The other day, I was walking Dobs in the lane just outside the complex. It was six in the evening and still bright. Two men started walking near us, just far enough to avoid Dobs but too close for comfort. One of them started whistling at Dobs (ostensibly) while fixing a leer on me. His smile was jaunty. His friend smoothed back his hennaed hair, laughed his encouragement.
I tried the usual methods. I looked away to ignore them. I looked at them fixedly to shame them. I walked faster. They caught up. I slowed down and stopped. One of them bent down to tie a shoelace. I turned and walked back towards the complex. They kept pace with me, whistling and leering with infuriating persistence.
Then I lost my temper. I whirled towards them.
'Kya hai? Kya chahiye?' I yelled, loosening my grip on Dobby's leash slightly. He barked at them furiously, happy to be useful.
(Dobby is a mini pomeranian who firmly believes that he was meant to be an Alsation. He is about 2 feet high with an ambitious bark. I believe he has the makings of greatness.)
'Kya hai? Kya kar rahe the?' The tone was defiant but they were throwing furtive glances in Dobby's direction. They had started backing away slowly.
(The biggest bullies are cowards.)
'Peechha kyun kar rahe ho? Kutte se khelna hai?' I had walked right up to them and Dobs was now barking his head off and excitedly jumping up and down.
'Nahi, nahi. Kuchh nahi kar rahe the.' By this time, they were having visions of being eaten for dinner. They decided to abandon manly pride. They turned around and broke into a full-fledged trot in the opposite direction.
(The biggest bullies really are cowards.)
By this time, I was having fun. So I started running after them, Dobby in tow. We chased them for a little while before turning in at our gate. The security guards were a little astonished to see a distracted looking woman and her pint-sized dog chase two grown men down the road.
(What is sad though is that I wouldn't have been able to have the same effect myself.)
Posted 22nd March 2007 by J
