The other day I saw Rufus preening in front of my dressing mirror. First he barred his teeth in a ferocious snarl which actually looked like a simper to my fond eyes. Then he looked at his right profile.

He opened and shut his jaw couple of times like a crocodile on the National Geographic channel. Then he turned his left profile and emitted a few sinister low key growls. He didn't try his bark because even the stray cat who airily strolls into the kitchen is not intimidated by his bark.

"Whatever you are doing, it won't work" I said, boredly flipping through my magazine. "That black female is just not interested in you".

"I am not interested in that stupid female any more - I am on to bigger things. Just for your information I have been indoctrinated" he said swelling with importance and trying hard to project fanatical zeal through his one blue and one green eye.

"I don't think you know what indoctrination means. Its got nothing to do with you biting Doctor R's ankle last Sunday." 

"I do know what indoctrination means! I am now officially a card holding member of the worlds number one canine underground movement" he said almost bursting with pride." Don't tell anybody but you can call me a terrorist" 

That made me sit up " You mean you have joined a canine terrorist group?"  He nodded smugly, "You didn't see this character in the park.  I went behind the bush and there he was beckoning to me and he indoctrinated me".

"You stupid dog, don't even breathe the word.. Do you know what terrorists do? They kill innocent people and bomb buildings in misguided fervour and think they are going straight to heaven as martyrs"

"Well my group does not want to kill people. They just want dogs to get together and protest" "Evertime you want to register a protest with me you don't eat your food in the day and  gobble it  at night when you think I am asleep Is that how you are going to protest?"

"Little you know!", he smirked" They are teaching  us what to eat to raise the maximum stink in public places…we will be stink bombers of the world"

" But don't terrorists need a cause? They way I see it you have it all laid on …great house, food twice a day, sleep all day with no pressure to even bark at intruders. What have you got to protest about?"

"There are times when one has to think beyond ones own selfish needs. I am here for the canine species. Heroes do not think of themselves all the time" he said grandly

"If I thought you were serious I'd have to call the anti terrorism squad you silly dog" "Let me tell how how serious I am. I've learned how to make my own stink bomb. I and my comrades from the park are out to  to avenge the dishonour and disrespect shown  to our species by an uncaring cruel, world" .

"Stop talking nonsense. What dishonour, what disrespect.. for Gods sake?" "Do you know" he said bitterly "Not one of us was nominated for President of India this term? Did anyone even think of it"?

"Shut up and go to sleep or I won't call the anti-terrorist squad, I will call the stray dog catchers instead. Terrorist indeed!."

 "See what I mean …we are being forced into  this by  marginalizing attitudes like yours" he said bitterly. That is when he let off a trial stink bomb.

 It was alarming to say the least.After I was done with retching five times, I thought I'd  do serious research into what makes a  peaceloving  dog turn into a militant terrorist. turn into a militant terrorist. If only I knew how indoctrination is done, I’d probably re-indoctrinate him back into the asleep-at-all-hours lazy bones who can be trained to make floral scented bombs when guests come.