A Rivalry from the Womb: Stumbling on a Monarchy for grabs

me with its own dramas and tragedies. The very first one he knew had left a painful memory on his feeble psyche because of the way he died and it was the first time he had witnessed any deliberate ki

vile enemies, but by veterinary officers, his kind's refuge- because he had become a menace

r neighborhood to which he had commented, empathizing with him, had reminded him of his own tragedy and how he too had been equally

Ferocious Jeeps' death was somehow self-inflicted due to his no-nonsense nature and reputation for the biting largesse which he dispensed recklessly desp

pparently because he used to run after one of the neighbors' rickety hatchback, a Jeep or its look-alike, whenever it cruised by the house, while fiercely barking at it. In actual fact, the car might not even have been a Jeep as the old timers in the rural African farm area could not completely agree on the vehicle's make themselves apart from the fact that it was a four-wheel drive hatchback hence everyone just calling it so after some "clever" chap who wanted to show off his automobile knowledge- or lack thereof, had said something in that direction- a

he country- to scare away any would be thieves and keep other unwanted elements at bay. He had therefore earned himself a good reputation, in as far as being a good security guard was concerned, of being ferocious and no nonsense as it did not just scare but actually bit any trespassers who just appeared

y that it was only then that it dawned on him that it was like a family's traditional dog name as he was to find out at yet other uncles' or aunts' places- another dog, another Jeeps- and he got the message, loud and clear. In essence he had become the youngest, well-educated member of the extended family, the Jeeps-family-dog-name-

in the neighborhood by biting anyone who had dared to come near their house during day or night time despite being perpetually leashed and the house servants could not solve the puzzle of his, now, pastime of breaking the chain every time he was tet

after a thorough observation, it was established that he was neither rabid nor was he suffering from any deadly disease only that it was just the nature of his breed and character as during the observation he behaved like a real 'gentleman,' wagging the tail, jumping all over the family members playfully as all happy dogs would, which was not strange to the family as it only confirmed that that was his character and as if to clear any lingering doubts in the observer team members' minds, he went on to cheerfully

e? Everybody, including the veterinary experts agreed. After all, that was the very reason warning signs were pasted on house gates with the popular inscrip

ant to use the foot path near the house as a precautionary measure so they would be careful not to run or ride bicycles. Tito's father however, according to his mother's account, had opted to have him put down as he was causing too many problems with the community and

ut other things than stupid dog memories. Kate seemed to only remember about a dog they had by that name but neither all the drama associated with him nor of his death by shooting, and she had looked completely clueless

e repeated it at his prodding of course, as he could remember something he wanted to know about Jeeps, making her reiterate it once more. One day he would ask about where they g

n the sofa, facing the television, his right eye seemed to catch a glimpse of something moving. It was not a small movement of a lizard or bird that would once in a while stray around, but of something much bigger despite the house's exit doors being tightly shut. If anybody op

og, and when he turned to look at the strange movement, he surely saw him- Jeeps, in th

lled at the very

stakable but so was the confusion on his house helper's face. Of c

ke and waved him away, smiling while mumbling some apologies to indicate it had been just a s