It must have been about 9 o’clock, and yet a busy road on the one I was on. I was on my bike with a friend as pillion. Stopped at the signal, and we were about 15th vehicle in the row. Both of us were casually chatting, about the cold. My friend was feeling exceptionally cold.
The signal was long.
The road on the other side was empty. And I was in the same direction as traffic. Suddenly, while chatting, I notice a young cat, slightly bigger in size than an infant but definitely not adult or sub-adult, in black fur at the end of pavement.
The signal was long.
The cat gets on the road and casually starts walking around. A car from the other end was fast approaching, and this cat was right at the edge of the road. The car reduced its speed, realizing the cats presence. While it passed by, the cat was near to the car.
Mine and my friends vision were on the cat, almost missing a beat until I saw the cat as soon as the car zoomed by.
Phew.
The signal was long.
The road on the other side, the cat’s side, was still empty. Now the cat starts to walk towards the road on which I was on. It doesn’t look on either side to be sure if any other vehicle was approaching. Yeah, the cat was that young. Could have been an infant as well, not sure. Though I was happy to realize that no other car came on that road while this little one crossed it.
This little shadow had reached the road divider now. Took a while to figure how to climb on it and cross. It did.
I grew a little impatient.
The signal was really really long.
The pillion seat my bike is slightly higher and hence whoever sits pillion does a little nakhra to sit on it. And definitely does while getting down. And so usually I avoid making the pillion sit after all the work off the bike are done and are ready to ride. Also avoid making them get off for few seconds if anything off the bike requires attention. Usually.
I grew a little impatient when the cat crossed the footpath couple of vehicles ahead of me. Apparently, the signal was still red. And my vision right ahead was blocked by an Autorickshaw. Asked my friend to get off the bike, so that I could as well. My friend knew exactly why am asking to do that, even though doing it is a task, and the signal might turn green any second now. I put my vehicle on side stand, and rushed ahead.
I saw this little cuteness sitting under one of the vehicle, without any worries. I looked at the signal, and it was still red. For once I was happy that it was still red. Got down on my knees and tried to get her out. My hands couldn’t reach this dark fur-ball. And it kept meowing defensive sounds. Also my helmet was on, the reason I couldn’t go under the vehicle completely. Removed it, but still couldn’t reach the feline.
By that time, onlookers were confused what was I upto. The driver of the vehicle was confused why someone went below his car and everyone around looking right in that direction. Tried couple of times more to get her out. Stood up and looked at the signal. I didn’t want it to turn green until this itzy-tiny-bit was safe off the road, but it had. Got down on my knees frantically in my last hope to take her out. She had disappeared.
Somewhere.
Looked around for some hope, expecting it to be on either side of the road. Didn’t find her. Asked the rickshaw wala, who was right behind the vehicle, if he spotted the cat. He denied. And by now, the vehicles ahead had started clearing. Gave a last look, my vision sweeping through the road, in the hope to confirm she was safe. Couldn’t spot her.
Returned back to my bike and started before the honks from behind could fill my ear. Surprisingly, not a single honk. Did they know why I had gotten off my bike in the first place? Don’t think they did.
And as I passed by the place where I saw the whiskered one last, scanned with me eyes in yet another hope to confirm she was safe. I did not.
And for next few minutes both, me and my friend, were quiet. Wondering just one thing.
Did that shadow disappeared in to the darkness?
The signal was long.
The road on the other side was empty. And I was in the same direction as traffic. Suddenly, while chatting, I notice a young cat, slightly bigger in size than an infant but definitely not adult or sub-adult, in black fur at the end of pavement.
The signal was long.
The cat gets on the road and casually starts walking around. A car from the other end was fast approaching, and this cat was right at the edge of the road. The car reduced its speed, realizing the cats presence. While it passed by, the cat was near to the car.
Mine and my friends vision were on the cat, almost missing a beat until I saw the cat as soon as the car zoomed by.
Phew.
The signal was long.
The road on the other side, the cat’s side, was still empty. Now the cat starts to walk towards the road on which I was on. It doesn’t look on either side to be sure if any other vehicle was approaching. Yeah, the cat was that young. Could have been an infant as well, not sure. Though I was happy to realize that no other car came on that road while this little one crossed it.
This little shadow had reached the road divider now. Took a while to figure how to climb on it and cross. It did.
I grew a little impatient.
The signal was really really long.
The pillion seat my bike is slightly higher and hence whoever sits pillion does a little nakhra to sit on it. And definitely does while getting down. And so usually I avoid making the pillion sit after all the work off the bike are done and are ready to ride. Also avoid making them get off for few seconds if anything off the bike requires attention. Usually.
I grew a little impatient when the cat crossed the footpath couple of vehicles ahead of me. Apparently, the signal was still red. And my vision right ahead was blocked by an Autorickshaw. Asked my friend to get off the bike, so that I could as well. My friend knew exactly why am asking to do that, even though doing it is a task, and the signal might turn green any second now. I put my vehicle on side stand, and rushed ahead.
I saw this little cuteness sitting under one of the vehicle, without any worries. I looked at the signal, and it was still red. For once I was happy that it was still red. Got down on my knees and tried to get her out. My hands couldn’t reach this dark fur-ball. And it kept meowing defensive sounds. Also my helmet was on, the reason I couldn’t go under the vehicle completely. Removed it, but still couldn’t reach the feline.
By that time, onlookers were confused what was I upto. The driver of the vehicle was confused why someone went below his car and everyone around looking right in that direction. Tried couple of times more to get her out. Stood up and looked at the signal. I didn’t want it to turn green until this itzy-tiny-bit was safe off the road, but it had. Got down on my knees frantically in my last hope to take her out. She had disappeared.
Somewhere.
Looked around for some hope, expecting it to be on either side of the road. Didn’t find her. Asked the rickshaw wala, who was right behind the vehicle, if he spotted the cat. He denied. And by now, the vehicles ahead had started clearing. Gave a last look, my vision sweeping through the road, in the hope to confirm she was safe. Couldn’t spot her.
Returned back to my bike and started before the honks from behind could fill my ear. Surprisingly, not a single honk. Did they know why I had gotten off my bike in the first place? Don’t think they did.
And as I passed by the place where I saw the whiskered one last, scanned with me eyes in yet another hope to confirm she was safe. I did not.
And for next few minutes both, me and my friend, were quiet. Wondering just one thing.
Did that shadow disappeared in to the darkness?
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Thank You for your valuable input!
Appreciate it, really! :)