42. A K, 4Ds, 6 Cs and 1 H

A story of a kitten, four dogs, six crows and one human being.

It was evening six. I had just returned from office after a day of monotonous work. I stay on fifth floor and on three sides I am surrounded by trees. To the north is a row of tin roofs - it is a ground-floor storeroom of the cancer center. It is about a distance of few meters – adjoining my compound wall. There are trees which are grown up to 40 feet. My mornings start with identification (rather a bad try to guess) of birds.

But this was evening. Suddenly I heard a loud noise on the tin roofs. It was followed by sudden bark of dogs and shrill cawing of crows. I rushed to the gallery. I first noticed four dogs barking with full throats. They were obviously angry at something, at someone. But I could not understand what it was. Then I noticed crows circling a branch of the tree ... which led me to a frail kitten sitting at a narrow spot which diverted into multiple branches.

The dogs were obviously chasing the kitten, for how long I did not know. The kitten running for its life had climbed the tree in a hurry. Now it was sitting in the midst of branches. The situation for it was to face devil and deep sea at the same time. On the lower side were the viciously barking dogs and on upper side were circling crows. From the distance it was difficult to say who was more furious whether the dogs or the crows.

The crows took the kitten as their enemy. They started attacking the kitten. Slowly they came near him, one touching its tail; other touching its side… the kitten could not move any part of its body. With a single movement, it would certainly fall down and the dogs were just waiting for that to happen.

I was anxious for the kitten. For a moment I thought of calling a fire station. But the calmness of the kitten was amazing. I was glued to the spot by the behavior of the kitten. It did not mew even once. It was not shivering or shaking. It was just looking at the crows and the dogs, calmly, quietly, without any fear or nervousness.

The crows came nearer. The kitten looked at them but did not move. The barking of the dogs lowered. One dog left the battleground. The rest of the three were definitely confused by the leaving dog. They looked at the tree and the kitten once and then at the leaving dog.

By this time the crows realized that the kitten was not attacking them but had problems regarding its own safety. They sat at a distance from the kitten and they stopped cawing. Slowly one by one they disappeared leaving the kitten alone. The kitten was sitting very silently. It was alert but silent as if it was deeply thinking. The silence created power.

My imagination went wild. If any other cat without knowing in which situation this kitten was; would have asked this small kitten, “Hey, how are you? What are you doing here alone in the evening’? I am sure this kitten would have replied, “I am fine uncle/aunty. I am just enjoying the sunset. This tree is very lovely. Would you mind joining me? Do you want me to help you?” There was something very spiritual about the kitten. In the midst of life threatening situation, the little guy was amazingly calm.

The crows disappeared, the dogs went away disappointed. With the sun set, darkness was fast enveloping the surroundings. Now I was indeed worried about the kitten. In that narrow space, it can’t wait all the night. It could not jump to the ground, because it meant a jump of at least fifty feet. It could not jump on the tin roof, because for that the kitten would have to turn around, which it could not due to the narrow space.

The tension within me was increasing. For a moment I closed my eyes. When I opened it, the kitten was on the tin roof, fully enjoying stretch of the body. “Ha! At last it is over” it must be saying to itself. I smiled at the kitten, I smiled at myself. I smiled at the energy the incidence gave me. I smiled at my weakness and I smiled at my vanity.

The kitten was slowly walking in the other direction. From deep within my heart, I said “thank you little chap for the lesson” to that kitten. Suddenly the kitten turned around and mewed pleasantly.

Did the kitten acknowledge my gratitude?

May be…..May be not …