First love

For most of my life, I didn't understand how other people could not be petrified of animals. Now as an innately foolish person, I wasn't really afraid of too many things in this world. You could trust me to keep your secrets from the police under most circumstances, but if they so much as brought a dog into the next room, I'd sing like a canary...This fear was exacerbated in case of dogs due to an almost traumatic childhood experience (I was once almost bitten by the neighbour's pet dog). So, for a very long time, the only canines I wasn't terrified of were the ones in my mouth. Life went on, I kept avoiding going to homes where these fearful creatures were kept as 'pets'. And then I moved to the university campus, and something happened as a consequence. I fell in love.

Her name is Maya. She's a beautiful brown mongrel with a white star on her neck. She's very popular with the men of both human and canine varieties. She's also very adept at the use of human psychology in the pursuit of material pleasures like food and petting. So, one look into those pleading, liquid brown eyes and I was a goner. She frequents the area near my hostel, and engages the affections of most of its residents. She flirts, she pouts, she begs, and almost always gets her way. It was by observing her that I realized how powerful feminine mystique could be, if used appropriately. She's also quite mindful of my well-being, deigning to act as my chaperone a couple of times that I strayed outside after my bedtime.

Anyway, one can't really love one dog and be terrified of the rest of the species without being a complete ninny. So, to save myself from that particular disgrace, I worked to get over my fear. Now I can socialize with most stray dogs. I'm still careful about pet dogs though. They mostly don't suffer from the deprivation and the insecurities that have some role in making most strays so hungry for affection and so generous in reciprocating. Oh my, now I sound like one of those pet psychologists who pontificate on the radiio.

In conclusion, I'm still very much in love, and am actually on friendly terms with quite a number of the canine inhabitants of this campus. I hope someday to come across a cat named Maya, and a bird named Maya and a goat named Maya and so on. I hope to fall in love so many times again. If it happens, I'll let you know.
P>S> This post is lovingly dedicated to Reeju, friend, companion and inveterate animal lover (not in the creepy way...eeeeewwww).