My Tryst With the Quadrupeds - Vol. III : Some Things Unsaid

I spotted him last evening, after nearly a week, sleeping peacefully under the tree. He seemed to have lost a little weight, but looked as cute as ever in his graceful sprawling posture. Not wanting to wake him up, I tried to tiptoe past, but darn his acute senses! The instant I crossed him he was up, and cried out like a baby. I couldn't be hard on him - and myself - after hearing that purr.

He got up and shook himself up to launch a series of meows on me. I figured he was hungry, and rushed to fetch milk for him. Unfortunately, the canteen was out of milk, so I had to get him biscuits. He doesn't like biscuits but his hunger pang was stronger than his cuisine preference at the moment. Taking our places at one of his favourite eating spots, I broke down a few biscuits for him to gobble.Watching him eat, I thought to myself who'd spoil this brat for the coming 3 months; at the same time assuring myself that Nature had endowed him with the requisite skills to fend for himself.

As he finished eating, I got up to leave. And for the first time he held me back. Placing a firm paw on my thigh, he perched himself on my lap. He then lay his head on my lap and slipped halfway on to the grass, not loosening his grip on me though. It seemed as though that was his way of telling me not to leave. Animals have this eerie way sensing things. I would've stayed back if I could, but we cannot always do what we want to, can we? I'd take him home with me, but I value his independence and free way of life much more than my whims. Also, my resident pets would create a pandemonium at home if I brought in a playmate for them. In the meantime he pretended to sleep on my lap. (I know he was pretending because he kept checking if I was looking at him!)

After about an hour I had to get up to leave. There was a lot of packing and sorting to be done. I put aside his paw, which he instantly put back. We did this a couple of times before I finally got up. He caught hold of my wrist and refused to let go, even licked it  - most unusual for a cat. He then tried to grab my attention by rolling on the grass and enticing me to play with him. I tickled his belly, and turned to go. I could hear him purring indignantly. But I did not turn back.

With immense attachment comes immense insecurity and the agony of parting. With me, it is the same about Bunty, and his little gesture conveyed a lot as well. With his typical grumpily smug expression, he watched me leave.

I'll miss you my little brat. Stay good till I am back!

~

Have a Look at Us

( Post originally written on 07/06/2009)

The latest product of dishonesty which is teetering into the lives of thousands of innocent Indians is the  influx of counterfeit currency notes in mainstream circulation. Counterfeits have been introduced into circulation in denominations of Rs. 1000 notes. You are likely to come across these new entrants in circulation at ATMs, bank cash counters and just about anywhere.

There are ways to detect the fake currency but what appals me is the directive issued by the government stating that the person found in possession counterfeit money is liable to be interrogated, even arrested! You cannot question the bank or for that matter anybody in this world if you happen to come across fake currency. If the ATM tends counterfeit money, well its your fault that you chose to withdraw YOUR money, and not the bank's who accepted such money which in turn was given to you by the ATM. Whats more, don't even expect that your claim for recompensing the counterfeit money will be as much as even entertained by the RBI.

This is just one of the many inhuman, inconsiderate, cruel and 'anti-people' ways that our government has resorted to for tackling or rather covering up their foolhardy blunders even if that means tormenting the common man, whose votes have given them the authority to do what they are doing.

What does one expect from a government who instates in its cabinet a Home Minister who tells an MP - under threat for his life - that he cannot protect each and every person in this country. This statement is tantamount to blasphemy in a democracy. What the hell does P. Chidambaram propose to do in the allotted five years of his term as the Union Cabinet Minister of Home is what I'd like to know; if its not the safety of every individual, what is it? A government which harbours such an indifferent and lackadaisical attitude towards the security of the citizens is one which is surely elected by foolish voters. Being so large in numbers, we have forgotten to value the worth human life. That's the reason why the aforementioned statement has gone unnoticed, let alone invite a critique. I'd seriously like to know what the Home Ministry has on its agenda if its so convinced that protecting every individual in the country is something they cannot do, and something that are not even going to try. Its just like a doctor saying that he cannot treat every patient or like a teacher saying that he cannot teach every student.

And then you have to place your blind faith and trust in the government which you have elected just because you are living in the biggest democracy of the world!

