Good morning. We’re slowly limping back to the sunny, crisp, and cool days of early winter in Bengaluru. I woke up on Monday morning to the brightest skies in a while. It was almost as if Sunday’s “Blood Moon” marked the end of the grey and rainy spell we’d been subject to for weeks.

It wasn’t just that. It rained so heavily on Sunday night that a giant branch of one of the Flame of the Forest trees right outside our community broke off and fell on the pavement. And since it’s flowering season, Gabru and I were greeted with a lush green canopy and indescribably bright flowers blocking our path early in the morning. It was like one of those scenes in Inception, when the buildings start to shift on their axes and become parallel to you!

And what do you do when life gives you a tree canopy on the pavement?

Well, if you’re Gabru, you promptly make it your own by marking it in three to four different places!

By now, we’ve befriended most of the street indies along our path. It took an email from reader Steve Armatas (which I’m taking the liberty of quoting below) for me to realise that there are many of us who aren’t afraid or wary of dogs, but perhaps have never thought of trying to gradually befriend them with offerings. 🙂

“I spent a month in Bengaluru for work a few years ago. I walked 20–30 minutes to the office every day and I remember all of the dogs that I would pass every day. They weren’t threatening, but not friendly either. I wish I had thought of bringing them treats like you did! I really enjoyed my time there; there was something magical about the city and the people I met there. Reading your article brought those memories back to life for me.”

My favourite treats are the Chip Chops diced chicken treats. They’re just the right mix of size (really small) and taste (irresistible). I carry about 12–15 of them in my pockets each morning, reserving two to three per dog that we meet. (In my head, I “expense” it as a price for my happiness each morning.)

It also took Steve’s email for me to realise that, yes, there is something magical about Bengaluru.