Freedom to scratch

For the last few days the heat has been terrible in the city, so hot, that sometimes I see sizzling waves rising from the ground, ready to oppress, ready to clamp and engulf with torridness all those it can encompass within its sweaty grasp. But worse than we humans, it’s animals that suffer the most. A dog in the colony where I live, was running behind a rickshaw, and suddenly dropped dead.

The heat had claimed another victim!

But my dog prefers the heat than coming into my air-conditioned room from where I write. Not that he isn’t reacting to the heat, he is. I know he finds it unbearable, and walks all over the house looking dejected and depressed, but try as I may, he won’t enter my comfortable room.

Now why would a dog not want to enjoy the coolness of an AC room? Why does he want to lie in the humidity and oppressive heat outside, when luxury awaits him inside?

I’m sure you all must be wondering why.

Well, the reason is that he isn’t allowed to scratch himself in my room. All dogs love to scratch. Some sit, some stand, some even walk while doing so, but if you ever look at their faces, that’s one simple pleasure they enjoy: the joy of scratching!

Ah, the pleasure they get from that one scratch which goes on quite often for a few minutes! No, we do bathe him, shampoo him, brush him, and even see to it that his skin isn’t dry, but his scratching is his source of pleasure.

Read the full article by subscribing to the print magazine or the digital edition.