( This is not part of #thelittlebuddhaseries , but rather is an imaginary conversation happening between a mother and a son - regardless, let me call the son as Sid)
“Mom , why is Roma ma’am’s cat always grumpy? ”, asked Sid , as they were exiting the neighbor’s house
“That is a cat’s neutral face, mone , not very handsome, but cats are born that way ”
“They are clearly not happy around people” , Sid said
Mom : “ But not that they don’t care - they intently watch you from under the cot or from behind the door”
Sid: “Why can’t it come out and be playful like Rohan’s doggie”
Mom: “Dogs and cats have a different mental makeup. Dogs reflects your mood. Cats don’t ”
Sid: “Rohan’s cat does not stay with him all the time, unlike his doggie - Rocky never leaves the house"
Mom: “You know what – it is a relief sometimes, the ones you live with are independent too ”
Sid: “What relief ?”
Mom: “Dogs are more silently demanding, which cats are not”
Sid: “Are cats not..?”
Mom: “They have lesser expectations ; like one who has a deeper understanding of life”
Sid: “Whatever you say - had that been me, I would have kept a dog instead of a cat ; how about you , Amma ?”
Mom: “More than someone to join in the happiness I would prefer someone to give me strength when life takes a downward turn”
Sid: “ Strength ? ”
Mom: “Yes. Immensely. The one which maintains a poker face whatever happens and walks in a straight line even when the sky falls down is the embodiment of courage. What better sense of security than returning home to one of them ? ”
Sid: “Walks in a straight line? - do they always ”
Mom: “Have you not observed a cat walking ? ; They call the straight line walk as cat-walk in fashion industry”
Sid: “So they never fall down?”
Mom: “Yes, they may fall down too. But on all four legs”
Sid: “Always ?”
Mom: “Always!”
Sid: “But they don’t protect you from your enemies”
Mom: “What if I don’t want to have enemies, but win people with love?”
Sid: “How about thieves ?! ; Cats can’t save your stuff from thieves “
Mom: “What if I don’t want to have things that thieves can steal?”
Sid: “Rohan was very upset when his doggie died – I don’t think that Roma ma’am will miss her Persian cat when it dies”
Mom: “A dog makes its presence known while living -yes!, but it’s its absence – that a cat makes known! ”
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This piece is a tribute to a very dear friend who is going through pangs of separation – wish children understood Dads better ; wish angels show children perspectives that they are incapable of seeing themselves
I dedicate this to all fathers , whose contribution – just like a cat’s - is rarely seen, appreciated or celebrated as a mother’s is – we mothers score well like a dog does , whereas the silent backing provided by fathers are often overlooked.