~

Complicated Thoughts of a Simple Mind

(Post originally written on 24/04/2009)

"Your own mind is a sacred enclosure into which nothing harmful can enter except by your promotion." 

~

Ralph Waldo Emerson

There are times when one feels that the world is beautiful, despite its flaws; and there are times when one feels that this world is hopeless. Well, these feelings crop up solely due to one's emotions at a given point in time. But the truth is that this world has no beauty, and is full of ugly and disappointing things. When you know you've worked hard for something and you are sure to get your due, somebody pours a pitcher of cold water on your head only to make you realise that what you did may be good, but I don't think so. There is someone better than you, and that someone will get to bask in the glory which you certainly deserve. These disappointments, it is said, are necessary to understand the journey of life. Such philosophical claptrap is said and propagated only to justify unfair deeds. It may happen that what you think to be outstanding may not be so, and someone else's work - better than yours - gets appreciated; an honest and clean mind will not get affected by it. But if something relatively mediocre gets your due recognition, that very honest and clean mind will be utterly discouraged and demoralized.

Have you ever felt like that? You must have. So what does one do in such a situation? It takes a lot of grit to gather yourself and get up again to face the world. But the crux here is that you have to get up. No matter what happens, you must get up. There will always be a few people in your life who always want the best for you - your family, friends, mentors. So when you feel bogged down, just close your eyes and recollect the faces of your loved ones. You will see the hope in their eyes and the smiles on their faces. Believe it or not, that will act as a morale booster for you. It will give you the strength to let go of what has happened and move on to bigger things in life. After all there is no problem bigger than your might and will power. You are the master of your fate. Your life will give you just what you want from it. So dream, dream big and dream a lot. Those who don't dream, don't really do much. Chase your dreams; they are not easy to catch. But then anything that ever was worth doing, was not easy.

Be honest. Be happy. Be blessed. Peace.
~

Merci Beaucoup

"They can conquer who believe they can. He has not learned he first lesson in life who does not everyday surmount a fear." 

~ 

Ralph Waldo Emerson

"Self-will so ardent and active that it will break a world to pieces to make a stool to sit on. "
~
Unknown

There is never a better time than now to offer a little vote of thanks to those who have helped you reach where you are today.
After all, everyday you grow, you learn, you achieve; and you do that with help of the people who come into your life.

So here is my vote of thanks for the people who thought

I was incapable,

I did not have it in me,

I was undeserving,

I was not intelligent,

I lacked creativity,

I was devoid of talent.

Not to forget those who were mean to me,

Who spoke behind my back,

Who criticised my methods,

Who misunderstood me,
Who judged me without knowing  me,

Who created hurdles in my path,

Who tried to isolate me,

And those who eventually parted ways, leaving me in the lurch.

I thank you all, sincerely.

For it is because of you and your deeds that I have come to value those who love me more than ever. 

I give my best to everything that I do. 

Every goal that I set is more challenging than the previous.

I have befriended excellence and perfection.

I have successfully polished my capabilities beyond what you can imagine.

I am my own teacher, and have honed my talents adroitly.

My creativity lives and grows with me, and we see a new dawn, a new opportunity, a new avenue everyday.

I spend more time with myself, and am a better person.

Being alone never daunts me. I am my best companion.

With a will power so indomitable, that the mightiest of storms will retrace,

Self confidence so fortified that I can take on the world single-handedly,

A mind so open, that imbibes something valuable every single day,

Faith so reinforced, that there is no looking back now.
I have emerged stronger.

None of this would be possible without  you. Thank you again.

Dissuade me, hate me, break me.

I will rise each time, like a phoenix rises from its own ashes. 

I will win the battle without any crutches, every single time.

And I will have a glorious story to tell at the end of the day.
~

Missing School

(Post originally written on 25/07/2009)

Many a time I have found myself pondering over the kind of people one comes across in the course of one's life. I can't say about others, but I have particularly been unfortunate with my acquaintances; I call them acquaintances because I was never given a chance to consider a lot of people as my friends. And, mind you, I'm very fastidious about acquaintances who become friends, because not everyone can be a friend; they have to be special.

