True story - Rebirth
My dad was having trouble with stray dogs at our place. He was very annoyed with them and tried everything to clear his place off the menace. He had tried large stones and long sticks to make them run away but with little reward. He was contemplating drastic measures like having somebody capture them and drop them off at distant places or even call the municipal corporation people.
His irritation got a little worse when his father in law (ie my grandpa) told him not to hurt these animals too much as mythology does suggest that our forefathers who've died and gone to heaven sometimes take rebirth as these lower animals and they flock our house hoping to catch of glimpse of their dear future generations. The communist in every Malayali surfaced and dad rubbished these theories immediately.
Next day evening dad was relaxing watching some cricket when the dogs were making too much noise, specifically outside our gates. Something snapped and dad lost all cool. He was almost making a war cry while charging down the street chasing dogs. Just beyond our gate, still running, he bent and picked up a fat stone and was almost about to hurl it at the running pack when it happened.
One of the light brown dogs slowed down, almost stopped, turned back and looked at dad, gave him a stare, with those green brown eyes. Not afraid at all. Dad froze in his tracks. That look and something about that turn and mannerism struck him. Exactly like how his favourite maternal uncle who passed away 20 years ago used to move and look. Dad almost went flaccid, his fingers loosened and the stone automatically dropped to the ground.
To date the neighbours are clueless about how, every night, a large packet of food appears at the corner of the street for the dogs.....
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