June 2, 2006
In Pune, near my home, walking along the roads of Pingle Wasti, i just stepped to a roadside pan shop for a smoke. When i had just scrambled my way to place my order of a cigarette, i saw a man with his back turned towards me and he was leaning down, probably, to spit something from his mouth. As he was leaning down, one of his legs hit my leg by mistake. He turned suddenly and gave me a sincere apology, the copletely indian one in which he touched the place where he hit with his hand and took it to his chest. I saw his face for the first time and realised that he was drunk.
A very bad smell of a desi alcohol came out from him. And he was totally unstable. He had folded his pants to 3/4th of its length and was wearing a cheap quality jerkin that can be easily bought for a 100 rupees from any platform shop.
He apologised me for another time though i had understood his state and said that it didn't matter.
I got the cigarette and then i set to smoke sitting in a place nearby. I observed that even he sat with his cigarette, though, not so near to me.
He just looked at me to get my attention so that he can strike a conversation with me but i just got my eyes away from him and trying to avoid him.
He got my posture and then he called a street dog lying down there by an imaginary name. The doggy was asleep and it didn't respond to his call.
He suddenly got a stone nearby and threw it on the dog. The dog woke up with panic and then was trying to runa away from the person who hurt him. But this guy was calling it by beckoning it with his hand and making the typical doggy sound.
The dog went near him though he was afraid to do so. The man got the dog near him and was fondling him with kindness and courtesy. The dog too enjoyed it and was taking the love given by the man. The dog nicely sat beside him and he was smiling.
Later, I stuck up a conversation with the man and learned that he was a "gunda" in my locality and that nobody dared to question him on anything.
I was walking back recalling whatever had happened so far. In particular, the event involving him and the dog. He first threw stone on him hurting him in order to catch his attention. Later, when he got the dog near him, he showed his kindness and courtesy towards him and gave him his pacifying sympathy.
Then, it struck me that we all are like that. We call our friend and if he doesn't respond, then we shout at him and even then if he doesn't respond, we give a pat to get this attention.
Once we got the attention, we carry on ahead, forgetting how we got his attention. ANd the life goes on...
