Me, Dips and pups

Photo: Courtesy Google Images

 
One day after our classes were over we decided to walk from the school to the nearest metro station. It was a warm and pleasant December afternoon, perfect to walk a distance of one to two kilometers. Just a few hundred meters from our school gate there was a small roadside stall which was run by a poor middle aged couple. It sold cigarettes, candies, chips, tea and a few other eatables. Right next to the stall was a small compound bounded by high walls from three sides and by a black gate in the front. It was an abandoned piece of land with wild bushes growing near its corners. As we were passing it Dips and I were forced to a stop by the cuteness of six little puppies inside it. Now is probably a good time to mention that I have a slight phobia of dogs, origins of which can be traced back to a particular day of my infanthood when a certain dog decided that my leg was just as delectable as a chicken leg and sunk its teeth in my soft, chubby flesh. Since then I believe in admiring these God’s creatures from a distance, but Dips believes you can’t pass a puppy without playing with it.

And here we had puppy power of six. So you can imagine how it was nearly impossible to convince her to move from there. Add to this the fact that those sweet little puppies looked absolutely helpless and hungry, even my heart didn’t allow leaving them like that but there was little I could have done given my phobia. That’s when messiah of puppies came to rescue. She marched to the eatery stall and bought a packet of bread for the puppies. While I kept telling her to just throw the bread to them through the bars of the gate she felt it was cruel and utterly unforgivable to do such a thing. Thus, against my protests she opened the gate of the compound and was immediately surrounded by the adorable cuties. One by one she broke the pieces of bread and fed them. She even persuaded me to come a little closer, though not too close, and give them bread myself. However, all I could manage was a throw, followed by a squeal when a puppy came a little too near me.

“Seriously Umang how could you be scared of puppies? They are the sweetest thing ever!” she said.

“I won’t argue that. But I would rather enjoy their sweetness from a distance,” I replied.

In response she shook her head in mocking disgust.

“Can we go now? We are getting late,” I said. The way the puppies were jumping to catch bread from her was making me uneasy.

“Just a minute. I still have some pieces left. This black one keeps snatching bits I give to the one with white and brown patches. He is such a sneak.” I laughed.

“Yeah that black one does look cunning. It’s good though. He would need it to survive on the streets,” I said.

At that very moment she looked at me with a troubled expression. I knew what she was thinking. If it was up to her there never would be an abandoned pup in sight because she would adopt every one of them.

“You know it’s not fair that these harmless babies have to live here like this. Soon it would get cold. What will become of them? How will they survive?”

“You can’t really do anything. You already have a pet, can’t take them home as well.” She looked so unhappy. I added, “Don’t worry; their mom must be near by. She would keep them safe and warm. C’mon now, we have to go.” I extended my hand to her.

Reluctantly she came out of the circle of puppies around her and took my hand. I squeezed her hand and she squeezed back. With a sad face she closed the gate of the compound keeping the puppies from coming out after her. After making sure the gate was secured properly she turned to me, “we are coming back here next week so that we can wrap them in clothes I am going to make for them,” she said resolutely, daring me to contradict.

With a sigh I gave in.

“Alright, but don’t expect me to cloth them. I’ll just stand here at a safe distance while you do all the dirty work,” I said as we started walking, leaving the pups behind for now.

“Agreed! Though, sooner than you know it you’ll be joining me in the dirty work,” she said with a big smile.

“Yeah, just don’t bet on it.”