An encounter with a dog.

 Every time I read the news of a dog bite or see an arrogant dog walking along the street I do remember this story.

It was in my early twenty. The time I wanted myself to be fit. I was slowing down my routine cricketing habits. My desire to become a cricketer drooping into the vicinity. And some of my friends persuaded me to give them company in the morning to have a Jogging. The Jog started with fifteen member team. This gave the malleria town a military Centre with almost 3 dozen footsteps making sound in the early hours.We had some interesting experiences all around. One day an uncle who was having morning walk screamed and yelled for help once he heard the sound of a massive military operation. Couple of friends in the group had another nap after there jog. Greatest threat for the joggers was that some stray dogs are round the corner and waiting for a gorilla attack on the cops. They will start barking once they start hearing the footsteps from miles away. Once it is started all I he dogs in the near vicinity will share the responsibility and there will be big fuss all around for one hour, the time we took for jogging. We use to get a bit humiliated on this activity by the dogs and we cursed them for engaging in the futal activity. We actually didn't go deep into the animal psychology to find out what satisfaction did they got by booing us. Raja and Girish wanted to give them a befitting reply for dishonouring our endeaver and carried iron rods to hit the dogs on the way. But they never succeeded. 

The members in the team started to drop down after a month of enthusiasm. Unfortunately the number started to come down  and the sound of early morningfootstep became less audible. Since they Priferred an early morning sleep to jogging with a background score of dogs. It took only few more days to have a single member team. Unfortunately I was that lone member.

I got up at 4-45 in the morning and after finishing my ablusions  and went for the jog. I came back after an hour. This has given me a lot. My whole day was very refreshing and filled with enthusiasm. But this didn't reflect on my  body , may  be because of my vegetarian food habits.

For reason unknown the dogs have ignored me. May be they are impressed with my commitment and positive attitude they might have thought that booing such a person will bring down their credibility.

I used to share my experience of each day with all my friends and will explain them the great feeling I am having. Some of them wanted to restart the jogging which they never did.

I carried on my jogging with out any interception. Although there was not much difference in my appearance I felt like I had become a muscle man and started to feel proud of myself.

One day I was on the jog and about to fininish it there was an attack on me. It was a sudden attack and I had a little time to react. A big dog was charging towards me from a bush near Durga Parameshwary Bhajana Mandira. I couldn't believe what is happening and had a second look to confirm it. It is running towards me. Its intention may be to bite me. What could be the provocation I thought But I couldn't imagine any such incident.

No time to run away. I was in Panic. All that I could do is to stand still. Wait for some miracle to happen. The dog may have a second thought to spare me from the attack. But who is going to advice him on my integrity and commitment and how good a person I am. There seemed no scope for an escape. 

Naturally I am a slow responder. But here a miracle has really happend in the form of a reflex action. The dog has reached near me and it is preparing for a final leap on to my body. I have just tiptoed on my left leg and jumped up and swung my right leg with maximum power that I could generat. My kick with proline shoes had fallen exactly on the body of the dog. The dog might not have expected this sort of an attack and it swayed away from my path and ran away, It took a couple of minutes for me to recover from the shock. I looked around No body has noticed the incident. No part of the dog touched me except my shoes. I thanked  god and had a bow at Goddess at the Bhajana Mandir and slowly headed towards my house and had a shower.

But it was not easy for me to immediately  get out of the shock. But I had made up my mind to stop the early morning jog since I am not ready to chance my luck. I thought that was an end to the story.

At seven o'clock Honey Kuruvilla who is 10th standard student who use to come for tution to me had a bigger story to explain.

A dog today bit our neighbour on her face and she is seriously taken to Kasaragod for immediate medical attention. The same dog bit two cattles and five men in Mulleria Town.

Then ? I asked curiously.

People killed the mad dog.

I was standing in disbelief  , how lucky I am to be spared by the same dog half an hour ago.

I didn't say a single word to Honey about this incident but canelled tution for the day.

I closed my room and had a sleep until mother woke up me for the breakfast.