Animal Infantry

The day was 20th August a rainy day with the cantonment city of Poona as the British named it was awash with a new spray of water from the heavens.1

The day was not that much of a historical date to be remembered and stored in memory's compartments,yet in the annals of a child who was about to enter the bad bad world,this was a momentous occasion.2

The day was Tuesday an auspicious day in the Hindu calendar,so at least the start was proper,touchwood!3

I was brought from the hospital to our row house in Poona.4

I was to be placed in a cradle at a height from the floor, away from my friend and guide, who already had his tail up and wagging to catch a glimpse of the scion.5

Mom placed me on the floor to make the cute bed in the cradle, and that signaled a reaction in Rusi which translated into a long warm corrosive tongue being sent as a brush on the rotund wall face and the painting lasted 1 minute, I guess!6

Rusi was a big black Collie in the twilight of his Life’s career yet for me always smiling like the rising sun.7

He had two more cronies with him to complete the Three Musketeers.8

Jumbo[allpoetry.com/Poem/1275050], a phenomenal white Spitz dog whose eyes were benevolence personified and Bruno, an Alsatian cross, the boy next door.9

The triumvirate used to plod me on as I on all fours used to crawl.10

The system was simple, I was in the middle, on my left Bruno and on my right Jumbo and the grand old Rusi, bringing on the rear.11

No one dared this entourage and rarely did we come across irritants.12

My upbringing had started a bit too much on the canine front but in a nice way!13

The bonding between Man’s Best Friend and myself was confirmed.14

Apart from these three there was a long black and white muscular tomcat called Babban[pronounced BuhBun]..a rogue of a cat, a thief par excellence.15

The trio used to chase him all around the backyard and it was a sight a sort of a Rugby match, unfortunately the ball being Babban and he used to be tossed playfully in the air by the trio.16

Once,Babban made off with my milk bottle which was placed strategically on the window sill and I had to make do with something else.17