Have a hard look at me. You see me everywhere – on the road, in the garbage, across the neighborhood park. Most often than not, you ignore me; strangely enough you still are aware of my presence. I don’t look good, but then I don’t care. After all its you guys who came up with the universal truth of ‘Beauty is only skin deep’. I have a pure heart which has been wounded, a million times, but I still love life and I’ll live it till the last drop. Yes, I am the Common Street Dog.

Just like you, my life too has been a rollercoaster. The only difference is that you don’t understand that I have a life too. Like you, I have my set of friends. Like you, I feel hungry too. Like you, I crave for attention. By nature I’m loyal. That’s what you say of our species, but it will be proven only when you given me a chance. I would be the best friend you’ve ever had. I’ll laugh with you and Ill wipe your tears. I’ll stand by you and, if needed, I’ll lay my life for you.

Many of my friends do find love in your world. But most of us are despised. People are scared of us. What they don’t understand that is, it is us who are more scared of them. You never know who teases you, throws stones at you or who crumples your ego. Well ego is a wrong word; I would call it Self Esteem. Ain’t I entitled for that too? But I’ve learnt to live without it. I still try to maximize the little joys of life. A pat from a stranger, an extra piece of bread, sunny lazy afternoons, naps on the garbage heaps – they give me way more happiness than perhaps what your money could bring to you.

There is one complain I have though. Like you, even we have the right to life. Even we are created by the same hand that created you. Even we love our near and dear ones. Even we feel pain. Tell me, is it human to run over us on streets with a reason of over speeding? An excuse of missing your office or meetings causes us our lives. Isn’t that dear to us too? I agree that many a times we’ve wandered on the road, but this surely could be limited if you are cautious as well.

You believe in statistics right. Let me tell you – more than 20 of my fellow mates are killed on a daily basis due to over speeding vehicles in Bangalore city alone. They are hit by vehicles and then the drivers carry on with their daily errand after that saying “Oh that’s just a dog” or “Sigh…these dogs”. Well, the least that you could do is stop for a moment and show some genuine concern over the life lost.

I see these losses of life around me. I grieve. My heart cries out to every death. My eyes swell up. I try to share and help the wounded as much as I can. Sometimes I sit along with them waiting for their last breath. Sometimes, that’s all that I can do. All of this has made me EMOTIONLESS. I too lost my little one like that. But none of you commiserate with me. After all, none of you even regard me as a Mother. For you, I’m just another ugly Common Street Dog.