SHE greeted me like we were old friends, purring and wrapping herself round my legs, “Hey,” I said, “I don’t know you!” But from her friendly gestures I realized that, that didn’t matter and all she wanted was to know me.
She was a stray, and I’d seen her quite often sleeping on cars and on the warm seat of a scooter in the colony. Lately I’d realized she’d made a landing on my staircase her home, and would look with sleepy eyes as I walked up to my terrace garden. But today she made bold to follow me.
I decided to do something about the fact she had no home, and no one to feed her. I made my way downstairs, poured some milk into the bowl of my late dog, and put in some pieces of bread. “Hear kitty!” I said, “Come and drink and eat!” It was fresh milk and fresh bread, and since I’d grown up with cats and dogs, knew cats relished this little treat.
This one didn’t. She looked up at me after sniffing the food, and walked away. Later, when I sat to read my papers and sip my coffee, there was a purring at my feet and the next moment she jumped on my lap and looked up at me. A look that said, “Give me some affection!” And I did.
I petted her a bit and smiled as her purr grew louder. Later in the day, I noticed the food had still not been touched. All she had come to me for was love, not food! Even as the elections in a few states are going on and in some over, I think of what the different candidates promised voters, “We will make your Goa into another Shanghai!”
“Your UP into a modern industrial state!” “Your Punjab into a Canada!” And the voters murmur and reply. Strain your ears my dear political leaders to hear what they are saying. “We want to live in this country, treated with love and affection, dignity and respect!” they utter. “For this we are willing to sacrifice your promises of Shanghai and Canada!” The purr on my lap grows louder and I realise she has even dug her claws a bit into me. I know she does this affectionately. Where’s the political party that can promise respect, dignity and love to their voters? Even Mamata’s party in Bengal doesn’t!
America voted Trump out when the non-whites rose in one huge tsunami and threw him out. Not for lack of food or medical care, but for the lack of love! “Yes,” seems to whisper the stray, as her purr grows even louder, “Throw your freebie milk and bread into the sea. Give us justice, equality and dignity…!”
