It was a windy/rainy friday night about 2 months ago and we were feasting on our customary pizza and some alcohol to go with it. We heard some noises on the balcony, so we went out and saw a pigeon violently flipping over some empty cartons. Poor thing had hurt one of its legs and was not able to fly. For a while we didn't know what to do, the little guy was flipping all around the place. Then, I mustered up some courage and caught hold of him with a towel in my hand. We soothed him for a bit and kept murmuring calming sounds (we made up our own language) and then lay it down in a secure spot. Then we put some breadcrumbs and a bowl of water in front of him. He looked calm now but was still shaking, so we went inside and let him be. Next morning I went to check the balcony as soon as I got up. The breadcrumbs were gone, the bowl of water was empty, the little guy had flown away! yay. We were so happy and relieved. Come to think of it, we've had a strange chemistry with pigeons ever since we moved into our current apartment. They were always nesting and making a mess of things in our second balcony...but we were never really annoyed.
Now comes another story: About three weeks ago we had a new entrant in our home..a little mouse. His first sighting was when he ran right over my wife's feet resulting in a witch-like scream. Women...aah!..why do they have to scream at anything and everything...even a cockroach(now that's just silly). Anyway, I was ordered on a hunting mission right away....but all attempts went in vain. After a few days we forgot about it and the little guy kept showing up while we were watching the TV or just slacking on the couch. He loved to run right accross the carpet which would make my wife jump. After getting used to him, we started calling him our chhota dost (little friend). If he were to show up when guests were at our place, that was the way he was introduced..our chhota dost.
About 4 days ago, while my wife was taking out some stuff from one of the kitchen storage cabinets, she saw rice splattered all over the place. When inspected, we saw that the rice packet as well as a lot of others were chewed and gnawed upon by our chhota not so dost anymore. That evening, we bought some rat kill and put it all over the place. The last we saw of him was 2 days ago. We've searched the house, but there's no sign of him. Even our maid didn't find him anywhere in her jhaadoo ponchha routines. Who knows, maybe he just left our house..or maybe he actually ate some of the rat kill and went and died somewhere outside (it takes atleast 2 days for rat kill to affect).
The point is, if you've not got it by now...why did we differentiate between the pigeon/s and the mouse? Was it because the mouse was destroying our food...well...we gave food to the pigeon voluntarily didn't we? Was it because the mouse was creating nuisance...well..not anymore than the crap the pigeons made out of our second balcony. Or was it just because pigeons are soothing to the eye and mice are like...well....creepy. I don't know myself, but I do know that ever since his last sighting I've been feeling a little guilty. Guilty that I might have killed him..but why? I have killed hundreds of mice and rats in my life..why was this one special? Again, I don't know...maybe because we actually let him stay and got used to him. Maybe because we started calling him our chhota dost(bad idea) and felt connected to him. Come to think of it, I think that's what it is..we never should have named it. As much I like chicken and fish, would I ever be able to kill and eat one which I've named myself, which lives in my house pond or barn? No, I don't think so...not after this incident. In fact I'll stop naming things which I want to eat. Not that there are many living things to eat around the house(except the wife), but still. Oh no, this has been such an idiotic post...maybe I'm losing it. Now that I've spoken about it, I do feel less burdened with the guilt...so it was not all that idiotic I guess. Cheerio!
