Tuesday 28 February 2012

The Postman and the dog.

He was not even a postman. Well, Not in the true sense of the word. He was a courier person. No dowdy uniform for him. He wore a crisp white shirt, midnight blue pants, and a snazzy baseball cap. His bag was a smart backpack. In fact, he was sometimes given the once over by young girls.

But apparently, dogs have an ingrained primitive urge which makes them strip the veneer, and just chase postmen or greet them with the entire repertoire of barks at their disposal. Thus it was that this poor courier boy dreaded having to go to that particular locality where this dog lived. He was not very big, a mixed breed, but big enough to be intimidating. Seeking the advice of his mates, he had been given the usual cliches, 'barking dogs seldom bite' and ' His bark is probably worse than his bite,' to which he had snorted, " Im not willing to put that to the test,"

So the days passed. The courier would try to rev up his bike in retaliation to the dogs barks, while passersby smiled benevolently, or smirked, depending on their age. He was told to go  meet the owner, but lacked the courage, to get off his bike and face the dog. Thankfully, he hadn't had  a delivery for the owner of the dog, so far.

That day he was a little nervous. In his bag was a considerable sum of money that had to be delivered to a firm in the dog's vicinity. The thought of having to get off his bike with the dog circling him, was making him sweat. Parking his bike a little distance away, he started walking briskly towards the address he had been given, praying all the while that the dog would not pay him any attention without the bike announcing his appearance.

Head tucked in, cap pulled over his face, he was hurrying along, when they struck. The cold steel of the knife pressing deep into his neck stunned him. The blood rushing to his head had him feeling faint. Swiftly the men relieved him of his bag, one of them slashed at his body, as the two of them ran fast towards their bike parked a little away. He slumped against the wall, tears clouding his vision, blood flowing from his arm where the knife had hit him.

Suddenly, a streak of lightening shot past him. Barking loudly, the dog chased the thieves. As they leapt on to the bike, he jumped on to the man carrying the bag, and bit him. With a shriek of rage, the man clutched on to his arm, the bag falling to the ground with a thud. Viciously he slashed at the dog before his petrified partner revved the bike as they raced off.

His own gash forgotten the courier rushed to the dog. An on looker handed him his bag, which he flung onto his bike. Carefully, gently, oblivious to his own pain, he lifted up the now whimpering dog, and placed him on the bike.

Thus it was that i saw him driving like a maniac thru the narrow streets, the dog placed in front of him, his head nestled against the boy's shoulder, his fur flying in the wind. The blood of the two mingled, staining his crisp white shirt, his cap flew off as he rushed to the nearest veterinarian.

The dog still greeted the boy everyday with barks, joyous ones, for now his bag usually hid a juicy bone or some other treat  for his new found best friend.    

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