As a child, I was always on the look out for a friend; everyone wants and needs friends. I always saw children in twos and threes pattering around claiming to be each other's 'best friends' and wondered if I'd ever have a 'best' friend; I was to soon realise that I have no friends leave aside best friends. In my school, it was a general trend that students sitting together in clusters of four would become fast friends. This was quite a comfortable arrangement, the only drawback being that lest your place be changed or should you be shifted to another section the next year (which usually happened) you would have to make a new set of fast friends. This in particular would sadden my heart, because quite unlike others I would grow fond of my so-called friends.

Also, there would always be a bully in class who would attract all girls to herself, leaving me with two options - either to follow the bully or loiter alone. I frankly don't remember what I used to do. As if this mentally taxing stupidity was not enough, a girl whom I was finally coming to believe to be my friend suddenly stopped coming to school. After a few days I began to panic and asked another girl from her vicinity about her, only to learn that she had shifted residence. For sometime I couldn't believe it was true, but who cared about me!

There were girls in school with whom I was supposedly friends but the next year they refused to recognise me (the general trend , remember?). I mean, come on, did those girls ever realise what they were doing. I longed for a "hi" from my best friend, but she chose to look through me and went right across my face with someone else. Okay, I did not want you to spend the lunch break with me, but does a 'hi' take so long? I spent seven years in this 'great' school, every year hoping that someone would be different and would be my friend for more than an year, but all I was being was hopelessly optimistic.

I was to shift residence after my eighth grade. My new residence was very far away from the present one, so that meant I had to change my school as well. I was in quite a dilemma regarding this, because I was not used to shifting schools very often and resistance to change is human tendency after all. But I had to shift. And so I did, with a heavy heart. And without telling anyone about it. Anyone but a couple of girls who were my friends, mainly because we lived in the same vicinity and travelled to and back from school together. I kept my 'shift of residence' a quiet episode simply because I thought nobody would be interested in knowing whether or not I'd join them the next term. I think I was quite right.

But as they say what goes around, comes around. After I finished my high school, for my graduation I secured admission in a college which was in the same vicinity as my previous school. On my first day to college, just one glance around the place was enough to realise that the place was swarmed with the girls whom I had left behind four years back. Not surprisingly, nobody recognised me. Maybe a few did, I could make out from the expressions. But that was all. No conversations ensued. So much for old times' sake.

~

Deluded by Love

~ When she met you she was afraid to love you, when she loved you she was afraid to lose you, now that she has lost you she is afraid to love again. ~

She thought you were her knight in shining armour; you deserted her when she needed you the most.
She expected you to respect her decisions; all she got was derision. 
She considered you to be her chivalrous Prince Charming; you said some of the most disgusting things to make her believe otherwise.
She placed all her faith in you; your deceit disappointed her. 
She considered you to be the happiness of her life; you were actually the cause of her agony.
You assured her you’d trust her no matter what; you broke her trust by prying suspiciously.
You blamed her for things she never did. You reached conclusions without verifying facts.
She pleaded to be understood, you probably went deaf then. 
Her eyes spoke of her helplessness, you did not bother to see. 
In her most testing times she needed your strong arms to support her; what she got was an accusing impatient look.
She defied everybody to defend you and in turn was let down by you. 
She'd hoped you'd stand by; you chose to walk away. 
She was sure that you were her soul mate; she now scoffs at her imprudence.
The man who once made her feel so secure is now her pet peeve.
What she believed to be an ecstatic chapter in her life turned into a nightmare.
You promised you will never let her smile fade away; you became the reason for her tears.

A dramatic climax was impending. 
Who you took to be a dumb doll, was a woman with a sane head and a sharp tongue. 
Slaying her emotions, she did what was right in the honour of her dignity. 
Without displaying a trace of the emotional turmoil within her, she decided to say goodbye.
What seemed like love to her is now just another word.

Heartbreak is painful. The passage of time simply makes it more bearable. 
Time is, however, a great teacher. 
It taught her that it is all right to weep over mistakes, provided you learn from them and move on never to repeat them. 
You were the mistake here. And so was love. 
She learned that falling in love is beautiful, falling out of it is lacerating. 
But, the heartbreak was a blessing from God. It was his way of telling her that you were not the one for her.
Moving on was not easy, but her grit was indomitable. It would never allow her to accede to a relationship that lacked the sound foundation of mutual respect and trust. 
You are nothing but a speck in the past to her now. 

