I mean…. I was leading a normal life, going about my
business trying to fit in this and that….and suddenly one day I got an SMS from
SMS CASTER ‘Wild Animal sighted, people are requested to be wary and inform xyz abc blah blah….etc’ This was while I was on my
‘relaxing’ walk
Most of my walks are not that energetic, ‘to be fit
type’, walks. They are more like ‘laid back, relaxed, lost in thoughts’ ones.
In any case, the SMS did make me look around and this is what I saw
Yes,
semi wooded area with overgrown flora and fauna...
Obviously it had me
worried. Anything could be lurking around in those tall grasses, short trees and bunched up
bushes. But the very practical part of my mind which always kicks in when
circumstances arises... woke up and informed me ‘hah….all nonsense there is nothing
around’ and with that I returned home safely
Next day the whole
society was abuzz with stories about an animal being sighted. People said ‘Someone saw a tiger! under a lamp post and it was pointed out to the guards and even
the guards saw it’
Now this new information
was discussed with lot of enthusiasm and vigour. I thanked god for not being
the one who had sighted the animal, I wouldn’t have liked being analysed and dissected like
that. People can be ruthless
So the next day I walked more cautiously ensuring to look left and right and left again... Imagine meeting this on the way
‘It was a spotted Hyena’ she said ‘not a tiger after all’
‘Hyena?’ Asked another ‘Don’t they move in packs?’
We all nodded wishing we knew more about hyenas to add in here.
‘Well, maybe there are more’ said the lady who had earlier given this information.
All of us dispersed feeling a tad apprehensive. I started looking out for this as well... better safe than sorry
My walk became ever slower. After sometime just as I was gaining some confidence back I met a couple I knew very well.
Well, walks are always interspersed with nods at familiar faces, an occasional wave of hand here and there, a smile, a raised eyebrow,…you might think you walking the ramp or something!!!... a greeting, an enquiry, a questioning look, ‘new face?’, a smirk ‘I am faster’… I am thinner’ ….ahem.... so this couple stopped me.
‘Did you hear the
latest? It’s not safe to walk alone anymore’ said the man. I shrugged my
shoulders,
‘there is a striped hyena around’ added the woman wanting more reaction out of me
‘Striped? I said, ‘I was told it was a spotted one’ proving that I was updated.
‘there is a striped hyena around’ added the woman wanting more reaction out of me
‘Striped? I said, ‘I was told it was a spotted one’ proving that I was updated.
‘No…how can a spotted one be mistaken for a tiger?’
‘Whatever it is, do be careful’ warned the couple and we parted.
Mind reeling I continued ahead, didn’t want to meet this either.
A meeting was held the next day where another member of the society informed that their maid saw a strange animal on the tree, it had spotted back and she couldn’t identify the animal. It was concluded that perhaps it is a leopard after all!
I was worried for my
children who frequent the road with gay abandon; no amount of cajoling
convinced them of these predators roaming the neighbourhood. They phoo- phooed it just like they do for everything that we have to
say…..
People stopped
venturing out in the evening and finished their walks by late afternoon. News
spread that paw marks were seen and some carcass was also lying about.
The forest department was informed and they came and scoured the place. Definitely a large cat was all they could say!
No problem, we are well prepared said my head
And then as I was walking admiring the blushing sky in the setting sun eagerly waiting for darkness to engulf it ... I
stopped short and a hyena crossed my path ambling along unconcerned of me and
my crying mind ...look out!
I decided not to let on
anyone know about it lest they start my dissection as well!
Courtesy
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiger#mediaviewer/File:Tigress_at_Jim_Corbett_National_Park.jpg
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/de/Panthera_pardus_-Ngala_Game_Reserve%2C_Limpopo%2C_South_Africa_-with_kill_in_tree-8.jpg
