People ran for cover when umbrellas were opened, as the clouds sprinkled out their hold of water. Puddles began plinking as the rainfall became heavier.
We were not been given a holiday yet. But the rain surely was disturbing our daily routine. The roads were blocked by water, our routes were busy by vehicles and here we are getting drenched like I just got out from the washing machine.
I took my bike keys, my backpack, raincoat, tiffin bag and left home for office.To reach office it was a journey of 20 minutes from home. The weather was cold and when I looked up at the sky I saw it to be grey rather than clear blue.
I got a flash of intuition in my mind that on my way it might start to rain. I hence stopped at a nearby shop on the way, parked my vehicle.The residential areas are spread out at all the corners of our city. I live near the BenTan Street and there is a large store just right beside of my place.The store sells almost all sorts of necessary items required for daily life. The shop is located at one of the prime spots on the Street. It is located just right beside my apartment building.The shop owner is known to me and often I go to visit the shop and get the necessary things for me.
I took out my raincoat from the storage space of my bike and started wearing it.My raincoat was a pair of waterproof pants and a waterproof overcoat with a hoodie though. I wore this pant over. I saw a stray dog lying, probably sleeping, just in front of the shop.
It was taking a nice nap but due to the rustling sound of my waterproof raincoat. It opened its eyes and was looking at me.
I took out the overcoat to wear it. As I took it out, held it wide to make it ease for me to pass my hands through its sleeves, the dog startled.
It placed itself in a position that it wil stand up any moment. As I put the sleeves on, the more the raincoat made rustling sounds. The dog was alerted and finally before I could even button up the overcoat, I could hear it growling.
I tried sitting up on my bike seat, the raincoat made more rustling sound which made the dog more angry and it started to howl.
I could not make out the reason for its howls, on what it was trying to acknowledge. Was it me, as a passer by? Or is it that I disturbed it? Was it the disturbance of the moving vehicles around! Was it disturbed by the rustling sound of my raincoat?
No!! It was the complete dress that made it to howl. I was looking like an alien to it!
“Hey ! It is me!”, I removed my helmet and showed him my face. And I put my helmet back. I rode off to office. On the way many thoughts haunted my mind.
“The reason why some people yell at us has a reason behind it”,I thought. “They sometimes yell just because they don’t recognise us as an individual being, or may be they see us as another creation of God, as an alien sometimes..!” . I was careful though while riding my back with these thoughts. “Or probably just because they are scared of us. To protect themselves, to secure own self they raise their voice”, I smiled to myself. I just realised a life lesson. I learnt it from an innocent being.
P.S.
- Images are only for reference.
- Credit to the right owner.
- This is a true story, narrated by one of my colleague Mr. Prasad Dalavi.
- Thanking you sir for giving me a good story to showcase the life lesson behind it.