On a dog day..

The beggar was nondescript. The usual sunken face, musty odor, dressed in rags, hand-to-tummy gesture and a wailing baby in her arm, who she would probably pinch more often than she would feed. And today she was the subject of Sarguru Swamigal's sudden philanthropy. He worked at the Perumal temple down the road, where she would be present everyday at noontimes sharp, for her portion of free thayirsadam. She'd try and meet his eyes hopefully, when he saw him on his way out after work, but all she would receive usually was a customary tightening of his facial muscles, an aversion of his eyes and a general expression of distaste. So you can hardly blame her for her being taken aback when she received a whole 10 Rupees from him. She almost dropped the note and the baby, and forgot to thank him altogether, before blessing him with a long life and hundreds of heirs and what not, as was customary. It was just what the doctor ordered to fill her stomach with food and her mind with faith

As bewildering as his sudden benevolence seemed to her, It definitely was not random. You see, that morning, he had come across a dog relieving himself on his new moped's front wheel. He kicked the dog and stoned it, expressing his opinions on its mother's promiscuity. And the memories of this incident would not leave his thoughts, however hard he tried. He didn't think much of God, heaven or hell. But he wanted to even out his karma.

You know, just in case.