Saturday, September 30, 2023

Bakri Aur Bachcha

Poorer families in the village raise goats for income; and mainly children look after the goats. Kids take goats to the grazing ground, and we can often notice that some kids have their "favorite" goats to accompany them. 

Once I was on my motorcycle when I interrupted a procession of goats and kids on the road. There was a little boy of about 5, and whenever I see boys of this age, I remember my son. So, this small kid resembling my son was holding a rope tied to a goat's neck. The kid and its goat both were startled seeing me on my motorbike. The kid got scared and the rope slipped from his hand. The goat, now free, moved faster and hit another goat with its horn. Thankfully its horns were tiny, and the other goat did not return the gesture; and hence no untoward event happened. 

The kid must have got hold of the rope again and should have guided his favorite pet to the grazing-field. But the face of the scared kid dropping the rope because of me lingered in my mind for some time and, I was gutted in guilt... 

- Rahul 

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