What the cat dragged in

“Son, look what the cat dragged in.”

“Why are you disturbing the poor chap, you keep on playing kiddo, no need to get formal for your police-uncle.”

“So, “police-uncle” if i remember correctly, you were planning to come about three months ago and now you are coming.?”

“You know very well how the last three months went in the city. One after another unexpected turn of events happened, first the mayor resigned unexpectedly then we came to know someone was blackmailing him with a video of him in a “compromising” position. Initially the case went to another department, and the complete police department took a collective sigh of relief because you know these political cases…but then the court passed the buck to us with strict orders on no-airing-of-dirty-linen.”

“No-airing-of-dirty-linen of this compromising position video case, was he referring to the same linen ex-mayor used..”

 “I knew it out of all people you will definitely love it. Anyways, I got the case and luckily I discovered a clue and was near to solving the case, but then they started pressuring us about the new mayor election and the security beef-up..”

“Since when you were working on this excuse-speech?”

“I did no….fine since breakfast, happy?.”

“Why won’t I? Very few people witness police admitting their guilt. Anyways, enough of this chit-chat…let's go outside in fresh air. So apart from my inspirational personality and pearls of wisdom, what else bringed you to my humble abode?”

“A cat.”

“Don’t tell me the police department is taking the animal cruelty newspaper article piece seriously. You came here to ask me questions on if I treated the wild animal well in my bout for survival? Or are you here to ask me if I asked the leopard how he was feeling while he was chewing on my forearm?”

“She was.”

“This is very comforting to know that amidst their busy schedule of security beef-up for the new mayor’s election, the police department is also gender testing maneater leopards.”

“Do you serve all your guests platter after plaster of your wry and dry pearls of wisdom in lunch or am I the special case?” 

“Here we believe in serving shallow and warmth to only strangers, for friends and family we always keep an extra pan of honest and cold.”

“Fair enough. But does that come with something on the side also for nutritional requirements?”

“Lunch is on its way, my dear hungry police uncle. So, before you do any formality, I am feeling fine now. Few stitches on my arm and ego, rest all is in front of you. And I don’t know where the leopard went after attacking me, as you see I was a little preoccupied with carrying my son and running for both of our lives.”

“Since college I knew you were a good runner, the way you ran from the warden when she caught you red handed entering the girl’s hostel, or when the college dean saw you stealing petrol from his scooter, or when the junior batch…”

“Enough of running testimonials but the fact is all that running did come handy…little unexpectedly but it did. After all, who would even think of a wild leopard roaming in our city? I don’t think after the early 1970s this city has witnessed anything close to a jungle, leave aside encroaching it.”

“Hmmm…”

“You know what is more upsetting than a free roaming wild animal in your neighbourhood?”

“What?”

“A no-body reporter reporting in his bloody no-body newspaper about the incident in which i could have lost my life and somehow able to come up with a narrative in which I am the bad guy. I don’t even remember what happened, it's still all a blur to me. I didn't even know till I saw it on paper that the police had recovered something belonging to the “poor” animal. Police also recovered a pint of my lost blood snaking towards the gutter, you didn’t bother to fit that tiny detail in your crusading narrative. Journalism is going to dogs my dear friend.”

“It's been a long time, it’s been there my friend. But for now, I can’t focus on any of your cribbing because I can see our lunch coming our way. By the way, how many people live with you here in your so-called “humble” abode?”

“Only us three - son, wife and me and two of our servants.”

“No extended family or relatives? After all, this is a big house.”

“Nopes, I think they don’t like our curtains. When dad was alive uncle and his wife were also living with us. Dad and uncle both were running the business and whatever I know today all because of them. But then when dad passed away, uncle also bid his farewell to office and took to travelling and along goes aunty.”

“Was it his decision to leave the business or you…, i know you, but i am just asking…”

“..whether he left on his own or I “kicked”, for lack of a better word, him out. Correct? And you said you know me. And why the fuck I am getting this feeling that I am in an interrogation?”

“It’s not an interrogation…while working on the mayor election security, something came to my notice and  I was just bothered…”

“Bothered? About what? Wait a second, you didn’t come after three months because you wanted to meet your old college friend. This is a duty call. Seriously, you are investigating me on the basis of that good-for-nothing reporter’s article and a little ruckus animal welfare groups have created.”

“I am not investigating you. I am here because…”

“Because you think I am hiding something in all this wild animal’s attack saga.”

“Because I think it was not a wild animal that attacked you. It was a well trained animal and was let out for only one specific task. Now, after watching this, don't panic.”

<<Police officer took pen drive from his upper pocket and plugged it in the nearby laptop. And pressed play.>>