A Goat, A Dog, A Worm and me....

This morning I was followed to the bus stop by a very malicious looking goat.

The kind of goat that has a sort of a beard and more importantly, two very sharp horns. I have no clue why it decided to accompany me to my destination. All I had done was look at it a little longer than I would look at a goat minus beard and horns. It was breakfasting as though it had all the time in the world (which is true, anyway) when I happened to walk out of my building. We looked at each other and then, finding me a trifle more interesting (a very diplomatic word!) than the average human, the animal stood up and started to walk behind me. Having reached the stop, I halted. It threw me the kind of look that humans do when a very pleasant activity they are engaged in is suddenly and rudely interrupted. After having stared (glared?) at me thus, it settled down next to me and went ahead with the chomping of grass with utmost concentration . My bus arrived and I bade farewell to my quadruped companion.

Later on, during a very boring bus-ride I amused myself by imagining the conversation we would have had if the goat could speak the human tongue.

Extract:

Me: (thinking) Heavens! What sort of a goat is that?
Goat: (aloud) Good Lord! What kind of a creation is this!!!!!?????????
Me: Errr..
Goat: What are you staring at? Never seen an animal enjoying a meal?
Me: (Gulp) Sorry, I think I shall get going. I need to get to work, you know.
Goat: Yeah right! You stare at me and you expect to be left unpunished? I am going to accompany you to wherever you are headed and embarass you. Heh! Heh!
Me: Oh.. I am sorry you know. I had not really meant to stare. But you do look so different from the other goats.
Goat: Gee.. stop it kid! I am blushing. Now that you have paid me such a compliment, I shall ensure that no evil soul hovers near you till you reach the safety of your stop. Let us venture forth..
Me: Well.... That was not exactly the pupose of my statement, but... never mind..

Goat: (Gets up and starts to walk) Nothing like a nice, peaceful morning walk!!
Me: Hmm..

Bus stop arrives and I come to a sudden halt.

Goat: (throwing me a look of the deepest loathing that a goat can manage) Thank you ever so much for interrupting two very pleasant activities. My breakfast, and a morning walk... humph! And, by the way, you are a pathetic conversationalist..

(I start to make a very rude comment, but the sight of those horns stop me)
Me: Accept my apologies, O great muncher of the grass, but I have to leave now that my bus has arrived.

Goat: Yeah, Yeah.. Go on. And please dont expect me to protect you from evil people every morning. And the next time you interrupt my breakfast, I shall poke you with the horns..

Me: (Getting into the bus). As you please, your Goatness... Phew!

This morning was not the first time I had been followed by an animal. My sister often remarks that I have the brains of a goat and the face of a chimp. This high degree of association with the animal world may be the reason behind the times I have been followed by quadrupeds.

Undoubtedly, the most memorable incident was the time when I was accompanied to the bus stop by three stray dogs, a goat and till a certain distance, a buffalo. I did not object to this till they were at a distance from me. My sister saw the our progress from the terrace and had a hearty laugh. She went around telling everyone who bothered to pay attention, that I had shifted academic interests from Physics to animal husbandry. My grandfather actually believed her and gave me a thirty minute discourse on other career options. :) It took me a while to assure him that I had no plans such as my sister had been advertising.

For a while, I used to travel to school by the school bus. One morning, while we were waiting for a stationary vehicle to be removed from our way, I saw a dog engaged in an activity that was undoubtedly a source of extreme delight to the animal. The activity in simple steps:

1. Crouch inside a garbage bin.
2. Wait till a human is heard approaching.
3. The minute garbage is felt on the head, jump out at the human with a yelp.
4. Watch the human run for dear life and grin to self and the garbage bin.
5. Crouch back into original position and wait for the next victim.

I am reminded of another interesting incident that occured when I was in class 8. We had just finished studying a chapter on animals and some of the defence mechanisms they use. Utterly enchanted by the discoveries I made in class that day, I went back home and started to poke around the garden for an insect that might provide me with a firsthand demonstration of the text.

It is of utmost importance that I mention here, that I am terrified of the members of the 'creepy-crawly' family. I dont mind them as much if they are small and seem harmless (like the brown worms that lie around in bunches after the rains); but of the more able members (like lizards - eep!) produce a shudder..

So, I restricted my investigation to the safer parts of the garden. Soon, I found this green coloured worm crawling and I decided to explore the mechanisms of defence that it might have. I had a foot long stick in my hand and I poked the worm in it's middle (from a safe distance). To my amusement and utter surprise, the worm began to wiggle furiously, (much like someone who has a whole lot of ice put in their clothes) and then lay quite still. Convinced that I had murdered the poor creature, I thought I must bury it; give it a decent farewell. To my surprise (again) and fright, just when I was trying to lift it in my palm, it moved and merrily crawled away!

I have since refrained from poking a worm (or any other insect/animal for that matter). They are interesting to watch, loyal when treated with kindness and more sensible than humans sometimes (no animal has ever poked me in the middle to study my defence mechanism)!!

It is true that the book does not teach you everything - One of the most important things being kindness to animals.