This is an excerpt of a short story about a boy who wants to make friends with a street dog, against his parents’ wishes. It has been sent for consideration for publication with an Indian children’s book publisher, and I am waiting for their response.

Rahul’s shoes flew off his feet and around the hall. He pushed past the old sofas and Nilkamal chairs and ran into his bedroom. He threw his bag on the floor, and jumped on his single bed.

“Khrrrrrrr. Khrrrrrr.”

“I know you’re not sleeping. Don’t do drama.” Rahul’s mother grumbled, entering his room. “No matter how old he gets, he won’t learn to keep his shoes neatly.” She opened his creaky Godrej bureau, took out a tee-shirt and pair of shorts and threw it on his face – “Go go, change your clothes.”

Rahul dragged his feet to the bathroom. He could hear his mother pick up his school bag, drop it near his table and walk away. His water bottle hit the foot of his desk.

“Ammaaaaaa!” “What?” “Ammaaa, who is that new auntyyyy?”

Rahul’s mother hesitated.

“Umm... I don’t know pa. I am also seeing her for the first time.” “Really? Sangu told me he saw her yesterday, you know?”

Sangu was Sangamesh, Rahul’s neighbour and friend. They went to the same school, but Sangamesh was in the fifth standard and Rahul in the third.

“Oh? Sangu came back from his trip?” “Yes amma, he returned yesterday only.” “Is it... okay okay. Finish your food quickly, your teacher has told me that you have a lot of homework to do.”

Rahul opened the bathroom door, threw his uniform on the ground, washed his hands in the kitchen and snatched his plate from his mother. He loudly chewed his three idlies and sambar, dropped his plate in the sink, washed his mouth, ran to the hall and plonked himself in front of the TV. The title song of Chhota Bheem played loudly.

“Aye! Did I tell you to do your homework or watch Chhota Bheem?” Rahul’s mother shut off the TV, snatched the remote out of Rahul’s hands, and pointed to his room.

~

The fractions page of Rahul’s fat maths textbook was open, but his mind was somewhere else. He stared at the stars on his ceiling and counted all their edges. He sharpened his pencil until the lead broke, and then sharpened it again. When his mother crossed his room door, he leaned back from his chair and asked her what was for dinner. He wanted pappadam with his tomato rice.

“Rahul are you going to do your homework or not!”

Rahul finally picked up his pencil. But just as he started reading out his math problems, some dogs started barking outside his house and Rahul ran to the window near the main door. A pack of 10 dogs was running to his new neighbour’s house, all were wagging their tails and jumping up and down.

‘Beep-beep!’