Mi ani Kutrophobia

Babies and dogs, I always felt, looked at me with an inexplicable curiosity; as if they knew me. And however hard I tried, I just could not make them shift their gazes away from me. Some babies were pretty easy to handle though. I smiled at them and they invariably returned my smile with their cutest giggles. But with dogs!!! I was never sure if it was a giggle, a smile or just a hostile growwwl!!!

Over the years the hostility in their growls became more prominently visible and with that my 'Kutrophobia' became increasingly irreversible!

My first terrible encounter with a dog!
Situation : Pa and me (aged 5) are trying to locate the residence of one of his old friends, who also happens to be a corporator.

Bored with the quest, Pa stops an ol' grampa and asks,"Corporator XYZ cha patta sangu shakta ka please?", handing over a chit to him. Aajoba looks at us surprised. Surprised, because he is oblivious of the fact that a corporator lives in the same locality as him. (One could comprehend his surprise looking at the 'haalat' of the roads and the garbage that was littered all over) But he tries to help, reading the address on the chit. Just then a young boy who is playing cricket with his friends comes up to help and says hinting ,"Aajoba, Rex Rex!"
Instantly, the expression of surprise on Aajoba's face starts fading away and he says,"Rex kade jaycha aahe ka tula, adhi ka nahi sangitlas?" and I think," Ghya! Corporator peksha, tyancha kutra aahe jasta famous!"

He explains the address to Pa, who thanks him with a smile. Aajoba smiles back and we move ahead. I turn to look back at Aajoba and see that the smile on his face has again been replaced by surprise. This time, however, I cannot comprehend the surprise on his face and the wheels of rationality in my mind start rotating churning out reasons only to make me uneasy with fear!

We finally reach their house. There is an eerie silence all around which is broken only by the sound of the doorbell. Something makes me think that it is 'toofan ke pehla ka sannataa'!. And my thinking is soon vindicated as the door opens and I see uncle XYZ welcoming us inside with their huge Alsatian standing beside him! Rex!!!!!!!!!!!

I am totally freaked out! I am standing behind Pa with frozen feet, pulling at his shirt and pleading him to take me back home. Nothing that unc XYZ says, eases my tears and I just plainly refuse to go in. Ultimately, unc grabs Rex with his chain and starts pulling him inside the house. Rex sounds pretty irked and is obviously not happy with his visitors. He expresses it by barking at the top of his voice and I experience somehitng like an earthquake as the whole building shudders!!!...........

An hour has passed. We are comfortably seated in their living room. Rex's barks have now subsided."Jhopun gela asel", I think. Pa and unc are chatting and I am amusing myself with a pair of parrots kept in a cage near the window. I can reckon that Pa is getting hell bored with the conversation, given that in the past 5 mins he has called out to me twice,"Kaay Gunjan tai, chalaycha ka aata?" But I do not respond at all. I am too occupied with the parrots and I am having a very nice time feeding them with chillies. I even start thinking of names for them. "Zai and Zui are such obsolete and gavthi names. Such exotic birds that they are, should have names like Rosanne and may be Rhea.", I think. "The parrots are more interesting and a much better company than unc XYZ", I chuckle to myself and bend down to pick up the chillies fallen on the floor. I am still bending as I inadvertently glance beyond my two tiny feet and see four more feet standing right behind me! Na! they are not Pa and unc's. But, to my horror, they are Rex's!!!

Some wicked devil has set him free without even having the courtesy of warning me! I turn around and there is only an eyeball to eyeball distance between me and Rex! Rex is not barking or even growling, but sniffing at me and I stand there petrified with terror. Unc XYZ is still boring my dad;"Aata systemach asa aahe, tyaalaa kon kaay kari?" And Rex is now giving me the most ferocious look as I wail,"Baabaaa ghariiiiiii!!"


Note: Thanks to this and many such incidences that I am a total Kutrophobic by now. Your experiences or views over Kutrophobia are most welcome. However, all those who do comment are requested to introduce themselves as either Kutrophobic or Kutrophillic. I hope you enjoyed reading. Cheerssssssss