Wearing a tail
I thought I had become another Yudhishtira walking towards heaven.
As I stepped out of the shop and began my walking early that morning, I had a feeling that I am being followed. Had there been a friendly American around, he would have warned, “Hey buddy, you are wearing a tail!” I turned.
Yes, indeed, I was being followed by a specimen of the canine family, his tail wagging on and off. Since my doctor had advised me to take the morning walks alone, I didn’t want to encourage company, never mind the one offering it had an extra pair of legs and could motivate me to trot.
I paused. He also paused looking up at me as if itching to pass on a message to me. Because of the language barrier, he moaned turning back his head as if urging me to get back. And added by way of elucidation a mild ‘wuf, wuf.’ This puzzled me. Nevertheless, I egged on.
As I turned the corner of the seventh avenue, admiring the violet bougainvillea that canopied the retired colonel’s house, the dog continued to follow my footsteps. One given to a bit of fantasising, I thought I had become another Yudhishtira walking towards heaven, closely followed by a dog. But such comparison did not hold water as I may not possibly merit a gate pass to that domain of Devas and Apsaras. Besides, the seventh avenue, anyway, led only to Ashok Nagar and not Amaravati.
This mysterious shadowing continued till I went through the length of my entire demarcated route and followed in the reverse direction as well. But things happened when we reached the space opposite the mini departmental store. Here he overtook me and barked twice.
I looked at him more puzzled wanting to tell him, ‘look chum, I can’t understand what you want to say,’ till the assistant in the shop came out with a small pack. ‘You have forgotten to take this bun you purchased.’ I thanked him and looked at the snack that was to blunt my diabetic hunger after a swift early morning walk. The observant dog looked at me wagging his tail vigorously in anticipation of a much needed breakfast.
When I gave it, he settled down to eat it—but not before giving me a look that if permitted he may follow me even to heaven.
