Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Say it again, Sam!

Sam
Some people just happen in your life – and Sam is one of them. Even though we’ve never met (unlikely that we ever will) and have spoken on the phone for all of 180 seconds only once, Sam has become my anchor of sorts on this side of the Indus.

I had no clue about Sam’s existence till someone completely unknown to me inboxed me her number with this message: “If you really want your cats adopted -- contact Sam.”

I did.

Within hours Sam was texting numbers of friends who could help. I was touched. I corresponded with the few animal lovers she had lined up. Sadly, almost all, felt love only for the pure breeds.

Sam and I connected on Facebook and I was surprised to see my cat picture as her display picture. From her Facebook profile, Sam seemed like a bubbly girl who packed a lot in this lifetime – sang, wrote, acted, modelled, was a human and animal rights activist and a media person. In between she also made time to cuddle her feline friends -- 17 at last count!

Three weeks later, none of my cats were adopted. The lone woman, who showed up at my house to take a kitten for her son, was chased away by my personal Pakistani bodyguard aka Bond Bhai. I gave up. Not Sam. She decided to take charge and posted about my cats in virtual hangouts I hadn’t heard of and kept the fire burning.

While I would get angry with smart alecs who wanted to know the breed of my cats, (all rescues, like Sam’s, and hence not the favoured Persian, Siamese or Burmese breeds), Sam smartly placed them as Abyssinians – confusing animal lovers who reserve their love only for the right breeds.

Somewhere along the way I learnt Sam’s full name. On request, she posted me a link to her music video and it suddenly dawned on me that Sam was a celeb or sorts. Then came another link to another music video and she also let me access her pictures on Facebook – mostly stills from her modeling assignments. I learnt that she did a lot of live performances, besides acting on stage and TV. I also learnt that she liked John Abraham. Not for his looks, but because he seemed to have a good heart!

When I was off to India to see my ailing father in October, I asked Sam if I could get her anything from there. “Get me an Indian film connection!” she joked. Sam’s ultimate aim is to be “a famous singer and film star”.

Sam has been selflessly networking for the past few months to get my cats adopted even as she has 17 of her own to give away. On top of that when she lines up someone, I shamelessly crib about the prospective adopter's profile (just can’t bring myself to trust any with my feline friends) and threaten to leave all my cats (11 at last count!) with her.

On one occasion, perhaps gauging my depression, she suggested that in the worst case she would take in all my cats. I know that 17 plus 11 adds up to 28, but then what could be a more perfect arrangement for my cats? Of course, I will be in trouble if Bollywood discovers Sam’s talent, but then Sam is Sam and I am certain she will make sure her 28 cats are comfortable before she crosses over.

12 comments:

  1. Hey..

    Faith is what leads you all the way in whatever you do.... In pakistan also, there will be ppl like you who can love Cats without checking the breed. You found SAM, same way you will come across more... Nd you hav a strong support of SAM with you....

    take care nd keep the search on.... :)

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  2. Soch, thanks for reading. There are few like Sam, on either side of the Indus, because in our subcontinent pets work well as status symbols and hence the breed-consciousness. Don't you agree?
    :)

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  3. I dnt knw abt that side of indus, but for this side, i do agree ur point.... how can we leave animals when we diffrentiate humans on basis of cast, creed nd states.... And thats the ugly truth we have....

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  4. nice person to know, even 2nd hand from a blog ! ;)
    will you continue blogging once you are back in India ?

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  5. Rahul, sure thing :)
    There's plenty that cannot be written from here, so I suppose I will for a while from there...

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  6. Hey, it seems you feel trapped in pak, i think it's time to move back to India. You get life just once and nobody should have to live it in depression and frustration.

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  7. Anonymous, not trapped surely! I've written about my many good moments too here :)

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  8. I am great fan of your blogs.But I am expecting that you write little regular and handling subjects that you promised write before. As reading your blog is such great experience.
    I can understand that it is tough to write anything when your father was ill. I hope he will recover very fast.
    By the way where I can read your actual work as journalist,please provide me link for your columns.

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  9. "on either side of the Indus"

    ahem......By the way where is indus?

    Just in case you don't know' Country on the either side of Indus is the same one called Pakistan.
    look it up in a map.India has nothing whatever of Indus,your country's name is actually a misnomer.
    Or Do you idealogically agree with one of those hindutava groups,still harbouring their Mother India fantasy which never was.
    I hope not.

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  10. Anon 1, thanks for reading :) Inbox me your ID for links.

    Anon 2, its a privilege to have you here...For more info on the Indus you may want to read this: http://www.empiresoftheindus.co.uk/
    And SORRY will have to delete your other comment. Best.

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  11. i had to give 6 pure bred himalayans for adoption when i was leaving lahore for abroad and couldnt find takers. looks like cat lovers are hiding in the bean bags.

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