She, however, misses the man she loved. 
She misses who she thought he was. 
She misses sound of the voice that made her day. 
She misses the laugh that made her smile, the eyes that said they cared. 
She cherishes the times that were. The love that was. 
For it is not difficult to forget the person you once loved, it is hard to forget the love you once felt for that person.
~

Patience, Thou Art an Elusive Nymph!

Dear Miss Patience,

Hope this finds you in the best of your patience. I write to you with a humble request. In my most testing times, I plead you not to leave me in the lurch. No doubt you have been my constant companion in times of peace, but it is during the turbulent times that I need you the most. Quite ironically, that is when you begin to slip away from me just as dry sand would if I'd try to grasp it.

Mr. Fury is always on the lookout for an opportunity to take your place when you desert me. He acts like a spark of fire in a box of gun powder. No doubt he is a satiating vent, but he cannot be a perpetual means of tackling retards and their boloney. I firmly believe that Mr. Fury must always be the last resort in such situations, and my belief cannot be affirmed without your support. Being the peace loving, non violent person that I am, I would like to give a fair chance to all those imbeciles trying so hard to test my equation with you to rectify their folly (at least once!). I know you have a strong repulsion to hogwash. I share your sentiments and sometimes hope I too could evaporate into thin air, like you do, when confronted with exasperating situations created by infinitely exasperating individuals. Unfortunately, Nature did not grant me that virtue and it solely remains your forte.

I must inform you that the world is full of cretins who knowingly/ unknowingly do things that might perturb even an insane being like me. I do not demand too much from you. But just be in the offing and give me the strength to sympathise with these little jokes of the Almighty instead of plotting to strangle them. I do not want you stick with me all the time. I understand that you too have your limitations after all, and it is only natural for you to lose your 'patience' in the process. So don't worry, I will grant you your vacation to Hawaii when I decide to take charge of things for a while. However, it could be worth a try, to collaborate and generate a bearable level of tolerance in me to maintain world peace. 

P.S. - Honestly, I don't care a hoot for world peace. Stay with me because beating the living daylights out of people is illegal!
~
Yours truly,
Moi.

My Tryst with the Quadrupeds - Vol. II : Felines

"If man could be crossed with the cat it would improve man, but it would deteriorate the cat." 
~ Mark Twain

As a child, watching NatGeo, I always wished to get home a tiger's cub. My wish was fulfilled many years later, however, with a few modifications; as what came home in place of a tiger's cub was a cat!

People have numerous apprehensions about cats, and so did I. Many think they are selfish, mean, asocial and even evil. Personally, I was just unaccustomed to the animal and did not know how to befriend it. This was my first ever encounter with this mystifying work of nature.

Mother Nature was obviously in the best of moods while creating the cat. She went overboard with her own abilities and created something which was a masterpiece. Tell me which other creature on four legs is as persnickety, as endowed with a sense of fastidious cleanliness, inimitable grace, immaculate dignity, wise discretion, genuine affection, commendable patience and intrepid courage as this little felid! A cat shows you that it is possible to do just about anything and everything with style. It does not reserve its elegance for special occasions. It perpetually basks in it.

A cat cannot be made a slave of the leash. It lives its life on its own terms. And in a matter of time, every cat owner realises that he does not really 'own' the cat but serves it. The cat, I thus believe, is nature's way of saying that it hasn't created everything to serve man. This is true because a cat doesn't see any reason to obey any other animal, even if it stands on two legs!

A cat, by temperament, is an aloof creature. This does not mean that it detests human company. It is only very individualistic in its being and seeks personal time. And no matter how much you may want to be with it, if a cat needs its own space it will take it. Cats usually groom themselves in this 'my time'. It takes a cat more time to groom itself than it would an average woman. Having groomed itself to its heart's content, the cat then admires itself. They can, by the way, look at and recognise themselves in a mirror. I wouldn't believe this if I hadn't seen it in person. A sense of pride and smug accomplishment definitely oozes from them after their self grooming. What is more fascinating than their narcissism is the fact that they can display their sense of satisfaction so well. Watch a cat sun bathe - Helen of Troy wouldn't look half as beautiful as a cat does while sun bathing!

