“Only the gentle are ever really strong….”

My friend Kaushik has a natural affinity towards animals, the physical manifestation of which can be unnerving at times. He knows almost no dread or obscure sense of ‘human’ regard for his appearance or the animal’s. I remember how I used to be put off by his easy attempts to pet stray dogs. I suppose I was more concerned about how the paws of such mangy mongrels might ruin my outfit, or leave stains upon my person. Kaushik’s love for animals however transcends such petty boundaries which we build around ‘expected behaviour’.

One recent incident further reflects this kindred feeling that Kaushik feels towards animals. He was recently driving his car along a highway with his mother. They were going to a family function outside the city. From a distance, he saw a crumpled heap ahead, of something which was obviously a road-kill.

He stopped the car and proceeded to get out of the car. His mother asked,” What do you think you’re doing?” Kaushik replied,” I’m going to see if I can help the animal.”

“Are you crazy? If you do that, the nearby people may think that you’ve hit the animal.”

“That may be so, but I’ve got to see to the animal.” Kaushik said as he stepped out.

The animal was in the middle of the road, and it took some time to get to it. It was a busy highway and cars and trucks were zipping by, a couple narrowly missing the stricken animal. With no apparent concern for his own safety, he stooped near the animal, saw that it was a goat kid and that it was beyond help. He picked up the bloodied mess, walked over to the roadside and laid it down gently. By that time, the kid was dead and a motley group of people had gathered around.

These people were all the while, watching the entire spectacle from a few shops by the roadside. One of them spoke up,” Well now, this kid has died and the owner has to get compensation. How much will you give?”

My friend blew his top cos he had seen these people mutely watching how the kid was suffering with no thought of perhaps, helping it or if nothing else, picking it up and moving it off the road so that it does not get bloodied any further by passing vehicles. He put up a spirited argument with the assembled throng, giving them such an earful about simple human concern and a sense of civility that shame-faced, a few gave their apologies and shuffled away. This is very amazing cos if you knew my friend, you’d know that he’s such a gentle soul that I’ve only seen him raising his voice, indeed getting into a confrontation maybe only 3 times in the 20-odd years that I’ve known him.

Kaushik told me later,” If there was any chance of saving that kid, I’d have driven him till I could get him help elsewhere” - which is just the truth cos again if you knew my friend, you’d know that he’d have done exactly that.

I know for a certainty that if it was I who was driving on that highway on that day, I’d just have sidestepped over the stricken kid and driven away. Oh sure, I’d have felt bad for a little time but I’d have recovered from the sad episode telling myself,” Ah Roon, but what could you’ve done? The animal must have already been dead.” This is why in the face of such rampant weakness and apathy, the strength and piety of one who thinks and acts differently is commendable and worthy of emulation.

[It was the Hollywood legend James Dean, himself an incandescent flame that burned all too briefly who said ‘Only the gentle are ever really strong’.]