| "You can close your excuse-referral book now. | | | | |
| You're coming home for lunch, and that's final" | | | | Phew! We're finally seated in the comfort of Meli's |
| said Melissa with an affirmative air that leaves you | | | | home, but though a little calmer, my nerves still |
| nothing much to say other than, "Ok, ok, as you | | | | are a mess. How the heck am I to get back |
| say," | | | | now? |
| | | | | |
| As I put down the phone, I thought, I might as | | | | I'm sure Spikey knows that's there's some |
| well. After all, it's not every Sunday that I travel | | | | stranger in the vicinity, and his already alert |
| to Suburban Mumbai, and more so I could do with | | | | senses would be even more alarmed should there |
| a little company while I crib about how my | | | | be a slight slip-up. Meli insists dogs are not |
| Sunday is absolutely ruined by a sudden business | | | | interested. She further defends his case with her |
| event, and most importantly it had been quite a | | | | argument that he only bites vendors. |
| while since I met Meli (well long enough for us to | | | | "You do not look like a vendor", |
| realise that the other had either put on weight or | | | | |
| lost some of it – in girl terms, that's quite a | | | | "Neither did Lee, but he still thought him (junk) |
| long time). | | | | food." |
| | | | | |
| And so Sunday found me walking towards Meli's | | | | "Lee instigated him". |
| society gate, a happy spring in my step, looking | | | | |
| forward to an interesting rendezvous. In the true | | | | I ask how. She says by walking provocatively. I |
| style of the considerate host that she is, Meli was | | | | stare in silence, dumbfounded. What could you say |
| already at the entrance, waving her hands in the | | | | to that? A dog getting instigated because he |
| air to catch my already attracted attention. | | | | thinks your walk is provocative. Sigh!! |
| | | | | |
| We don't believe in exchanging pleasantries, we've | | | | We're still debating about how we could possibly |
| known each other for much longer than that, so | | | | get past Spikey. |
| we giggled a little at nothing really hilarious, and | | | | |
| broke into an almost immediate chatter, that | | | | Could she ask a few neighbours to escort her |
| wasn't much interrupted by a sudden realisation | | | | poor friend till the gate? She looks at me |
| that we could continue our babbling or rather | | | | stupefied. |
| "exchanging notes" as we prefer referring to it as, | | | | "Ok, could you carry some titbits with you that |
| in the comfort of her home. | | | | you could throw in another direction so that he |
| | | | | changes attention, and I can sprint for the gate?" |
| "Sure, let's go", I seconded her, all the while | | | | |
| blissfully unaware of the recollection about to | | | | "No," I then contradict myself, "he would smell the |
| move slowly from my subconscious to my | | | | titbits on us, and we'd probably be inviting him |
| cognisant mind. | | | | over ourselves, rather than keeping him away." |
| | | | | |
| Happy feet moved inwards from the gate, which | | | | I asked her, "Can you go out and call a rickshaw |
| stood at the extreme end of the rectangular | | | | inside, right up to your building?" "Well, no" I |
| compound that was shared by 6 buildings, each | | | | thought again, "He could jump inside very |
| separated by cobbled pathways. The buildings | | | | conveniently. And then I'm so done for." |
| were lined by tall Ashokas on all sides, which | | | | |
| provided a shady slumber space to the strays | | | | "Relax," she says, "we'll manage." |
| that called this society their home. I let out a | | | | |
| short laugh, as I pointed to the white and brown | | | | I'm not sure what that meant. I mean he wouldn't |
| mongrel that was resting under one such spot, all | | | | bite ‘her', she's familiar, but me? I'm a sure |
| its fours up in the air. | | | | victim. |
| | | | | |
| Meli continued walking ahead, her head thrown | | | | As we step out in to the evening sun, I start |
| back by the recent spurt of chuckles that | | | | muttering my prayers. During the past 2 hours I |
| dominated our banter, and it was only when she | | | | have visualised and re-visualised my fight with the |
| glanced behind that she realised that I was firmly | | | | villain. At least in the re-takes in my mind, I end |
| rooted to the spot. | | | | up victorious. |
| | | | | |
| As all the laughter vanished in a whiff, I managed | | | | Melissa takes the obvious lead, and we begin the |
| two words – "Meli, Spikey!" | | | | journey back, towards the gate of salvation, on |
| | | | | mission – Protect Rear! |
| In all the excitement of the afternoon, I had | | | | |
| forgotten all about Spikey. Yes Spikey – one | | | | "The key is maintaining constant speed – not |
| of the strays in the society, a malicious bundle of | | | | too quick, not too slow. Remember Johnny |
| black and grey fur, that once chose to distrust a | | | | Walker" says Meli, "Keep Walking." |
| visiting friend and make a light snack out his seat. | | | | |
| Ouch! | | | | We're almost reaching the gate now, and then we |
| | | | | spot the enemy – sleeping blissfully on the |
| Stranded right in the centre of the compound, | | | | warm cobbled path. And then just as I'm about to |
| with a few wagging tails coming closer and not | | | | offer my thanks to the powers above, the rest |
| another human soul in sight, I'm faced with a | | | | of the gang start their doggy chorus – barking |
| dilemma – Do I retrace my steps towards | | | | at a speeding motorcycle that whizzed by. |
| the gate? Or should I listen to Meli, and continue | | | | |
| onwards. | | | | Oops, the quadruped fiend opened his eyes to |
| | | | | inspect the source of all the chaos. I'm so done |
| "I will be brave," I tell myself. Murphy's Law at its | | | | for I thought. "Should I try singing a lullaby", I ask. |
| best here again has the destination building | | | | "If you do, I'd set Spikey on to you myself," |
| situated right at the end of the compound. Drat! | | | | warned a partially serious Melissa. |
| | | | | |
| We keep walking, and I put on a smile that I hope | | | | We turned our focus back on Spikey – it was |
| will make me appear nonchalant should Spikey | | | | exactly 5 seconds – he looked at us, yawned |
| spot me. All the while, Meli keeps mumbling, "Jo, | | | | disinterestedly, and then went off to sleep again. |
| walk normally! We're fine! We're cool! No catwalks | | | | |
| please. He may just find that suggestive," | | | | It took almost 10 minutes for my breathing to |
| | | | | get back to normal, once I climbed into the |
| I try hard to ignore that, but a dog finding your | | | | rickshaw, relieved that every piece of me was |
| gait suggestive is just too much to handle. | | | | intact. |
| | | | | |
| Now we're almost near her building, and I see a | | | | A few days later Melissa called up to tell me that |
| black figure striding towards us. "Oh crap Meli," I | | | | the society is thinking of putting Spikey to sleep. |
| shriek, my feet gone numb and my heart | | | | She asked if I would like to have my name on |
| pounding loud. | | | | their signature campaign for protecting the local |
| | | | | strays. |
| "Shut up woman! That's not Spikey. That's a good | | | | |
| dog," says Melissa. | | | | "Sure," I smiled back, "after all Spikey is just doing |
| | | | | his job. The problem is that he is taking his job a |
| I don't believe her. The dog changes course | | | | little too seriously. |
| mid-way and I almost jump into the open lift. | | | | |