A Solo Adventure
Tranquebar’s peace somehow felt shattered. There was a tightening around the heart. In the light of the setting sun, waves were crashing across the jagged shoreline. With a slight tilt of my head, I could see his shadow. Standing quietly, inches from where I was.
I had chosen Tranquebar as my destination for my first solo trip. It was a quaint little town off the Coromandel coast. Where one can leisurely explore the numerous churches sprinkled across the town. It was still early afternoon while I was coming out of a church that I spotted him. I did not make eye contact. I kept on walking.
He followed me from the church to the museum. He stood at the gate and waited for me to come back out. I saw him but lowered my head and walked on.
Even at the beach, I could see him looking at me. I didn’t want to turn but, I was curious. I turned around and captured his picture on my phone.
As if on cue, he started to move towards me and wag his tail at full speed. I don’t know about you, but stray dogs strike fear in my heart. A deep fear. How to know? If they are only going to wag their tail? Or if they want to bite a chunk out of your leg?
It was impossible to get rid of him. No matter where I went, he followed. When he tried to come near me, my selfie stick was ready to shoo him away. With some mathematical calculation, he knew the length of my self-stick and maintained the distance.
Finally, I gave up and let him sit next to me while I had ice cream. I asked the lady why this dog was particularly interested in following me. She sighed and told, his owner was a woman who had curly hair just like I did. She had bought him to the beach and left him when he was very young. From then on, he follows any woman with curls hoping it would be his owner.
I turned to look at the dog, now comfortably seated under the wooden bench with his head resting on his paws. I felt pity for him. Abandonment could not have been easy for him. What was he thinking? Did he still feel the pain? Or did he hope of one day seeing her again?
He caught me looking and immediately got up and tried coming near me.
I backed off quickly, and he stood still like he understood my fear. I pitied him, but my fear was real.
I walked towards the tea shop and brought some biscuits for him. The owner smiled at me and said that he was one lucky dog because he never goes hungry. With a half-smile on my face, I turned to find him, but he was gone. The sun had also set over the horizon.
I waited again the next day morning, but he didn’t come. Possibly a new day had bought a new ray of hope and new curly head to the beaches of Tranquebar.
