Doggy Tales

Sports day at Appu’s school… end result-two exhausted parents and a kid full of beans even after a whole day spent in the sun.

I was glad to be able to take a nap for a couple of hours when a rude prodding from Amma woke me up. It had started to drizzle and Amma wanted me to run up to the roof and rescue the clothes on the clothesline before they were all soaked through.

I trudged up the stairs muttering at the unfairness of it all, when something streaked past me at lightening speed. Who else, but Appu, who, rain or no rain, was not going to give up a chance to run amuck on the rooftop.

In the middle of “helping” me with the clothes, Appu’s attention was drawn the neighbouring terrace. Our neighbour, sister in tow, was trying to train his dog. Now this dog had one of those new-fangled names that slip my mind, but had a “pet” name of “Ammukutty.” Every time my poor neighbour got his dog to “Sit” or “Stay” Appu would yell, “Ammukutteeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee”. The dog, all excited as labs are wont to get, would excitedly jump up and try and cross over to our terrace barking excitedly.

After this went on for sometime, our neighbour changed tacks and tried to teach the dog to stay when he went down the stairs. He was mighty pleased at being able to get his dog to perform at his bidding at least this once and started to slowly back down the stairs.

At this, Appu, who looked puzzled at this latest development, yelled, “Ammukutty, ON YOUR MARK, GET SET AND GO!!!” As if on cue, Ammukutty shot off her haunches and launched herself at the terrace wall again!!! I beat a hasty retreat, with Appu in tow, before I was made the target of my neighbour’s ire!!!