I AM AFRAID OF TOMORROW

Dear Doris,

when you walk the same street everyday, same time..you are likely to meet the same people everyday!! Like most people, i use the same street at 8:30am every morning on my way to work. there are a few people i always meet every single day!! most of these people are watchmen, newspaper guys, beggars, hawkers… just random people going by their own businesses!!

there is this old Indian woman i see every morning!by her side was a small black dog!!! She is way past her middle age!! she is always at her gate , seated on a wheel chair at 9am every morning!! Shes ill from old age, but she always smiles back when i smile at her!! For two years, i have seen her every morning…. Shes never said a word except this one time when i was sagging my pants..

"pull up your slacks!!", she shot at me!!! She scared me a lil' bit!!! i pulled up my pants with no hesitation whatsoever!! that was the last time i ever sagged my pants!!!

"thats a good man!!"' she said and smiled!!

our relationship was full of smiles from then on…she never said a word…not never!! She became a part of my life. her smile made my mornings…

its been a month since i saw her last!! her gate was closed and a watchman now stood where she used to sit!! my stomach lurched every time i didnt find her at her usual place. but i told myself every time that i will see her tomorrow!! the hope of seeing her the next morning!Today i saw her black dog where she sat. it lay its head on its front paws and put on a sad face!! i fed it some kebabs in my bag i had carried for lunch…

i have watched enough movies about dogs and their masters and how they end!!i almost asked the watchman where its master was, but a chill ran all over my body before i could say a word

I just hope this dogs master is asleep and will be seated on that wheel chair tomorrow so i can ask her her name…thats all i want to know…her name!!