My 'sworn' friend

I don't like signals. And I love wading through allies.

It was a rainy day...rather a rainy night. I was riding through one such dark ally and there he was. We just passed by, hardly noticing each other. Our first tryst... not so intriguing though.

The next day I took the acute turn into the same ally. I was humming something or may be thinking of something about work (damn!). And I saw him. He was looking directly at me, ready in a stance with bloodshot eyes. Grinding his teeth, breathing heavily. I was taken aback but I continued riding, still staring at him. He kept watching me he waited he gauged and then ... and then he barked. He charged madly. I panicked, shrinked my legs. I revved up the bike cursing him under my breath.

Consecutive days were no different nonetheless with more intensity. Over these days he got better at estimating my trajectory and I got better at dodging him, curving around him, racing the bike at the right time. But one day, I don't remember how I missed him. He was more of a camouflage behind a brown tree trunk. He darted precisely and almost reached my pants. But astonishingly he didn't even try to touch me. It was a sudden revelation - "a barking dog never bites".

From that day I have a relationship. Every other day he does the honors and I relish it. Now I just lift my leg when he comes along barking. Ironically I never thought a dog would make me lift my leg. It's more like I blow him a "goodbye kick".

Even in day time when I pass the ally and don't see him I think of him...there dwells my 'sworn' friend.