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THE RAINBOW


“No ! Not in my terrace ! “

“ Yes Memsaahib. She’s there – three , too small , dark . “

“ Can you take them away ? “

“ The mother won’t allow anyone to come  near them . Besides I’m getting late. “

Audacity at her very best.

“ Then  do something to prevent them from moving . I don’t want them in my house. “


Of all people on earth , why me ? Yeah ! Go ahead , try me.

I  am terribly scared of cats . Phobia . And this  foolish mother cat had to start her crazy family on my terrace. On the top of it , Jatin was having fun at my expense.

“ Are you sure you’re okay with my Delhi trip ? “ , he smirked. He would be away – I  have to handle the stray  cats alone.

Bending over my dahlias , I replied “ Are you going to cancel the trip if I ask you to ? No !  you won’t . But you want to earn some brownie points. I can see through your plans Mr. Husband. “

“ In that case , no use trying, eh ? “ and he laughed like a zombie.

After driving Jatin to the airport , I came back home. Had to complete the work at hand in a few hours and set on another assignment. As I flopped on the couch , I heard sounds from the pantry. I rushed in and saw that big fat mother cat. My kitchen was in a mess. How the hell did she enter ? Anger was replaced by fear in a second. I shouted. Like I never had in years.  Maybe she was as frightened as me. She jumped off the counter - spilling all that was there. Almost in my direction and  I yelled louder. She went past me , jumped out through the open window and everything was still again. I opened my eyes . Gone. I made sure I had sealed all doors and windows before sleeping that night. Maybe I should  ask the maid to sleep in the hall tomorrow onwards. The thought was discarded in a jiffy.

I never ventured into the terrace though.

The next morning , I sent the maid to the terrace to check if the cats were still there. She reported back that the mother was not there. One kitten had died.

“ Oh my God ! How ? “

“ They die. Just like that. Maybe it was weak. “

Weak.  

The more I thought about the “weak” kitten , the more I began empathizing with the mother cat. Maybe she wanted some food for her weak baby. I should not have scared her. I should not have …….

I sent milk for the other two kittens , again through the maid. I was less scared and more ashamed this time though.

In two days , one of the surviving kittens vanished. It  was  nowhere to be found. My maid told me that possibly, an eagle scooped it.

I did not know why the death of those cats caused such a tumult in my chest ….. I knew the answer after a little bit of thinking though.

 The mother almost abandoned the last of her kids. I never saw her after that mad encounter in my kitchen.

So there was just one frail kitten on my terrace. I went up there. It was barely breathing. Smaller than a squirrel.  Pity outscored fear. I gave it  water and then milk. It looked full. It was walking – just like a toddler . I smiled and came back to the house.

I never liked the idea of pets. But this kitten !  It needed help. A strange kind of a happiness enveloped me.

Jatin came back soon after. I told him about the kittens. He was kind of a surprised .
 “ At least you’ll get over your crazy fear” , he said. This time I joined him too.

The next morning I awoke before sunrise. Just as the sun rose , I went  up – to the terrace. May be its sleeping, I thought. I came back home. Jatin and I came up a little later in the morning. It was still sleeping . Little did we know that it was gone. Ants had set their path through its skin.

*****
“ Why us ? “ I wept as Jatin tried to console me.

“ No. It  happens. All will be okay. “

He added “ Someday. Someday honey …. “.

That gave me hope.

Someday. Once again. For good. A tiny pair of feet. To grace our lives.


Afterword : My blog completes three years on 26th May 2011. I have loved, cherished being here. And I'll be here in future. Amen ! Thanks to my readers - old and new - who have cared to be a part of "My Life and Times".  

Comments

Richa said…
beautiful, heart warming. :)
Nitin Kumar said…
deja vu/2 ;)
awesome...goosebumps
Phoenix said…
wow your writing id getting more intense and powerful by the day... really wonderful!! grest going my hubby dear!!
Anonymous said…
it made an amazing read. only handful lucky ones are ever able to overcome fear, consider yourself blessed (too bad im afraid of lizards!). reading it brought a smile to my face. thank u for it :)
Tulika Verma said…
I have had a similar experience. But you expressed it so well. I felt all he fear, all the pity, all the grief. Lovely.
Bikram said…
sad story.. if only her heart had softened a few hours or a day earlier .. the kitten might have lived ..

Bikram's
Phoenix said…
hello ji... happy birthday to your bloggie and on this auspicious day i have a news... my bloggie has a new url.. just for ur reference http://clandestine-phoenix.blogspot.com/
Rià said…
awesomely written...and congrats for completing 3 yrs.
Anwesa said…
@Richa,
Thanks dear ! Glad to see you here.
Anwesa said…
@rahul,
Thanks :)
Anwesa said…
@Phoenix,
Thank you for your wonderful words !
Anwesa said…
@findin42,

Thanks for appreciating but all of this is a story - none of it is a true incident.

P.S. : I'm scared of cats in real life.
Anwesa said…
@ Tulika,

Thanks :)
Anwesa said…
@Bikramjit,

Maybe .... but some things are inevitable.
Anwesa said…
@Phoenix,

Saw your new place :)
Anwesa said…
@Ria,
Thanks dear !
Anonymous said…
Interesting story..

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