So, yesterday wasn’t merely about sunshine and rain, or even the bursting of firecrackers. It was about an unexpected visitor.  It was almost lunch-time, the clouds beginning to gather towards the east near the mountains, leaving me to wonder on my next move, when I heard an unusual cry. It sounded like a cat with a bad throat.

Luci, ever the alert dog and someone who fancies herself as Protector of Mom’s House And Those Of Her Neighbors As Well, immediately let loose a volley of barks. This, her bark said, was NOT standard practice. And I object to it with all my doggo spirit. Now, THAT is standard practice. Anything unusual being barked at, at the top of her Labradorean voice.

And then I saw it. A peahen!

It was standing on the half wall of the neighbor’s terrace and viewing proceedings calmly. At one point it seemed to be asking, ‘Hey! Are you the Shutterbug Lady? Hurry, take my picture before I change my mind!’ I woke up from my trance to go inside and get my camera. What a stroke of luck. Just when I was beginning to think no new birds were ever going to show up in this locality, there was a peahen at my doorstep. Well, on my neighbor’s terrace actually.

I tried my best to repress the excitement I felt as I walked inside. The dog mustn’t, at any cost, know how thrilled I was because she might misconstrue it to mean she was expected to bark and chase the bird away.  Fortunately, the bird was STILL THERE, at the very same spot, when I sauntered out as casually as I could, the dog still at my heels. She was sticking as close to me as possible. What if the huge bird took her mom away? Anything is possible in a dog’s world. But thankfully, she had given up on barking her head off.

Well, long story short, I took some pictures before the bird decided it was time to push off. May be it will be back soon. I am keeping my fingers crossed for another sighting.

FOWC: Repress

©Shail Mohan 2018