Simba And Me

Animals never caught my fancy, in particular, dogs never did. When Sai got her Odie, a (so-called) magnificent golden labrador, she was on cloud nine, the happiest soul on the planet. Odie, to me was cute as a chubby four month old, but as she grew, looked scarier by the minute! Sai would tell me how people admired Odie and how "pretty" her eyes were. I thought, "pretty??"!! she scares the daylights out of me! How can a dog, man! a dog for heavens' sake look pretty?!
Odie would try to make friends with me whenever I visited Sai's for a session of combined studies or a lazy afternoon chat. Odie would never look pretty or cute. To me she was one scary dog looking at me to pounce, given a chance.

Yesterday, we were all at Chaitu's for another of our group-study sessions, that usually comprise three-fourths of study (no, really!) and one-fourth of good humor. we make a great bunch of merry-makers, trust me. That evening as we sat busy with mundane chatter, Chaitu walked in with this really cute little pup. It was grey with a few black patches, fur so thick and soft, and the eyes! the eyes shone like a baby's. A human baby's. And for someone like me with so much affinity towards babies, and mind you, its mostly mutual! those little black eyes looked at me in the most innocent and childlike way and it was reaching out to me. It was amazing. And the way it simply slipped into my grasp, made me feel almost motherly! Yes, that was exactly the feeling. I think it's all in the way it looked at me and reacted to me. He was called Simba. Yes, Simba the little King! King, in his own right he was. He ruled my feelings with those little sparkling eyes, the touch. Simba tossed and turned as I carried him warm and safe in my arms. He'd yawn once in a while and believe me, there's no sight like that. His little flat tongue would go all stiff and teeth the size of tiny gingelly seeds, but fangs quite sharp! It was the cutest thing I'd seen in ages.
I'd go introduce the Gang to Simba - "Say hi to Lamboo uncle!!", "Say hello Maddy aunty!" ha ha ha It was sheer fun! They teased him asking, "where's daddy?" and things like "here's harry mummy!" awesome fun we had.

I played with him all evening and came to know he was for sale. I promised myself the gift called Simba. He's gotta be mine. My baby. could a pup make me feel this way? Everybody was surprised. But then, things dont really happen the way I want them to. With me, well, its the case almost always. It had to happen this time too. Simba would not be my baby. For reasons, some unknown, some left unsaid, Simba would always be on my mind and in my memories as the first dog that moved me so much.

The Tomboy that I get called, or Harini alias "deemed boy", needs a redefining. At least after i met Simba...