Dog-father Part I.. Every dog has its day!!!

He was deep in slumber. Phat!! a stone nicked his butt. With a painful Yelp! he got up, hit his head, dazed and confused, he bent over and ran for cover. His feet took him right but a pair of legs stood there, so he made a quick dash to the opposite side.

 "Naai tholla thaangala" (troublesome dogs) muttered the human.

After reaching a safe distance, he turned to look. The face was odd, not like that of the human who had given him curd rice the other day. He did not like him. Casting one last glance at the white car that had been his shelter for the night, he walked away slowly, searching for another comfortable spot.

The memory of the white car lingered. It was his, he had marked it so. As night arrived, the temptation to go back HOME won over.

His feet, light as ever, carried him gently to the very spot where the car stood now. Sniffing around for another animal/human, he cautiously maneuvered his small body beneath the car. Once under, sleep caught him quickly as if he had been sleepless for many nights. The early morning sun, smoothly snuck in and woke him up gently. He wanted to sleep more and lazily stretched his paws and yawned as wide as he could.

"EY CHI THU NAAYE...ODU IGENDHU" (Get out of here you DOG). Phat!!! a stone was hurled at him. Hit him right on his neck, sharp and painful. Yelping, he ran for cover. His whimpers did not stop for a while, the stone had hit him hard.

As the day stretched out, he wandered around his area keeping out of trouble. A good lunch from a dustbin satiated him and his siesta spot was waiting at the park. The later part of the evening was spent being chased by the watchman, running after two-wheeler/autos, wandering around his area, scavenging other dustbins, pissing on HIS pavements and the occasional bark to show-off.

As he pawed his neck, lazily, he nicked the wound from the morning. The bitter memory convinced him to make good use of his pavement tonight. It was colder and damper than what he was getting used to. But it would suffice.

"Appada, ozhindhuju naai" (What a relief, dog is gone), muttered the human as he washed his car.

It was always spotless white and that is why he loved it. He stood afar and watched the cleaning progress. Suddenly, he was alert. Head up, ears sharp, legs ready to run at the speed of lightning.

He dipped his head low, looked around the perimeter and then tip-toed and sneaked behind the car. The human was still busy cleaning and was now at the hood. He could see the feet moving, white as always, but they were still at the front. NOW!! Inside his head he felt it. Gingerly he moved to his left. The left rear wheel was at his mercy.

He lifted his leg slowly, taking in the moment, it was his now. The freshly washed, shining and clean, Tyre and therefor the car, were now MARKED as his, FOREVER.

His head held high in pride, he walked away, rejoicing in his conquest of what was HIS.