Random quotes, images, and thoughts from Ed Ireson.
I simply must write a quick retort to the story Mr. Beckley shared the other day in regards to his experience in the first days being in Hyderabad.
Across the street, a pack of wild dogs roam slowly from a ramshackle tent. All yellow and lean, most likely brothers. They walked together slowly until one of them, the leanest of the brothers, breaks away from the pack, he crossed the not yet treacherous street and joins me as companion. At first I try to shoo him away, wholly regretting my decision to ignore suggestions of the rabies vaccination, but he stays by my side, walking nonchalantly, panting and smiling. He is clearly more at ease with this arrangement than I am, but I go with it, not wanting to disrupt the natural order, or piss him off and alarm his brothers. I can see this going very badly. Design wallah torn to bits by hungry dogs badly, so for the moment, I am his accommodating hostage.
I, much like Adam, have an interesting dog story. Except, I will tell mine with much less eloquence and slightly more candor:
My daily commute involves taking an auto (rickshaw-moped). One night, I’m going back and forth haggling with the drivers, and finally get one down to a reasonable amount. I hop into the back of the auto, firmly plant my feet down, in preparation for the bumpy ride ahead. Trouble is, there is a wild dog, nay, wolf - hanging out in the floorboard, that I was entirely oblivious to.
Rightly so, the dog is just as surprised as I am. Being awakened by a person with awfully large feet crushing your torso, must be terrifying, at best. (I’m trying to build up the concept that I have a modicum of sympathy for these dogs, before I say the following…)
The little shithead bit me. Or rather, bit my shoe, and made it his chew toy. Fortunately, my faux skater shoes, which I typically reserve for out at crummy Sixth Street bars, are excellent are protecting my feet from dog bites (and stilettos, as it would be). A swift, coordinated kick (or rather, — a girlish yelp and wild flailing) scared the dog off of my shoe and out of the auto.
The one similarity I have to Adam’s (much more interesting) story, is that I also chose to forego the rabies shot - because I figured there couldn’t possibly be a scenario where I would need it.
Damn you, dogs.
(Dogs in photo are innocent, as far as I know… Just unfortunate bystanders on the street.)
