These days I get up early in the morning. Almost everyday.
Get up around 5:30 AM, check for the news with phone on zero brightness under the blanket, sneak out of the bedroom without making any noise and get to the study table near the window of our apartment. Then start studying Chinese. 中文 or 普通话 as the 中国人 call it.
Our apartment is on the 15th floor. And the view from the window gives a bird's eye view of all the smaller buildings around us and the lives that happen on the streets surrounding them.
Of course.. there are many taller buildings around our's. But I like to look down. Not up. That's how we are designed I guess. When we are travelling, as we are moving, we are eager to look ahead. But when it reaches a height and stops, we like to look down.
Now 15th floor is really high. But it is not moving. And nor am I. So it is natural to look down. I am sure that even a person living on the 2nd floor would also be only looking down and not up.
And so as I looked down the window day after day, I started observing a few patterns to this early morning life on the streets around me. A bike that fights its way through a patch of green field to get to the main road at around 6:00, the bells that ring in the near-by temple at around 6:45, and a young mother and her kid taking their dog out for a walk at around 6:50.
The bike was initially the more interesting monotony breaker. It made a lot of creaking noise as it braked and accelerated its way through the field. Then it was the temple bells. But of late, it is that young mother and her kid taking the dog out for a walk everyday.
The dog, he must be a German Shepherd. Never on a leash. Walks a little here, a little there but careful enough to not stray far away from the mother or the kid. The kid usually walks with the dog, talking to him, giving orders to him and stuff.
But today, the mother was carrying him on her hips and the dog was also on a leash. She must have been in hurry.
This made me think a bit about them. Why is the husband not taking the dog out. Is he ill? Or separated? Or is he travelling outside? It must be tough on her. To do all this alone..
That's when I heard my wife shouting from the bedroom.
"Kannan, will you take the dog out today?"
"Nah.. I have to finish this blog." I replied.
"Son is awake. Sit with him then.." She continued.
"Take him along no? He likes it." I refused.
As they closed the door behind, I got a chance to get back to my thoughts. Yeah.. the husband must be away. Else she wouldn't have to do it all alone.
I concluded.
