From cows to crows

Even shock is relative. What shocks me, doesn’t necessarily have to shock you. And vice versa. For instance, when I walk or ride the scooty, I always duck when a crow is flying low. I get incredulous looks from passers by. I even screech to a halt sometimes. That particular action has provoked swear words as well a couple of times. But that doesn’t mean that I am crazy. For, to be hit by a flying crow is a very real threat in my life. When I was a student (not that I am not one, now) in Manipal, crows were the biggest problem beyond all possible imagination. If you had to go out, you had to keep some spare time in mind, in the unlucky, but likely event that the crow decided to dump the remnants of the ‘gourmet’ lunch on you. In which case you would have to go back and shower again. I know a girl on whom this lucky ‘event’ occurred twice on the very same day. It also happened to be her first day at Manipal. I have also had the luck of having samosas snatched away from my hands, which led me to believe the story I once heard my grandmother say. She told my little brother and sister when they were 4 years old, about how the crow flew into the house and snatched away their feeding bottles, which was why they couldn’t have them. My brother and sister believed her, didn’t shed a single tear, and went on with their life undisturbed, albeit feeding bottle-less. I, on the other hand, being six years older, and considerably much wiser, as I so preposterously presumed, laughed at their innocence and continued to look on crows as part of the harmless fauna. 15 years later, humbled by my experiences with the said species, I now look on them with grudging respect, and a bit of dislike. For after all, they are scavenger birds, and they did soil my clothes many a time. However I do admire the crow’s resilience, exemplified by this one instance where in the crow attacked a girl who had a sandwich in her hand. The crow hit her on the head with its beak. Now in more than 99% of cases, the natural instinct of any human being, would be to drop the eatable and jump away. This girl, being a girl, with heightened startle response, jumped, and screamed, in the characteristic high pitched voice, but for some unknown reason refused to let go of her sandwich. This action must have exasperated the crow so much, that it multitasked. It flew up, and then dived down again, this time attacking the girl’s head, sat on it, and cackled. All this may seem impossible, because in an attempt to describe completely what happened, I’m using a lot of words, and making it sound like a step by step event. But all this happened in a matter of seconds. This time, the girl was defeated, she dropped the sandwich, and legged it. The lucky crow got what it wanted. The first thing that came to my mind when I witnessed this spectacular incident, was a mental picture of 2 crows lugging my brother’s feeding bottle. 15 years back. I can so believe that it may have happened. I also believe that crows are very greedy. They seem to think that any object in person’s hand, which appears to be of a particular size is eatable. Whether it is pure gluttony, or a genetic defect that involves the visual pathway, I refrain from comment as I am not well aware of crow physiology or anatomy. And I have no interest in learning about it, either. I say this because I spent a lot of time pacing the garden studying, with papers in my hand. I have been the victim of numerous attacks, which always led me running back to my room. There were times when I ran seeing a pigeon as well. All said and done, if you see me ducking the next time on the road, you know why. And I request you not to brand me crazy. For I am threatened by crows. And so should you be, infact. And you remember the story of the crow and the pebbles? That tale that was told to us in kindergarten? Don’t underestimate the crow, and put it down to just a figment of someone’s imagination. I believe it is true.