73/ 100 Peacock Dogs
Showing Kindness to a Mouse
I have written so many stories, as part of this project, that are about the Indian way of showing compassion towards the creatures they live with. Some people might look at the photograph above and be unhappy to see these two dogs in a dirty corner, but the truth is that people with really very little took the time to build a simple shelter for them, and then gave them some blankets. They do their best with what they can afford.
This brings me to a story about superb restaurant in Jodhpur, and the mouse that lived there. The eatery in question was recommended to us by a local as a place that Indian people would go for dinner. He warned us that it was nothing fancy but he was sure we would like it. And we really did!
Vijay Restaurant is reached from a small square by clambering up a narrow and steep set of steps that definitely don’t look like they lead to a place you should be going. At the top of the steps we were greeted by an incredibly cheery chap who simply could not have been any more helpful.
Never in any restaurant has it been more obvious to me that I am a giant compared to your average Indian person. At 190cm tall I felt certain that a degree of leg amputation was going to be required before we could eat but eventually we managed to jigsaw ourselves together opposite each other on the vinyl banquette seats that were apparently built for four. Worried we would now be trapped there forever I decided we may as well just eat until we died in situ.
Above the tiny melamine table was stuck the two halves of a completely indecipherable menu printed entirely with names of dishes, most of which I had never come across before in my life.
The person serving us came and asked what we would like to eat and, frankly, neither Fiona nor I had the slightest idea so we decided to let him choose whatever he though would be best and, fortunately for us, he was more than happy to help.
Just as the food was served a little mouse appeared and scurried across the floor from one side of the cafe to the other. When the waiter came back to ask how we were enjoying the food (it was extraordinarily tasty) I mentioned that we had spotted a mouse – not as a complaint, more as an observation – and he immediately leapt into action. Within a few seconds a young boy appeared with a humane mouse trap into which he stuffed a good-sized chunk of paratha. He had barely laid the trap on the ground before there was a gentle click and the mouse was caught.
The waiter picked up the trap whilst the captive mouse, unbothered by its predicament, continued to eat the paratha. I said to him that I hoped he wasn’t going to kill it and and he looked slightly horrified at the mere thought. ‘Of course not’, he replied. ‘That would be very bad karma. I will put him outside with its food and then catch him again tomorrow’.
Whilst the theatre of the mouse catching was happening we had both finished the food and asked if we could order some more. In particular we wanted another one of the buttery breads called Lachha Paratha that he had recommended the first time (a house special I think). He said we could certainly have more food, but he wouldn’t serve us another of the breads because they are far too unhealthy and we should have something less buttery.
I suppose if his customers died of clogged arteries that would be VERY bad karma so it was best to play it safe.
