A cute little encounter

A Saturday morning - a little chilly with a nice and gentle breeze...a disappointing start to the day for me when I learnt that Gayle and Co were out of the reckoning for the T20 World Cup.

After having my breakfast, I was on the way to the park in Jayanagar 9th block, it was nothing unique considering that it is my weekend routine for lack of a better pastime. Some incidents, the way they transpire, on first sight don't look extraordinary and on the contrary appear perfectly plausible and routine, but on retrospect have an aura and halo about them that one can't find it easy to just forget them. They lend a brightness to an otherwise dreary and boring existence particularly if our mood verges on the despairing and insipid side. So, if you get the context I am trying to place this post in, read on...

On that particular street, one of my favorites in the area - there is a sense of indifference to beauty. People don't seem to admire it as intently as I like to think, I do. They appear too preoccupied. Rather, I think city folks are in general too preoccupied anytime, rarely finding time to indulge in something for themselves purely for pleasure and amusement.

Enough of digressions...let me come to the point. Try to imagine this if you can, for I am not sure, I would be able to do complete justice to this post and the encounter in question -

A huge dog that was quite menacing in its proportions was held on a chain by a boring guy. The guy was oblivious to his surroundings and must have been dreaming. He was standing with the dog on one side while on the other side of the street, another dog, small and undernourished, was walking by with its owner, an old woman. The two dogs met and there was the usual reaction, only this time, the small one was really scared. The big dog was growling and pouncing, trying its best to get out of the guy's control while the small one was struggling and dragging the old lady further into the pavement on the side.

Meanwhile, a girl, (she must have been under 25) was about to start her Honda Activa as a gentleman, presumably her father, told her that he was ready to go. She was on the side of the street close to the big dog and had been witnessing this with a keen interest. Silently, almost in a whisper, she asks her father - "Oru nimisham irukkela" - in chaste Tamil. (translated to English as "Can you wait for a minute?") Gently with agile, light and quick steps, she crosses the street and almost immediately, (rather too soon to be almost shocking) the small dog in a cute fashion, jumps up to her and tries to cuddle. It was very spontaneous and was like love at first night.

They were all over each other like two kids fighting or playing with each other. I could not figure out what caused the dog to behave like that for I am sure it was a stranger to the girl . Their affection towards each other was unbridled and went on for nearly 4-5 minutes. Nobody seemed to notice this spectacle except me and another guy in the terrace of an adjacent house who was having a toothbrush in hand. The girl and the dog spoke to each other without any need for words. We humans, even with the benefit of words rarely understand each other and often, end up with assumptions, suspect, back bite and take each other for granted.

Not frequently do you come across such sights, very unusual in their spontaneity and nature, unexpected if your mood is not great for a weekend. But that encounter was something special. It had beauty written all over. Was the girl good looking or not? - I can't reollect for she never removed her helmet and I was a little too distant to notice her exact features but her act certainly was! In the end, the old lady had to restrain her pet with some strength and resolve to prevent it from running away with the girl. She quickly walked back across the street and with some style and gusto started her Activa and whizzed past me in no time.

I think I saw a hint of sadness in the face of the big dog, the natural bully, while the guy was well and truly awake. In my riveted attention, I forgot that I could have used my mobile to capture the cuteness for things of beauty are joys forever. Aren't they?