Strangers

Our paths crossed every morning. Well almost. I ensconced comfortably in my balcony with my morning cuppa watched him bounding down a well trodden path. Invariably our eyes would meet at times. Mine full of admiration for his lithe form and boundless energy. His filled with indifference at the bedraggled monster staring at him. I wondered what irked me more about him, his nonchalance or my own laziness.

This continued for a few weeks with none of our families being any wiser. Even as I watched and even awaited eagerly to catch a glimpse of his sprinting form, he would slow occasionally down for a fleeting second to give me a once over before continuing with his routine.

But every day is a new one. One hardly knows what surprises fate might spring up on a particular day. And so it happened today. Even as I eyed him surreptitiously , he came to a sudden halt right across my balcony. I regarded his sudden move with suspicion. But he looked on beseechingly at the cup in my hand. And then he shook his head as if trying to figure out what I was trying to hide with the other. Maybe he wanted me to invite him for some coffee. Or even more.

Now of all things in the whole wide world, I just happen to be vary particular about my early morning cuppa. It is a magic potion that miraculously transforms me from an over-worked and sleep deprived maniac to a well programmed robot who can accomplish a hundred tasks (and maybe a few more) for the next 18 hours. And hence, nothing can make me part with it. Strangers or no strangers.

I gave him a defiant stare. And much in the tradition of roadside romeos, he displayed a blatant disregard for my defiance. He stood his ground and continued staring at me with a beguiling expression. The exchange continued for a couple of minutes ( or was it just seconds that my caffeine deprived grey cells had stretched into minutes ). In the meanwhile, I spotted a few of his ilk hanging around clandestinely at what they had assumed to a safe distance. "Greedy fellas", I mouthed at him but it seemed like he had made up his mind to stalk me till doomsday.

Preseverence can be a very powerful tool when used sparingly. And in this case, he convinced me to change my mind. I put down the plate that I had been hiding all along on the balcony floor. And smiled my approval at him. He made a move towards the balcony. And then all hell broke loose.

"Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee". The piercing screams of my neighbor's pressure cooker shattered the morning calm. The reverie had been broken. And even as I cast a baleful look towards the offender's balcony, he had taken off. Discreet as ever. I turned back quickly to salvage the moment. But he was gone. The squirrel had disappeared into the thick foliage of the tall trees that lined the society's compound wall.

Image courtesy :pixabay.com

Note - Living in the glass and concrete jungle that is ideally referred to as a city, we hardly get a chance to come in contact with other animals. While it is good to have a dog or some exotic pet in your living space, it is always important to live in harmony with nature and the indigenous species that surround us. Spare a thought for the squirrels or the birds that live in the trees nearby. Make it a point to leave out some food in a plate and some water in a large dish on the balcony or terrace if you have one. It is all the more important during the summer months.