This afternoon I said good-bye to Bangalore, piled my bags into Vishnu’s vehicle and headed out on yet another classic Indian adventure. Vishnu is a collaborating partner of the Care Center project and long term conservationist, friend and supporter.
Not wanting to appear to be a sissy by hiding in the back seat, I strapped myself securely in the front passenger seat. I had to remind myself to breathe. You have not experienced “rush hour traffic” until you have been in downtown Bangalore at five in the evening.
The streets were full of focused drivers making a mad dash for every open inch of road space, and I mean inch. I would never be the passenger on one of those motorcycles. The women sit seemingly so relaxed, dressed fastidiously in their flowing garments, many sitting side-saddle, hardly holding on to the driver in front of them. For sure I would have the driver in a death grip and would screech each time another vehicle blew past us.
Dodging pedestrians, motorcycles, bicyclists and mobile venders — just to name a few of the moving obstacles — while jockeying for the front bumper position with every manner of bus, car, truck, motorcycle and moped, is a well-earned skill. When I wasn’t covering my eyes to avoid the six dimensional road mayhem playing out in front of me, I was remotely able to appreciate the organized chaos.
Daylight hours on the highway are treacherous enough, but when the sun sets and drivers flip on their head lamps, the result is instant blindness. Seriously, I cannot figure out how drivers stay on the road and avoid hitting not only oncoming traffic but any of the other obstacles that appear to pop out of the darkness directly in front of you. I guess people who pay to be terrified by an amusement park ride would consider this serious fun!
It was pitch dark by the time we turned off the main road. I never thought I would be so happy to see a poorly maintained pitted dirt road. I could finally relax. After a few minutes we drove under a raised guard rail and entered the National Forest. I immediately felt things shift. Vishnu slowed the vehicle to a comfortable speed and appeared to be breathing in the surroundings. There is a wonderful feel to this place — quiet and peacefully alive.
Even though our trip was less than 50 kilometers, it took more than three hours to arrive “home.” Oh, yes, of course, there were numerous stops along the way. A few kilos of rice, a cylinder of propane, and some fresh produce added a colorful flavor to the experience.
As we pulled up to my new home-away-from-home, the headlights spilled over Derrick, poised on the porch. His tail wagged gently in welcome, in a soft, unhurried manner. Derrick is an ex-street dog who won the heart of Vishnu and his wife. Like most street dogs, Derrick is wise, has excellent street smarts and is a soft bundle of golden sweetness.
I silently hoped that Derrick would abandon his master for at least one night and stay at my place. I guess he read my mind because when Vishnu turned to leave, Derrick calmly headed towards my open door. I wondered if by chance Derrick was allowed in the house, but actually, I know better. Vishnu gently told him to stay outside. I’m not sure which one of us was more disappointed, Derrick or I. We shared my dinner under a star-bright sky and I fell asleep with a smile thinking of this new pup in my life.
Dogs are the same the world over. It makes no difference if they are a shabby looking street dog, a pampered pedigreed show dog or the rescued mutt that brings us such joy. They are amazing creatures who provide protection and unconditional love. They have so much to teach us.
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