DONKEY BUSINESS

While walking home, Sonny was suddenly aware of an uneasy feeling that someone was following him. He turned back to see but could not make out anything initially in the fading sunlight. When he paused boldly and had a second look, he was shocked and amazed to see a quadruped- a donkey to be precise- close at his heels. “Shoo! Scat!” He shouted, to no avail. The donkey seemed to have taken a fancy to him.

Reaching his bachelor home quickly and bolting the door securely, Sonny then peeped out hopefully from his balcony, hoping to have dodged his new fan… but no, it was still there, looking dumbly up at him.

His friends had a whale of a time, ribbing him about his new pal. “Must have seen a resemblance to its long lost brother, poor thing!” said Appu, rolling over in laughter.

“I warned about this online chatting with strangers; see what he got!” said another.

It went on like this in Sonny’s flat, but the faithful donkey refused to budge. Sonny was furious.

“Are there no… er vet. Psychiatrists to examine this beast’s head?” he asked, which only increased their mirth. “Sonny wants a shrink to put his donkey friend on a couch!!” they shrieked in laughter.

“You people are useless, I will go ask Venu,” said Sonny. “Venu! he is an ass himself,” guffawed his friends, as Sonny walked out,  faithful donkey in tow.

 Like in the rhyme, wherever Sonny went, the ass was sure to go.

Venu was more sympathetic. He listened carefully with his finger tips together, like a detective.

“Since when did you notice this happening, this sudden show of affection of the quadruped?” asked Venu finally. “About two days back,” replied the much stalked Sonny.

Like a local Sherlock Holmes, Venu then asked Sonny, “Now think very carefully-did you do anything new that day or maybe the previous day?”

Sonny, after some thought, said, “Nothing special except that I started using a new perfume I had bought some time back”

“That’s it!” exclaimed Venu in excitement, adding, “Ha ha ha!Your new scent is attractive to asses, it seems.”

Though annoyed, Sonny was also glad that the problem had been identified. “What do I do now?” he asked.

“Which friend of yours was teasing you most?” asked Venu, with a cunning look on his face.

“David,” said Sonny.

Laughing aloud, Venu said, “Ok, do as I tell you. Go home and have a good bath first,, and then…” he whispered something in Sonny’s ears conspiratorially. Both had a good laugh together.

Next day, a small gathering consisting of Sonny, Venu and some selected friends was able to witness and enjoy a rare sight:

An unsuspecting David, his full body smelling with the fragrance of Sonny’s perfume was walking on the street below, followed by an entire family of doting donkeys.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------