Dogs and Cyclists have a very good and deep relationship, neither of them ever converse but claim to understand each other's motives very well. While a cyclist sees every dog as a motivation (A loud bark and small sprint of dog can pump your pedaling might exponentially), a dog sees every cyclist as an opportunity to show his importance in the area. Both have mutual respect and some levels of other mundane feelings like fright, hatred, disgust, 'catch me if you can' etc.
I face dogs often, and on my cycling routes, I remember all the pit stops where I see their ever welcoming personalities. So much so, that I inadvertently remember the number and colors (I don’t think that makes me racist) of these fellows roadsters on each of their favorite roadside hangout. When I say welcoming, it includes, growling noises, stares, few hops to climb over the bicycle etc. etc. And as a reciprocation, I too have some gestures, like not looking in the eyes, pedaling really slow, maintaining distance of around 2 feet (only if other 'big feet' vehicles permit you) and last but not the least, not trying to communicate--IN ANY FORM. But even after so much grace, there are moments of stiffness, especially when the situation is only slightly abnormal--Like unchained bicycle.
Some week ago, I was passing through this narrow road, in one of the localities behind my housing society, the road was narrow, steep and high. I was in my last few kilometers for the day (Read totally exhausted, panting and brain blacked out) and was very keen to finish the remaining distance as early as possible. On both sides of roads there were row houses, each of them had large iron gates. Since it was early morning, like any other day, it was quiet and peaceful.
There were innocuous looking street dogs (a white and a Black), who have never interacted with me ever before, and I ignored them. I was only focusing on the road which was getting steeper and to make it easy I lowered the gear. As if height was not enough, the switch of gear unchained the rear axle and I started pedaling to a nowhere. I had to stop!!
With full focus on the chain, I bent and tried to figure out how to bring the bicycle back to operations. And as soon as I figured out how to do it, I heard a growl. I still tried to ignore it as a dog fight and went about fixing the chain. And the chain was fixed in next few seconds, but growl had grown louder. I lifted my head and found nicely combed, German Shepherd staring back at me, besides him seated his human caretaker, busy with his mobile. The looks were not friendly!!
I pulled back a little and tried my 'I am not a bad guy' look at him, and he looked least impressed. Which I think was my first mistake. This somehow enraged him and he cautiously started stepping towards me. I was still not worried much, but that feeling was short-lived. With a loud strong bark, I was introduced to an upcoming danger. The barks became louder and I kept stepping backwards. I was getting a feeling that this is going to be my first real tryst with a friendly creature, in an unfriendly situation. And to worsen, the dog got into an attacking position, and I was totally taken aback. That span of maybe 30 seconds felt like 30 minutes. And as it was meant to be the human care taker intervened and asked his dog to rest, on which with some reluctance he did, still barking.
I exhaled and things got pacified, but not for long. What the bark of one single dog had started was more fierce. The barking sounds started cascading like dominoes. Louder barks coming from all along the 100 yards street. For the first time, in my months of commuting through that street, I realized that every single row-house had a domesticated dog. Each of them trying to bark his/her lungs out at me. Each of them trying to break the iron gates and dissect me with canine canines. Turning my head, to my surprise, I found the street dogs (One White and one black) looking at me with utter pity. Like saying, why the hell you got noticed by one of these elites. I smiled at them, and moved along, strolling with my bicycle.
So what was this incident all about? I cannot figure out anything that I had done to piss the canines off, but still I did. My only fault, I happened to stop there, which I am free to do, and don’t usually do. And I got attention of an overtly attention monger dog who under domestication had started suspecting every human being other than his care takers. Worst he had company of some other (Similar attention monger, inhibited by domestication) dogs who reacted just at one bark, without even noticing the reason. Seems, all of the canines believed that the only reason to show their worth is to find a reason and bark at the peak of their voice. And the street dogs, knowing the reality of all, only smiled. And Cyclist, me, only felt sorry, to never to go to that street again.
Didn't find interesting..now read the last paragraph with Indian Media in mind. #intolerance
