Family Holiday Mishigas

We’re in Goa, India, at my parents’ idyllic retirement abode.

The holidays are meant to be a time for family. For some of us, this means spending time with family we don’t necessarily like.

Meet Marcus Aurelius Brutus. My parents’ Boxer – Dalmatian child.

My family, as in the one I was born to, adores dogs. So I shocked even myself when I married a man who is a dog-o-phobe. And I’m embarrassed to have created offspring who don’t go ga-ga over every puppy.

The only reason our family had our dog, Chaiya, was that Sandeep agreed to adopt her in a moment of weakness (I had recently found out I had MS and he was willing to do anything to make me feel better). Chaiya was old – she didn’t bark, lick, or jump. She was obsessed with me and ignored anyone else, which suited the entire family just fine.

Marcus is everything Chaiya was not. He’s full of affection for anyone that crosses his path. Unfortunately, his Boxer strength and Dalmatian energy betray him. His displays of affection have broken an ankle, shattered a glass door and torn several pieces of clothing. His eagerness to defend the property was proven when he killed a four foot rat snake.

This has led to plenty of mishigas at the Malarkar – Luke household. If Kayan so much as sees Marcus he screeches and cries, which sends Marcus into an excited frenzy, which sends Sandeep running out of the room, which panics Ava, which upsets my parents who just want their family happily together.

I suppose like all families that have been apart for a while, or have new family members added, it take time to get used to each other. For now, Marcus, Sandeep and the kids continue their games of hide and seek around the house.