”

“Papa!” and she hugged him.

“I was scrubbing the puppy today, and I found a black spot inside his white hair papa. It’s not perfect!”

Her dad was really annoyed.

“But Tania, we searched so long for this puppy!”

“Papa, the spot was hidden.”

“What do you want to do?”, he asked, expecting the worst.

“Let’s return this puppy and look for a better one papa.”

Her dad knew it would not be possible to convince Tania. So he decided to stretch the exercise to its due end.

“Tania, ok – but remember, whatever dog you pick next – you must keep it. Perfect or not! Take a good look before you choose the puppy.”

“OK papa!”

“Promise?”

“I promise”. Tania became happy again. He wondered how children switched emotions so radically and deeply.

That evening at the kennel store again!

The puppy was licking Tania’s face as usual. He didn’t have a clue of what was about to transpire. The kennel did not have any other perfect puppies, so they decided to drop this puppy off and continue the search. The owner wasn’t very happy, but decided to take the puppy back anyway.

As Tania was about to hand this back to the owner, the puppy gave her another lick on the cheek. Tania looked at the puppy’s eyes and they shone with happiness and love, his small tail wagging fiercely.

Tania’s eyes welled up with tears and she gave the puppy a hug.

“Papa, I can’t return him.”

“Why not?”, her dad asked, surprised.

“He’s perfect papa. I cannot let him go. Please papa!”

“Perfect? He has a black spot Tania. How did he become perfect?”

“Papa, *but I love him*. I don’t care if he has a black spot. I don’t care if he gets black spots all over his white hair. Let’s keep him papa, please!”

Her dad smiled. Tania had unlocked the secret of perfection over a moment of communion and gave him a lesson as well in the process.

“Ok sweetie. We can take him back home. Say thank you to the uncle here for giving you the perfect puppy!”

“I will let the puppy thank him papa.” And she allowed the puppy to give a loving lick to the kennel owner.

As they moved out, Tania said – “Papa, I also know what we’re going to call him. Let’s call him ‘Spotty’”

“And so, in the blink of an eye, the imperfect dog became perfect and Mr. Spotless became ‘Spotty’”, Tania’s dad was telling her mother later that night.