Cats can sleep for a good 16 hours a day. This also is an activity in their 'time with themselves'. They determine their own sleeping pattern and eating habits, which changes almost every 3-4 months. Cats can eat as many as 2-10 meals in a day. They decide the menu and quantity of food they wish to consume. Cats are adept at conveying this, trust me.

Though they live in domestic society, they are never too far from the wild. Cats never give up the inherent felidae instincts. This is apparent in a lot of their daily activities, for instance their fetish for digging the spot where they relieve themselves and filling it up again so as not to leave behind a trace of their presence. Their soft paws make it possible for them to move in an absolutely soundless manner all the time. Cats are blessed with an amazing sense of judgement of distance - another felidae trait - which enables them to carry out impressive acrobatic feats around the house without causing any damage atleast 9/10 times. They measure distances with the help of their whiskers and brows. Even while jumping up and down they will maintain their poise, and will glance at you complacently after a perfect flight or landing.The feral side of a cat is most visible when they are in their hunter-prey mode. A cat will prey upon anything from a moth to a lizard to a rat to a dog! It will play this game with any dangling object or even your legs if you have the restless legs syndrome. In short, a cat is only a tiger that socialises.

A household that consists of a cat soon learns that the cat is an independent member of the family. It has a mind and will of its own. It will, under no circumstances, obey you. You will, on the other hand, be the obsequious attendant at the beck and call of thy royal highness. It is no point making it's bed or for that matter serving food to it at a place you think is appropriate. They decide where they will dine and sleep. And in all possibilities it may be a different spot every time! Don't be surprised if the brat wants to eat on the dining table at the time you have your meals.

A cat can sit still and observe you for hours at a stretch. Its gaze feels like that of a martinet closely watching you with censure because it conveys a lot with its expressions. Cats possess the ability to display over 100 facial expressions, all of which are distinct and recognisable. My favourite expressions are the "I-know-I'm-upto-no-good-and-I'd-like-to-see-you-stop-me" and "you-really-thought-I'd-listen-to-you". You have to see to understand how I could put words into those expressions. A cat needs no words to talk.

They will tear apart your pillows, break your china, spill the milk, prick their claws into the mats, climb upto the pelmet with the help of the curtain, reduce your newspaper to bits before you have even looked at it, sip water from your glass, rip apart your soft toys, wake you up in the middle of the night to be fed, jump atop the refrigerator just out of curiosity, settle in your microwave oven because that looks like unexplored territory, slap the television when they see something moving on the screen, try to dig your bathroom floor, pull the flush non-stop to study the flow of water in the commode, fight with your hair, scratch you, mount you, and snuggle into your bedding every night as per their comfort and convenience. Yet you will only bow down with immeasurable love for your cat and do everything you can to please it.

Despite its autocratic nature, and its instinctive will to rule and dominate, a cat will love you. Not as its master, but it will love you nevertheless. It does not explicitly display emotion or fawn over you like your dog would, but it is probably a more intelligent and understanding animal. It believes in the adage that actions speak louder than words and does express its affection for you in ways it deems subtle and suitable to its royal demeanour. Why else would it sit inside your suitcase and not let you pack for a trip, come racing to the door the minute it hears the knob turn - and then, however, regain its sangfroid once you are in view, sulk and sit on your baggage when you return from a trip, wait on the bed or dresser all the while you bathe, and hate your laptop or phone because you don't play with it while you are working or talking?

A cat may treat you as a means to its comfort and sit in your lap probably because it seems a warmer haven than its bed at the moment, but it certainly makes you a more sensitive person in more than one way and changes you for the better. Humans have never enjoyed being subservient, but being so with a cat makes us happy. You can't help looking at it with the benign fondness of a parent looking at its utterly spoilt child waiting for it to enunciate its next whim. I believe it is impossible to talk about cats without sounding a little insane, but I'd suggest play hide-and-seek with a cat and catch hold of it in its frenzy. Cuddle it and look it in its eyes. In return for that moment of joy you will never want to be sane again!

(My humble attempt at expressing the immense happiness that came into our lives when Leo happened to us!)

