I was seven months pregnant, and my husband was posted on the western-most tip of the country, in a nondescript place called Okha. Our abode was one of the 18 houses situated on the outskirts of this small town. With barely any social life and limited entertainment options, we were thrilled when our family friend moved into a nearby house. A huge park in the centre separated our houses.
We could either choose to walk across the park or go around it to reach their house. One boring Sunday evening, we (my husband, our 7-year-old daughter, and I) decided to visit their home. The sun was almost set, and the moon was playing peek-a-boo in the sky. Unmindful of the diminishing light, we excitedly walked across the park for some friendly banter.
After about an hour, hunger pangs struck with full force. I urged my husband to take leave as I craved to eat some freshly cooked kichadi and raita. As we stepped out, we noticed that darkness had made its presence felt.
As a result, we opt for the detour! The eeriness in the air was evident, but I ignored it. Probably because eating a sumptuous meal was all I could think of! We must have walked over 300 metres when we sensed four pairs of eyes starting at us. “It is rather strange to see so many dogs standing together. “I’ve never seen them in our neighbourhood before,” my husband inquired. I meekly nodded without taking my eyes off those creatures. Hand in hand, we continued to walk. As the distance between us and our four-legged friends shrank, a shocking revelation awaited us. These were not man’s best friends (read dogs), but carnivorous animals of the dog family! Panic, shock, and confusion struck us all at once. My daughter tightened her grip on my hand, urging me to walk fast. “A fully pregnant lady can merely think of walking fast but will not dare put it into action,” I said.
On the other hand, my husband was giving instructions in hushed tones, as if the fox family were eavesdropping on us. “Avoid eye contact, walk calmly, and take the turn.” It’s easier said than done, nevertheless, iss darr ke age humara ghar hain.
Hence, we mustered courage and walked past these fierce-looking animals. We could sense their menacing eyes on our back as if to warn us that ‘you humans are trespassing on our territory. With a silent prayer on our lips, we reached home safely.
A couple of minutes later, when we peered out of the window, we were astonished to see the fox family transfixed in the same position. I guess our unexpected appearance in the middle of the night shocked these canines into silence! Call it an extreme act of human bravery or the dazed stance of the four-legged animal, but I firmly believe to this day that lady luck refused to leave our side on that fateful night!