In this one I do not intend to find faults in anyone, or frame charges against people and authorities {they seem to have got me into quite a trouble lately},but rather describe one of my infirmities.

I somehow have been able to nurture a fear of animals ever since the day I was born into this world. No matter in what package they come I am simply afraid of them, small pets, stray dogs, elephants and even cows. But if I had to single out one species it would be DOGS. They simply send a chill down my spine with their canines protruding out aiming to get a taste of your meat. What’s worse is the fact that everytime I see a dog a small sermon {which my tuition teacher hung on his gate} comes to mind:

“Our dog doesn’t bite, he chews”

The incident that triggered the creation of this blog is thus:

Its four in the morning and I wake up from sleep with a dry mouth. I grope for the water bottle in the darkness, but I think somehow the bottle managed to grow some legs that night, so that when I switched on the light I found it resting under the bed. I picked it up, and as usual.. no water. So I decided to get it filled, I knew there would be no water in the hostel at this time and I would have to walk to the senior’s hostel to get some water. But at the time of crisis one requires quick and brave decisions, and so I made mine.. seconds later I was climbing down the stairs, half sleepy ,half exhausted, half frustrated {deliberate mathematical error } with my water bottle hoping to get some water in the other hostel. I had anticipated my walk to be peaceful, but as soon as I reached the entrance of Tandon Hostel two dogs woke up and started barking at me. I didn’t want to sustain any injuries so I decided to turn back. But no sooner had I turned back than I saw them rushing towards me. I froze then and there. I was time for another quick decision. I had only two choices either to run or to face them. I decided to embark on the latter. I picked a small pebble and shouted at the top of my voice warning them to stay back, all the time holding the pebble like a dagger. To my surprise I found both of them running away with their tail between their legs. And so with a feeling of ecstasy I walked ahead into the hostel, filled my bottle, drank heavy doses of that once illusive nectar, and after I had quenched my thirst I crawled back to my room switched off the light and lay down on the bed.

But sleep was not to be. Random thoughts came to my mind. All this had happened on Good Friday and I was now thinking about my fear of animals and how my dad had once told me that man was much worse than animals in many cases and that how man had done acts which would even make animals ashamed of themselves. I thought about the Passion of the Christ and how he had suffered so much on this day, and I thought about the kingdom of heaven, the place he was born, how Jerusalem had turned red from the blood spilled in the area. I thought of the dialogue between Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Connely in Blood Diamond when Jennifer talks about how people were more concerned about Clinton and Monica rather than noticing how the world was falling apart to which Leonardo replies: “When was the last time it wasn’t falinng apart”. And finally I decided what the heck !! I have not done anything bad why should I lose my sleep pondering over it. So I tuned my back like everyone else and went to sleep…