The frequency of watering plants in summers increases where every alternate morning I have to thoroughly water the plants in my little garden.
The movement of vehicles is very limited during this hour and there are numerous people who pass by the road in front. Most of them are out for a morning walk, some with family or friends, some with dogs.
During this time one day I had bent down to observe the flow of water from the water pipe and when I got up, I found a man around my age not lesser, standing and smiling at me. Both his hands held a leash at the end of which was a full grown black labrador retriever sniffing at an empty earthen flower pot right outside the garden. No, it wasn’t my pot, my guess is that someone left it there expecting me to bring it to some use, but I didn’t move it, as because of it, people couldn’t easily park their cars there when I wasn’t looking.
But my real worry was the dog relieving itself there and secondly why was this man smiling at me for no reason? Was it to water down the reaction of the deed his dog was about to perform next?
“So, what are you growing there?” asked the man
“I am sorry, can you repeat?” I asked as I had not heard him because I didn’t expect him to speak anything
“What are you growing there?” he spoke a little louder this time and even pointed out the part he was referring to and I looked at my neighbour’s garden because that is where he was pointing. Was he mocking me? Well I am at best an average gardener, but I do what I do with internet research and dedication.
“I don’t know what is growing there, it is not part of my garden,” I said once again glancing at his dog
“Oh..” said the man and then he smiled weirdly, showing all his front teeth and then he walked away with his dog or it seemed more like the dog walked away with him. No, luckily the dog hadn’t done anything, at least not that day.
I have seen many people walk their dogs, and believe me when I say some people are clearly not meant to have a dog. Although, I don’t know his name but I have seen this man before. He walks his dog two times a day, or it is more like his dog walks him.
Each time when I do notice both of them, it’s like the dog dragging the man who always struggles to get a good hold on him and surprisingly he never says anything to the dog so that it stops or does not drag him. He was clearly not prepared for the responsibility.
Occasionally he does pass a smile at me if our eyes ever meet but I don’t think I will ever be comfortable with seeing a grown man being dragged around helplessly every day.
Written by Anuran Chatterji
Early Morning Memories 