~

My Tryst with the Quadrupeds - Vol. I : Canines

"Until one has loved an animal, a part of one's soul remains unawakened."
~
Anatole France

Ever wondered why dogs did not evolve into human beings? Well, the answer is simple - so that human beings could retain the element of humanity in them. Those with no exposure in this front are free to differ in opinion. But that, however, does not change the truth.

Research has proven that dogs are blessed with the power of healing when it comes to human maladies. Patients who've had dogs for company while convalescing have witnessed faster recovery from their ailments. In certain cases when doctors had given up hope, it was the quadruped that acted as the elixir of life. Dogs slow the process of ageing in humans. They imbue in you an unconscious state of happiness. You do not know where it comes from but it becomes a part of you; as inseparable as the source of that happiness.

A dog will love you more than it loves itself; and will do so without a trace of hesitation and that love grows at an unending pace with the passage of time. Notwithstanding what you are to the world, to your dog you will be the world. There is no feeling in this universe better than that of knowing that your darling canine will await your return at the doorstep, no matter what time of the day or night it may be. It will come running to you with a welcome hug exuding unwavering affection. And trust me, simple though it seems in these words, it will indeed mean the world to you when it really happens. You will have yet another incentive to go back home.

Believe it or not, dogs can sense human moods and emotions and in turn get affected by the same. If you are a little low someday your pet will definitely sense it, and its anti-depressant defence mechanism will automatically begin to work. That ball of fur will do just about anything to make you happy. It will catch your attention, compel you to chase it, maybe it'll chase you or playfully gnaw at your hands! A simple pat on its head, or a little cuddling will do the trick. And before you realise, you are already a part of the game the little brute started. All stress busters take a back seat once your doggy sweetheart takes up the task to itself to de-stress you.

Its not just a give-give relation with dogs, or for that matter with any animal that humans interact with. Dogs are like babies that never grow up. They have to be cradled, fussed about with and taken care of - always. In the process of rearing a puppy to a dog we humans go through a transition in our outlook towards life. When you fend for an animal you realise the virtue of selfless service. Getting home a pet dog or simply taking care of one is an act that arises out of pure compassion (unless you are a breeder and do this to earn your livelihood) in human beings. It evokes in us the feeling of giving without expecting. It shows us the real meaning of unconditional love. With time we tend to bury these feelings deep within and forget them in the furious pace of our busy lives; but our dogs make sure to dig them out and give us blissful contentment. Very few things in life come remotely close to replicating this strange euphoria.

If you are a dog lover, you know exactly what I am talking about. If not, well, you will get the essence of what I am trying to convey only once you experience the rapture, if and when you do; and I sincerely hope that you do. I say this because I could have bought a small yacht with what I spent on my dog and all the things he destroyed. Then again, how many yachts wait by the door all day for your return?

(Dedicated to my darling son, Snow)

~

Randomness

It was just another day for me. I got down from the local train and was spanning the seemingly vast length of the platform towards the foot-over bridge - cursing the guy who placed the ladies first class compartment at the other end. It was then that I happened to overhear, quite unintentionally, something very queer. Something that strangely remains vivid in my memory.

They were two men - one, an aged man with grey hair, the other much younger. Standing just where the platform ended, and the steps of the footover bridge began, the two men were - very seriously - debating about something. On getting closer, I realised that they were weighing the possible alternatives of exiting the railway station. The old man told the younger one, "Let's not cross the tracks. The police will catch us." The other rebutted, " Are you crazy? Nobody will lay a hand on us. Everyone crosses the tracks, and nobody gets caught. Now stop wasting time, and come." The old man still a little unsure about something, thought for a couple of seconds and then acquiesced, muttering to himself, "Yes, and we won't be the only ones to get caught after all..."

I stepped onto the bridge steps exactly at the same time that those two began crossing the tracks; and I saw those two clambering over the barricade a few seconds after I descended the bridge. I had always believed that people chose to cross railway tracks instead of using the bridge because that took them lesser time. I never as much as even thought of crossing the tracks myself. But today, this myth was busted anyway; and I walked homeward wondering what was the worth of human life in the eyes of a human being today. If at all somebody chose not to cross the railway tracks, would it be just to avoid getting nabbed by the police and not because you actually care for your life? What can drill the essence of life in the heads of such cretins?

~