Dual Duel

 

Dual Duel

Born & brought up in a God-fearing Hindu household,  we were taught that every living being, insignificant, small or big  is endowed with a soul and should to be treated with compassion. Hence, killing any form of life  was considered scurrilous. We followed religious ceremonies and celebrated festivals in traditional manner. For our nuclear family, it was an opportunity to dress up, and savour choicest food and we loved to engage in gregarious banter (gossip?) about everything under the stars. 

Decades later, I started living a life suited to the times & circumstances, adapting to a wider circle and drifting a little away from my initial training.  Or so I thought!

 

 I encountered a crazy trial last week…which can loosely be termed as   the      The “DUAL DUEL .”

Following a commotion at 9.15pm  I rushed to the dining room . Broom in one hand and a long stick in the other, the missus was in samurai mode, waving her “weapons” & delivering various commands (Expletives?) to the TV. Nonplussed I stared at the TV. Nothing there!  I tried calming her down. “There, There It is ” she screamed   “Go away,Go away”! Shooo, Shhooo !. % # * @ ) _ +

She had seen a small mouse sitting on top of the TV. Search operation revealed nothing. “It happens once in a while “ I said consoling her.

 A week later, for some unknown reason, Insomnia struck. I couldn’t sleep.  Neither Counting Sheep, Cow & every other animal nor chanting the names of 32 ( 33?) crore Gods/Goddesses helped improve matters. So the logical refuge

was “Idiot Box” (see, I’m a normal Human being). Watching movies alone late into the night became the new Normal. Thankfully,insomnia provided a great opportunity to watch some interesting fare.- “Trance”,Malayan Kunju, Lucifer, Grahan, 12^th man,Cutputli, Vikram …….. and then!

 

On the fifth night, I encountered the little rascal. He crawled up the TV & took position on the Top .Lifting up his face he smelt the air. Lowering the TV volume, I began observing him. He possessed delicate round shaped ears which kept twitching now and then. Suddenly he raised his forelegs and started twirling his  whiskers. Watching his antics was more interesting than what was playing on the screen.   I became engrossed and even loved some of his antics.

My assumption that it would just be a short, perfunctory   visit was wrong.–   Making himself comfortable, he continued his nervous activities.. Suddenly, he stared at me . I muttered. & become very agitated.

 Fed up with his pranks, I eventually, decided to open the door leading to the backyard .to encourage him scamper away, for the sake of our own respective sanities.

I hoped that he would oblige and that I would not have to live with the guilt of killing the little guest  ( read“pest”).  Returning to the room I saw our Mr. Rooney trotting out of the dining room towards the veranda   looking mighty pleased & smug!  he even guffawed with delight. The little mouse had vanished. I now felt perturbed    ... err…   relieved …But dismal…

Minutes later I heard a feeble squeak. Looking around, I saw the pesky creep perched on the  ventilator sill high above. With a series of jerky facial contortions he disappeared through a hole in the insect mesh.

I must confess that at a certain point I was even considering murder. But the truth is, whichever way  we’re raised, and however far we have drifted from our “Old fashioned” virtues, during times of extreme indecision or stress one is promptly reminded of the dominance of  a higher power.

It is a matter of great relief that the mouse fled, and I’d not need to take a legion of liars to put up a bluff to reassure the indomitable samurai.

     I confess that I still can’t kill a mouse without feeling terrible. As far as I am concerned I have won the “Dual Duel” and I think that’s reasonable.

 

 

 

 

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