Sunday, December 14, 2008

Behra - The Deaf One

This photograph was taken exactly a month ago outside my former employer's office. I took this with my phone and it was late in the night. So it is not very clear...neither was the subject very willing to look straight into the camera.
The subject in the picture — namely, the dog — took a liking to me while I was there. He could probably smell my dog on my jeans. He would come and nose me for food and then suddenly get on his hind legs and leave his paw prints on my jeans and t-shirt!
The first time he did that — I still remember it so well — he had just woken up and got out of a muddy ditch. I didn't notice his grubby black paws. Before I realized it he had left his mark.
There a lot of dogs around that place and they are quite healthy because a nearby butcher throws extras to them. This little guy is peculiar — one ear (the left one) is always down. Our vet had once mentioned in passing that my dog needed more calcium if we wanted her ears to perk up, instead of drooping towards each other. I doubt that's the reason for him...it was probably an ear infection.
But anyway...a few months back, while we were on a tea break my little friend came by and nudged me. He is usually near a small cigarette stall, so one of the locals shouted "Eh! Behra!" He probably thought I would freak. I made some small talk, said it is ok, petted "Behra" and walked towards the tea stall...
Behra, I thought to myself, so that's what his name is...how fitting. Poor chap...not a very a nice name, come to think of it...almost derogatory...but fitting, at the same time. In Hindi it means, "deaf one" (Gender: Male, to be precise).
I miss Behra now that I have moved to a new place but I still pass the old lane and see him some times. He is too busy to notice me anymore (remember the butcher and the cars he has to chase) and I am too rushed to stop and give him a scratch — we are all too busy living a dog's life...

1 comment:

Droomvla said...

When I lived in Indonesia, my friend took care of a puppy that was thrown away by the owner. The puppy got used to me and my smell and just before I left (2 years later), Sidney the dog never left my doorstep for 2 weeks. I was so moved. I cried so hard the night before I left. How did she know I was leaving?

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