What We Don't See.

Today marks the second time i shadowed a strayfeeder.
This time, the sun was still up, and i could see every face and every movement perfectly well.

It was 6pm, i hopped onto the rear seat of her car.
We drove deep into the area.
At the first stop, there were 3 puppies. They seemed to be around 5 months old.
There were packs of rice left where we found them, but they were untouched.
We walked towards them but they scampered away from us.
We left the food there and drove deeper in.

At the second stop, we had to jump over a wide drain to get to the field where the 4 dogs were.
I was afraid that i would fall and had a hard time getting across while she jumped over without hesitation.
She is a middle-aged lady.
Her slipper fell into the drain. It sunk into the muddy and murky water.
I told her i would get her slipper while she left the food on the field.
With my left hand and my legs pressed against the opposite sides of the drain and i looked down into the drain.
I was a coward. I couldn't see the slipper and i had to dig for it.
I deliberated for about ten seconds.
Thoughts of a water snake made me retract my hand several times before i finally dug my hand in and felt around for what seemed like the strap of a slipper.
I tossed the slipper to her and she jumped across the drain.
I couldn't get up from my awkward position.
She pulled my right hand and i recovered.

We spotted a mass of something in the middle of a straight road.
He was lying on his side with his head facing away from traffic.
As the vehicle got nearer, the mass lifted his head and turned around to look at us.
He didn't bother to run onto the pavement to avoid us.
He got up nonchalantly and scampered to the pavement when we honked at him.
We got off the car. I got a good look at him.
He resembled Ricky; brown fur with pointy ears, ... but their eyes were different.
Ricky's eyes lit up whenever someone entered the kennel and he would wag his curly tail and lie down for a belly rub.
His, however, were devoid of hope.
I know this is really subjective but that was what i saw when our gazes met.
What the hell was he thinking when he decided to lie down in the middle of a road???

We drove further in, windows wound down to catch a glimpse of anyone that we might possibly miss on the way.
In the distance, i saw the silhouettes of a few HDB flats.
Flats with people in them. People who had a roof above their heads. People who had food to eat.
After making a right turn, we saw them.
There were about 12 of them.
Vagabonds.
They scurried to and fro across the road. Heavy vehicles drove pass honking away.
She took 3 packets and placed them across the road from where the car was parked.
I took the remaining 3 and placed them along the pavement.
I walked slowly towards this brown fellow.
He looked pretty young.
I put down the last packet. He was staring at me all the time.
She said they would eat after we leave.
I backed away slowly while he advanced cautiously.
We were staring at each other.
That look on his face was a look i have never seen on Razzy's, Heli's, Face's or Lex's face.
And i am very thankful for that because it was a look of desolation.
He approached the food packet and sniffed around.
When we made a U-turn and drove back, he followed us for a short distance.

When one of them passes away, no one grieves over his/her loss.
When a beggar on the street dies, whoever spots the body shakes it a little before realising that this is it. This is death.

edit<
I totally forgot about what i wanted to say.
That is, thank you to all the strayfeeders out there.
For your dedication and commitment.
For giving without asking for anything in return.
>

Last year when i just joined the Society of PCA, i was very enthusiastic about every opportunity to help out at sales events and to fill up the shelter's duty roster.
Gradually i started helping out less and less with their sales events i gave up asking my friends to buy their mechandise. I became more preoccupied with the friends i have made there.
The main reason why i am still going there now starts with the letter R.
Not Responsibility, but Razzmatazz.