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Friday, January 30, 2009
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
The Dog
Walking through the sunny streets of Fremantle, I tried my best to ignore the American Bulldog that has been following me for a while. How weird I thought! Where is its owner? How could they let such a dangerous and expensive thing out on the street to stray by itself?
Thankfully, the Bubble Tea shop caught my attention. Bubble tea is the love of my life…though my friends find it hard to believe, saying that I discovered it only last week! ‘So what?’ I screamed out to them over dinner at Sam’s place. I have visited Fremantle three times since last week…and every time for Bubble Tea. I love the way it invites me for the first sip…the colorful bubbles battling for my attention, each wanting to travel up my straw before the other. Honestly, I connected with Bubble Tea, the way I never connected with anyone else. Now, why did they laugh at me when I said this? People are strange!
As the first group of bubbles cheered their way into my thirsty mouth, I saw it again from the corner of my eye. Panting, salivating, and still staring at me, was the American Bulldog. ‘Go away!’ I mumbled. It took two steps towards me…I backed off.
Strolling through the Fremantle market, I remembered that I had to pick up gifts for Rio. It was his birthday next week. Now what could excite a 2-yr old kid? I tried to think about my own likes and dislikes when I was two. Oh God! Was I ever two? Why can’t I remember it then? Damn, I should have kept a diary? What? A diary when I was two? At least Ma could have kept a log of some sort. That would make life so easy…especially buying gifts, or figuring out why Rio loves sucking his index finger, while other kids prefer their thumbs more. C’mon, there must be some reason. Never mind…that’s too long back…
I stopped at a shop selling hand-painted wooden wall pieces…especially the kinds that you hang outside the main door. You know what I mean? I picked up one that said ‘A cricketer and his catch live here.’ How wonderful! Amit was a cricketer long time back…maybe I should buy it for our home after all. Or maybe, I am a catch that he would rather have missed! Never mind, I will buy it anyway, I thought.
As I opened my wallet to bring out a 20 dollar bill, there it was….AT MY FEET…that American Bulldog….breathing heavily on my shoes! Christ! Do I move…do I pretend to be a statue? I froze. My ears steamed. I closed my eyes. After what appeared like a thousand years, I opened my eyes…it was gone! Hurrah! Feeling relieved, I ran away from the shop, not bothering to buy that stupid wall piece.
Feeling like I got a new life, I wandered through the green parks. Children playing, mothers reading parenting books, fathers dozing off…how amazing life was! I watched the river and the boats…the ones on sail…and the ones on sale too.
$350,000 – Call Jimmy at 0499447618
A boat for $350,000! I could get a decent house at that price. But what if I live in a boat? They were spacious enough for two. I could eat in it, sleep in it, fish from it, cook the fish in it…and also go to work in it! I could stop at the river bank by my office! What a wonderful idea! I must call Jimmy. As I dug through my bag to find my mobile, there it was again! The American Bulldog…looking violent…this time with its canines out…gnarling at me!
‘I haven’t harmed you! Go away! What do you want?’
It barked.
I fainted.
I woke up.
Amit staring at me…
‘Did I just have a weird dream?’…
‘Yes you did’, he said. ‘And you have been barking, crying, sipping and smiling all night!’
Later that day, when I tried to think what my dream could mean, I remembered that the last thing I talked about the night before, was recession!
Ah! The ownerless American Bulldog set free…
Thankfully, the Bubble Tea shop caught my attention. Bubble tea is the love of my life…though my friends find it hard to believe, saying that I discovered it only last week! ‘So what?’ I screamed out to them over dinner at Sam’s place. I have visited Fremantle three times since last week…and every time for Bubble Tea. I love the way it invites me for the first sip…the colorful bubbles battling for my attention, each wanting to travel up my straw before the other. Honestly, I connected with Bubble Tea, the way I never connected with anyone else. Now, why did they laugh at me when I said this? People are strange!
As the first group of bubbles cheered their way into my thirsty mouth, I saw it again from the corner of my eye. Panting, salivating, and still staring at me, was the American Bulldog. ‘Go away!’ I mumbled. It took two steps towards me…I backed off.
Strolling through the Fremantle market, I remembered that I had to pick up gifts for Rio. It was his birthday next week. Now what could excite a 2-yr old kid? I tried to think about my own likes and dislikes when I was two. Oh God! Was I ever two? Why can’t I remember it then? Damn, I should have kept a diary? What? A diary when I was two? At least Ma could have kept a log of some sort. That would make life so easy…especially buying gifts, or figuring out why Rio loves sucking his index finger, while other kids prefer their thumbs more. C’mon, there must be some reason. Never mind…that’s too long back…
I stopped at a shop selling hand-painted wooden wall pieces…especially the kinds that you hang outside the main door. You know what I mean? I picked up one that said ‘A cricketer and his catch live here.’ How wonderful! Amit was a cricketer long time back…maybe I should buy it for our home after all. Or maybe, I am a catch that he would rather have missed! Never mind, I will buy it anyway, I thought.
As I opened my wallet to bring out a 20 dollar bill, there it was….AT MY FEET…that American Bulldog….breathing heavily on my shoes! Christ! Do I move…do I pretend to be a statue? I froze. My ears steamed. I closed my eyes. After what appeared like a thousand years, I opened my eyes…it was gone! Hurrah! Feeling relieved, I ran away from the shop, not bothering to buy that stupid wall piece.
Feeling like I got a new life, I wandered through the green parks. Children playing, mothers reading parenting books, fathers dozing off…how amazing life was! I watched the river and the boats…the ones on sail…and the ones on sale too.
$350,000 – Call Jimmy at 0499447618
A boat for $350,000! I could get a decent house at that price. But what if I live in a boat? They were spacious enough for two. I could eat in it, sleep in it, fish from it, cook the fish in it…and also go to work in it! I could stop at the river bank by my office! What a wonderful idea! I must call Jimmy. As I dug through my bag to find my mobile, there it was again! The American Bulldog…looking violent…this time with its canines out…gnarling at me!
‘I haven’t harmed you! Go away! What do you want?’
It barked.
I fainted.
I woke up.
Amit staring at me…
‘Did I just have a weird dream?’…
‘Yes you did’, he said. ‘And you have been barking, crying, sipping and smiling all night!’
Later that day, when I tried to think what my dream could mean, I remembered that the last thing I talked about the night before, was recession!
Ah! The ownerless American Bulldog set free…
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