“If you pick up a starving dog and make him prosperous, he will not bite you; that is the principal difference between a dog and a man.”  –Mark Twain

Saviour

While out on my evening walk with Sparky, my eight year old Dalmatian, I came across a number of dogs. They were sitting in a line, by the roadside, patiently waiting for their saviour. What I found odd was that they just sat in a line, and kept watch for the good Samaritan who brings them their daily food in the evenings, without fail.

I have seen this gentleman many times and my Sparky gets barked at by these roadside hooligans during their meal times. They are scared she might ask for a share from their quota. As it is they are at the mercy of kind humans who feed them and also make them wear old jackets of their pets during winters.

It is a sight to behold, the dogs hear the footsteps of their adopted master and they stand to attention but each dog stands at his appointed place and waits patiently for the master to reach him and give him his dinner. These dogs are better behaved than many spoilt pets of our society.

There is a temple within our society and the road opposite it is where these dogs lie in wait for their master and the food he brings for them. It is the first time that I have witnessed God’s presence outside the temple, he is their god. He nurtures, protects and feeds them, unconditionally and selflessly. Hats off to such good Samaritans, they are the true saviours …

Sulekha Rawat

“A hot shower on a cold, wet day, a phone call from a dear friend, or the lick of a dog’s tongue on your hand are reminders of life’s simple pleasures.” –Brian Luke Seaward