Life of a ....

It is back again and like all the times, it brings a new day with it. I lie under this tree, in the heavenly pleasure of early morning sleep and his rays touch my closed eyes from the gaps among the tree leaves.

Another day, another adventure…..

No matter how soon I wake up, I always see brother, up and fresh. I wonder whether he sleeps at all.

Mother before leaving told us, “Always be together and that way you would survive long”. She left us when we were kids like every other mother does. It took us several months to understand the difficulty of survival, the risks of everyday struggles. We always wished time stopped when we were fast asleep in our mothers lap.

Brother seems to be ready…

When everyday life is a struggle, you got to think of it as an adventure lest you cannot survive it. That has been our secret of happiness, no matter how hard the day was, how difficult to get even a single bite of food, how much tears came out of our eyes as if there is unknown connection between hunger and tears. We learned to look at it differently and are survived this way only.

Now brother with narrowed eyes is approaching me slowly, an indication that the game is about to start. He took a leap into air and as I jumped aside, he fell down with a thud. I laughed hard looking at his face covered in dirt. He shook it off and made a sudden jump at me. This time I am not quick enough and he got hold of my leg. I tried grabbing his neck but ended up just getting a meek hold of it. It might have inflicted enough pain; he left my leg and moved back few steps. I haven’t let his neck go yet. Now on his four legs he raised himself to two legs, an unexpected move! He dropped himself over me and I am on ground, falling on my face.

He won the fight again like several other times. He is always the stronger one between us but I always gave a good fight. The early day fight is a game for us, an activity, and an exercise that makes us ready for the rest of day. Prepared and ready, for another day’s fight!

After few hours search, we found some food that would keep us alive for some time. Our stomachs are not full but enough to keep ourselves content and happy.

It is now right on the top of our heads and beaming with full power. It’s mid-afternoon, a time even my tree would not give me full protection from it.

Fortunately I found this thing under which I can hide myself and have a good afternoon sleep. It’s not hot under this and I need to be alert all the time.

After what seemed like few hours, a huge man came near this. I know what I am supposed to do; I adjusted myself so it passes from above me without hurting me. I have become expert at this after all these years.

The man drove the thing off, removing my shelter. It is almost evening now and my stomach is ready with yet another request for food.

Another search, another struggle and yet another adventure for sustainment, I thought to myself rolling my body on the ground, “After all this is the life of a stray dog.”