Watching the Watcher - A Postmortem

Child Dog Playing

It was a perfectly sized dog for that child. If it had been too young, it might not have matched the child’s energy, and if it had been a bit older, it might have knocked him down. Adding a few more brown patches to this dog would make it resemble the pet I had during my schooldays. Would you call it stealing if someone spiritedly took a puppy without the owner’s consent? At that time, it didn’t matter to me. In fact, such ethical concerns were far from my thinking. The black puppy was beautiful, but the white-brown puppy was so attractive and his mother graciously (!) allowed me to take it with me. As a customary act, I gave it some sugar (mixed with Idly) to prevent it from running away. I still do this when I get a new pet dog, even after growing old enough to dismiss many superstitions.

It was obvious to me that the child and the dog were familiar with each other, as I could see an instant connection and an intuitive understanding of what they wanted to do - play. He held a piece of thin thread in one hand and a small ruler-like wooden object in the other hand. Initially, I thought it was a broken ruler, which I used to see a lot during my schooldays, as they were not only used for drawing geometric shapes but also as instruments of punishment. I assume school teachers no longer employ those “tools” nowadays. He was swinging the wooden piece in the air closer to the dog’s face. I was worried that it might accidentally strike the dog - neither he nor the dog seemed worried about it.

I believe it was a slender white plastic rope, and I doubt that he knows how much force he should use when pulling it. He could easily damage the dog’s teeth with too much force. I don't recall ever being concerned about the strength of my own teeth when I was young. I can't say the same now, considering my present preference for eating sugarcane and the time it takes me to finish a small piece now. I'm amazed at how I once used my teeth as tools for so many tasks for which I now have specific tools. Nevertheless, I don't exert any pressure on my pets' teeth while playing with them. I withdraw as soon as I sense any tension on the plaything. By the way, this dog was handling it well and was being very careful.

It wasn't even two minutes, but both the child and the dog were joyful. It wasn’t even two minutes, but the scene triggered a flood of memories, and I found myself equally happy as well. How wonderful these moments are - such is the beauty of life - simple fleeting moments, each unique and each holding the potential to transport us through time and stir the deepest corners of the heart. Of course, otherwise, I would have been staring at the road, awaiting the arrival of the bus, which would have been just fine too.