I met Dr. Jyothi Vinnakota Robertson DVM at a U. C. Davis Vet School event while she was doing her residency in Shelter Medicine. She explained to me that Jyothi is Sanskrit for "Light" and that she doesn't expect anyone to pronounce it correctly. Her ethnic heritage, like her name, is from India, though (as I later learned) she was born in Switzerland and raised in the US Midwest. Her husband's heritge is from Scotland, thus contributing the name Robertson. We started talking about yoga as something helpful to veterinarians, as yoga is self-training in making one's mind calm and focused.
 
Soon after that meeting I found this song forming in my head, drawing imagry from India's Hindu culture. I've shown it to Dr Robertson and , fortunately, she liked it, the more so as the original "Mrs Robinson" is among her daughter's favorite tunes.
 
Dr Robertson has since completed her residency. She hopes to someday assist developing countries in establishing animal sanctuaries and spay/neuter programs.
 

if you want to play the music (if you are using Internet Explorer, you may need to turn on ActiveX) :



or open the MIDI file in a new window mrs_robinson.mid or right-click and choose "download target to disk" to download and save the file (on a Mac control-click and choose "download link to disk").


 
        

Dr Robertson

by Pam Green , © 2011, 2015

(to tune of "Mrs Robinson", by Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel)


 

Here's to you , Dr Robertson,
Vishnu loves you more than you can know, wo wo wo.
Namaste, Dr Robertson,
Trying to keep shelter pets alive, help them thrive.

And here's to every shelter vet ,
Ahimsa is your creed ;
Spay and neuter pre-release
Intake numbers should receed

Rin Tin Tin, a war orphin ,
Bombed out kennel in Lorraine,
Rescued Warner Studio
From bankrupcy's cruel pain.

Here's to you, Doctor Robertson ,
Ganesha will help you tote your load, down your road;.
Namaste, Doctor Robertson,
Hanuman will teach you all his guile, while you smile.

Benji was a shelter dog,
He made his owner rich
Lassie was a give-away,
Transvestite pseudo-bitch

Sandy was a shelter dog ;
On the stage he did not fail.
Toto's not from Kansas,
And she's also not a male.

The city of Boukephala was flooded out by rains,
The site of lost Perita can't be found ;
But today in Persia many dogs and horses claim
Descent from Alex's stallion and his hound.

Where have you gone Secretariat ?
The racetrack lifts its greedy eyes to you, wo wo wo.
Barbaro and Ruffian
Never chose the price they had to pay, neigh ! neigh ! neigh !

And here's to you, Dr Roberson,
Kali sheds her grace on those who spay, yay, yay, yay
Namaste, Dr Robertson,
Trying to keep shelter pets alive, help them thrive.

Here's to you, Doctor Robertson ,
Krishna's flute and dance will bring you joy, oy oy oy.
Namaste Doctor Robertson,
Garuda's wings will carry you in flight, towards the Light.


 

footnotes :

Vishnu = the Preserver, one of the 3 principal gods (Brama = the Creator, Shiva = the Destroyer). Vishnu has attributes of mercy and goodness.

Ahima = yogic ethical principle of "non harming" : don't harm others, don't harm yourself ; do the least harm possible in difficult situations.

Namaste = yogic salutation

Ganesha = elephant headed god

Hanuman = monkey-headed god, very clever but also can be mischievious

Garuda = eagle-headed, winged god

Krishna = in form of a beautiful man

Kali = goddess , with necklace of skulls

Boukephala / Bucephala, Perita = cities founded by Alexander the Great, named respectively for his beloved stallion Boukephalus, Bucephalas (Oxhead) and his favorite dog Peritas. Both cities no longer exist. Alex founded many cities , all the others named for himself (no false modesty there), some of which still exist, Alexandria in Egypt being the most illustrious, Kandahar in Afghanistan being another.

Barbero and Ruffian = outstanding racehorses, shattered legs during races, died after attempts at fracture repair. Secretariat of course needs no introduction, as one of the most renown racehorses of all time.

Rin Tin Tin was discovered in a bombed out kennel in Lorraine and brought home by GI Lee Duncan. His motion pictures did indeed save the studio from bankrupcy.

Sandy was rescued out of a shelter by trainer Bill Berloni to star in the stage play Annie, the first such production to include a genuine acting role for a dog.

Toto (originally Terry), a female Cairn born in Chicago, was abandoned by her owner due to housebreaking difficulties. With trainer Carl Spitz, she played many roles during a long career, of which the role of Toto in The Wizard of Oz was the most famous.

Benji (real name Higgins) was rescued from a Burbank , Ca shelter. He had an extensive career in films and TV, succeeded by his daughter Benjean

Lassie (real name Pal) was given away by his first trainer who considered him a problem. He lived to the remarkable age of 17 or 18. Pal and the many successor Lassies were all male, as in this breed the males carry a more dramatic coat.


 
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site author Pam Green copyright 2003
created 1/08/2011 revised 9/06/2015
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