Encounters of a different Kind..

Today as I woke up in the morning and opened the front door, there  were bits of bones along with some waste plastic strewn just outside. It was as if someone had a late night non-veg party at my doorstep and forgot to clean up after . I knew at once this was the work of  Mr Bands who was lurking around the area at night. Every morning I would see his dropping on the stairs , stains of its dried urine  and kept wondering how to get rid of this menace. This was not the first time he had left behind some unhealthy remains from his night's dinner at my doorstep. During each of these episodes I kept wondering why of all places he found my doorstep as the perfect place for having his dinner. My logical mind came up with the answer that area was open and large enough for him to move around unhindered .I wondered why when he  could take the trouble  of climbing the stairs to reach the door on the first floor, Another flight stair away was the terrace, a much bigger area he could have had all to himself. With every passing day he was staking claim over the area outside my house. I was so petrified by his movements that I stopped  going out of the house at night around 9.30pm , the time he made his rounds.

Though I consider myself to be brave I didn't want to take any panga with him. Who knows if he was alone or had other friends with him. This was happening for a few nights and then suddenly Mr Bands antics of leaving something at my door stopped until last night's act.One night while returning home late I had a glimpse of him . He moved in a flash , so swiftly shaking the earth under his feet that it almost sounded like a terrifying band in motion and hence the name Mr Bands.  

 It was just in the evening as I was sitting  still a realization struck me. Was Mr Bands sending me a message. Just the previous morning, I had cleaned the backyard garden of my house of unwanted weeds. In the process, I had seen several deep holes made by  him and his friends in  the garden that was causing the soil and the ground beneath to sink . To fill the hole I had used some heavy stones and bricks and closed the entrance to the holes that was used by him and his friends as pathways to their home. The very next morning, that is today he had left behind the remains. Was he indicating to me that "if you destroy my home, I would do the same to yours". As I recollect the last time there were remains at my doorstep was also when I had sealed the entrance to the burrows and had talks with my dad on getting rid of him.  It was not a coincidence any more.

Yes I'm talking about Mr Bands a furry black bandicoot, who is the size of 2 plump cats put togather.

Suddenly I was overcome by a sort of compassion and felt a being in this creature.Wasn't it also a living thing  that had its share of space and place on this earth. It surely had some importance in the circle of life no matter how insignificant and worthless I thought  it was. The creature  had a right to its home. Who was I to destroy it. Was nature sending out its message to me through his acts of retaliation  in response to what I had done .

Coincidentally earlier today I was watching a video of sadhguru where some college students tell him about the area near their college infested with snakes . Sadhguru quickly corrects them saying it is us humans that have infiltrated their area. Was this deja vu or an epiphany or me becoming irrational ? 

The question however remains. Is it possible to co-exist with these creatures that we humans consider as a menace and often hold responsible for  spread of infections and diseases ? Aren't we the ones that pollute our environment, allow them to proliferate on the mess we created and then blame them for the aftermath ? It is said in much earlier times, people could communicate with animals the way we humans talk to each other. To this day we know at least some animals like dogs , elephants, gorillas can understand human talk and feelings. I am curious to see if this  creature understand my concern and what I am trying to convey and if there is workable solution we can arrive at. Now this may really sounds nuts to many ! Is all the daily dose of spirituality that I was consuming as  articles and videos affecting my rational thinking ?

How am I going to tackle the issue of burrows in my garden and rat dropping on my stairs?, I am yet to figure out. But for now I have realized my insensitivity  to this creatures place on this earth and have mentally atoned for it. I hope Mr Bands in spirit receives my sincere apologies and stops leaving me nightly unwanted gifts at my door step while we work out our boundaries in an amicable  way and learn to  respect each others space.

I hope to write a follow up to this episode in a few weeks or in a month's time. Will keep a watch out for Mr Bands actions and reactions. Meanwhile for starters, this morning, the next day after writing this blog, there isn't anything at my doorstep. Did Mr Bands get my message or is it a just another freaky coincidence ?