The philosophical message behind the death of a dog

Jul 04, 2019 Features / Columnists, Freddie Kissoon

When I moved into Turkeyen, next to the Caricom Secretariat, I fell in love with two phenomenally beautiful dogs that belonged to my neighbours. Gizmo was a boy that belonged to the sister of Bibi Shadick.
Many days, Gizmo’s owners didn’t know where he was; he was in my home. I planned to spend plenty time with Gizmo.
One morning, very early, I looked out the window and saw John holding Gizmo in his hand while his wife had a spade in her hand. I called my daughter to show her and we went downstairs to see what was happening. John said Gizmo died.
The other neighbour’s dog was K-Jay. I claimed K-Jay as if she was my own. I took care of her when her owners were out of the country.
I fed K-Jay most days. Last month I bought a special tin of dog food for K-Jay but was holding it back for a special occasion; maybe when my daughter returns from studies in Europe or Christmas or my birthday late December.
Yesterday K-Jay died. When I went into the cupboard and saw the tin, like a bolt of lightening, I was struck by the thought of the unpredictable nature of life.
We don’t know what will happen tomorrow. The future is shapeless; it doesn’t belong to any of us. In this existential life , do not wait to pursue your dreams. Do not wait to go after your goals. Do what you want to do. Give what you plan to give to your children, relatives, and friends. I was looking forward to giving K-Jay a special meal. It never occurred to me while playing with K-Jay last week, she would never have that dinner.
I can remember one year Glenn Lall had given us a bonus. I collected mine with Dale Andrews (deceased). Dale had told Glenn to keep his for him. I turned to Dale and asked him why.
I said to him; “Take your bonus.” Weeks later, Kaieteur News’s printery in Eccles was the victim of arson. In the midst of the confusion, Dale wanted his bonus. I told him it would be unwise to go to Glenn who has to deal with a disaster to ask him for his bonus.
I don’t know what happened or how late or soon he got it but the story underscores the uncertainty of life.
Life is not guaranteed to any of us. What is sad about human nature is that we think it is. We think we can dictate the pace of our lives. Surely, we say it is my life and I choose to live it the way I want to.
That is an existential choice all humans face at some time in their lives but our functions are always constrained by the unpredictable nature of existence, the unpredictable role of intervening circumstances.
In no other sphere is this rule more powerful than in politics. Rulers always feel they have total control over the lever of the future. It is in their hand and they decide when to put it in overdrive or went to mash the brake. Then they wake up to a rude awakening.
I will never forget the image of Khurshid Sattaur holding onto the passenger window of my car as I drove through the street on which his parents live in Bel Air village.
It was inconceivable to Sattaur that his role as the boss man of the GRA would come to an abrupt end. It did in May 2015. His willingness to use his office to victimize those who criticize the PPP government was over. Sattaur would not go away.
He clung to the car as I slowly drove and he kept repeating the words, “I had nothing against you; I was told to go after you.” I couldn’t get in a word even though I am an excessively argumentative person.
Sattaur was speaking to the daily columnist of the country’s leading newspaper whom he felt may have some influence. I was speaking to the former boss of the GRA who no longer had any influence.
This is what the vagaries and vicissitudes of life do to people and the quicker they learn the lesson, the better position they would be to avoid the pitfalls of life.
I will never see K-Jay again. I will never feed her that special dinner I bought for her. And the pain will take a long time to leave because I loved K-Jay immensely. But K-Jay’s sudden death has reinforced the belief I have had since younger days – life will never wait for you; you must not wait on it.

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The philosophical message behind the death of a dog

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