Dog in the lift!

It happened in a split second! The lift stopped at the floor, and before I knew, Joie and his master were inside. Three is a crowd. It is more so, when you are in a compact lift with Joie occupying more than two-thirds of the space.

I do not know if Joie is an Alsatian or a Great-Dane. But I do know he looks menacing and ferocious. If Joie stood on his hind legs, we will be eyeball to eyeball to each other.

Evidently, Joie and I do not share an agreeable chemistry. The dislike is mutual. Perhaps, with a hood over the head and a mask, Joie sees a faint resemblance to burglars of the past. After two years of pandemic, I was hoping Joie would have got used to the new norm.

It gets uncomfortable when someone is staring at you. You try to distract yourself and look elsewhere- at the cell-phone, at the buttons on the lift, but each time, your eyes hover over Joie, his eyes are fixed at you. You see him baring his mouth and notice his canines and deepening frown-lines.  He sniffs at your ankles and knees as he traces the contours of your body. You are in panic, but there is no escape. You have half a mind to press an arbitrary floor button and make an abrupt exit. For that, you have to pass Joie. You do not know what body-part he may snap at when you make a quick getaway!

Call it Murphy’s Law, as the lift was about to touch terra firma, the current went out and the lift came to a halt, dangling between floors. It was pitch-dark. Joie let out a terrifying bark! If ever there was a hell, it had to be this! “Quiet Joie!”, shot back Joie’s master. To assuage my fears, he added, “Joie is very friendly!” The next bark was a mild whimper. Despite the quavering fear I was in, I couldn’t but admire Joie’s comprehension of the English language! He would score well in those English verbal tests.

Finally, the current was back and the interminable ride was over. The door sprung open and Joie dragged his master out! I was shaking all over and headed for the Customer Office. The apartment rules surely required an amendment! No! I am not saying pets should not be in the apartment complex. We should at least have a rule as to who takes the lift. Since there are fewer pets, may be, they can take the stairs. If this is not agreeable, I am fine with the other alternative- from now on, Joie can take the lift. I will take the stairs!