Birds, Cats and Neighbours

It was love at first sight.  It was different from what I had expected in an apartment in the heart of the city. One tends to associate the city with noise, dust and pollution of unimaginable magnitude. Therefore it was a pleasant surprise. There was an old world charm about this apartment complex. The entrance gate was reminiscent of a bygone era. It was like entering a time machine and getting transported to a past whose hazy memory lurked somewhere in the recess of one’s mind.  The driveway was embellished by a verdant patch on the right. The building in itself was quite unassuming. The redeeming feature was that it appeared to be in good shape. It had withstood the vagaries of time and weather over the two decades of its existence with aplomb. What was it that made this place so different? Was it those tall trees that had miraculously escaped the axe of a greedy land mafia? Was it the facade of the structure that was so antiquated in its style and form? Was it the absence of amenities like gym, swimming pool and spa that builders of various hues promised to attract clientele? At first I thought that it was the greenery. One could expect such luxury only in the subtopia. Who would imagine that a stone’s throw from MG road could be so resplendent in a canopy so verdant? It was much later that I realized the source of my attraction.

It was the silence.

I remember the first morning in my new abode. I woke up early morning. The silence was eerie. It was as though the whole world was fast asleep. As I lay in bed I was reminded of my childhood. It was a time when one woke up to the crowing of a cockerel instead of the blaring horn of an irritant motorist finding his way home after a night shift. My reverie was broken by some faint noises in the background. I suddenly realized that these were sounds from my past. Something that was long buried in the deep recess of memory. The twitter of the early bird, the cooing of a cuckoo, the early sounds of Mother Nature yawning herself awake after a protracted period of slumber. It was sheer bliss. I was in a mood to drift off into yet another bout of nostalgia when I was rudely awakened by a shriek. At first I mistook it to be the sound of a squealing infant. But there was something about even the most persistent squeal of an infant that was soothing to the human ear. It would only sweep you in a wave of tenderness. What accosted my ears was far from tender. It was guttural. Somehow I could perceive that it was not human. Yet it was so close to the cry of a child in anguish. As I pondered over this mystery I could perceive some other signs of life in the apartment. It was apparent that my neighbour was awake. Through the shaft I could hear sounds of a kitchen coming to life. With so much of activity around, it was becoming increasingly impossible to curl up. Moreover my bladder was also giving indications. I got up and made way to the bathroom. It was there that I encountered another sound. I froze. It was like a growl of a cornered animal. It was gradually increasing in frequency. I strained my ears and tried to identify it. Suddenly I smiled. The mystery had been solved. It was my neighbour trying to clear his throat. I realized that it was a daily ritual that would pester me for the rest of my life in the apartment.

I dressed up quickly since I had to hit the gym. As I opened my front door and stepped out I literally jumped out of my skin up in alarm. There was a furry creature on the door mat and I had almost stepped on it. It took me a moment to identify it. Suddenly I was overcome by a feeling of remorse. It was a poor cat. I wondered about the identity of the cruel owner who shunted out this creature at night. In the car park I was in for another surprise. Perched atop my bonnet was another feline creature. It glared at me. It was clear that my intrusion, into what it deemed to be its territory, was most unwelcome. I tried to shoo it off but it spat back in anger and raised its tail in defiance.I turned around in exasperation only to be in for another shock. My neighbour’s car was also occupied by a similar intruder who seemed to share his colleagues’ animosity. I looked around in confusion and realized that there were a few more cats around. They were streaming around me. Some were perched atop the cars while others emerged from the bottom. I realized that I was outnumbered. I thanked my stars that they were cats. What if they were all dogs? It would have been a different ball game. I thanked the God for this small mercy. Shooing away the cats was clearly not an option. They seemed to be quite bold and used to human presence. Even when I went close, they never stepped back. The only response that my actions elicited was a low growl and a spitting noise. Suddenly I heard the sound that I had heard in bed. It was then that I realized the source. A few of these cats had learnt to mime a voice that was quite human and yet so scary. I got into my car and revved up the engine. The cat on the bonnet realized that his territory had become untenable. With one last glare in my direction he jumped down.

Throughout the forty minutes of my exercise routine, I kept going over the incidents of the morning. It was clear that the peace and tranquility that I had sought in my new house was facing threat from several quarters. When I returned after my exercise I saw the maid from an apartment feeding the cats. There were a dozen of them.  It was at that moment that my elderly neighbour emerged. He was still clearing his throat. On seeing me his face split into a wide smile that was quite infectious. I shook hands with him and introduced myself. Looking at the cats, he divulged that we had a couple in the apartment complex that ran a home for abandoned cats. And thus the mystery of the cats was finally unraveled.

Over the next few months I got used to my new life. Barring the cats and my neighbour with a throat problem, the apartment complex was still a haven of peace and tranquility  I learnt that the apartment owners association had already expressed their annoyance at the disturbance caused by the cats but the people who ran the shelter were quite reluctant to abandon their noble pursuit. Petitions and meetings had failed to deter them. Though I admired them for their tenacity and resolve, I was of the opinion that they had no right to pursue their passion at the cost of the peace and tranquility enjoyed by others.

A couple of months back my affable neighbour with the genial smile had a minor accident. He broke a bone and was bedridden. I could no longer hear the sound of his gargling during the early hours. The cat menace also reduced over a period of time. Perhaps the number of cats had dwindled or the people who ran the shelter had finally been sensitized. I have a nagging suspicion that it was not the noise that had abated. Perhaps I had got used to it. It was quite akin to those who lived in close vicinity of airports or railway lines. After some time the noise stops bothering you.

Though insensitive to the noise, I could not help wondering about the insensitivity of those who had scant regard for others. Living in a community was quite akin to being married. You have to be sensitive to the need of the person who co-habits with you. I often wondered about the people who drew sadistic pleasure from the inconvenience caused to others. It was apparent that one would find some such specimens of humanity in every corner of the globe. One needs to be able to consider it as fait accompli and learn to live with it.

My story would have ended on this pessimistic note had it not been for what happened this morning.

Having endured the ritual of a rude awakening by my feline friends, it was in a dour mood that I entered the toilet.  I shut the door and tried to shut out the sound of the cats. When the noise abated, I heaved a sigh of relief. It was then that I heard something that was music to my ears. It was a symphony that I had missed for long. It was the sound of my affable neighbour who was clearing his throat vigorously.My heart leapt with an inexplicable feeling of joy.

The birds were singing once again.