First came physics, then chemistry and finally biology. Life evolved ever so slowly, first in the oceans and later on the surface of earth, till about 2.5 million years ago when the genus Homo came into the picture in Africa. There were many species of homo genus besides homo sapiens. However, as the term suggests, the “wise humans”, on their way to self-assumed stardom, exterminated many organisms, including several of our distant cousins in the homo genus itself. We live today in what has come to be known as the Anthropocene age, in which human activity has started to have a significant impact on the earth’s ecosystem.
Among those creatures which have managed to survive the mercilessly marauding onslaught of the so-called “wise men”, which swept away even mega fauna such as mammoth, there are a few which perhaps escaped their notice or were a bit more intelligent than others. Some of these are the bete noire of sapiens today and many human beings get goose bumps in their presence. Among them, if you count out the ferocious wild animals, there are a few which can be found lurking around our residences, such as cockroaches, mice and house lizards. In spite of their measly size, they manage to scare the life out of many human beings.
But it is interesting to note that not all human beings are scared of all three types of pests. For example, my spouse who dislikes lizards (a very mild expression for the repulsion she feels on spotting even a small one at some distance) is not scared of snakes, mice, and cockroaches; though the myth perpetuated by myriad product advertisements on television would have us believe that cockroach is the only enemy.
I would like to narrate an event which, in retrospect, sometimes gives some of us a good laugh; but it is not at all funny. Many years ago, one day, somewhat early in the morning, I saw my wife executing a peculiar, I dare not call it weird, dance while moving from room to room in the house. Soon she was joined by my two young sons who were curious to find out what was happening. A little later, upon hearing the ruckus, I too joined them. It continued for some time till my wife was able to catch her breath and tell us that something was going round and round on her belly. It took us some time to realise what was happening and take drastic action to reveal a lizard which fell off immediately.
This incident only further aggravated her distaste for the wretched creature.
I recall another episode. As a university student, I used to come home during vacations to visit my parents. On one such visit, when I was having my dinner at the table, I felt some movement on my right leg. Since I was eating with my right hand, I could not attend to the irritant immediately. I, therefore, took hold of it with my left hand and continued to eat. When I had finished my meal, I went to the bathroom to wash my hands. I then opened my left hand and a lizard fell down. I do, however, admit that cockroach is my bete noire.
Humans may or may not survive the onslaught of technological revolution, which is expected to replace them with more intelligent non-organic creatures in due course; but it is believed by some experts that the humble cockroach has the potential to survive an atomic apocalypse, if there is one, starting the beginning of another evolutionary cycle perhaps.
According to another theory, we are coming close to a mass extinction with water shortages, global warming, rising oceans, pollution, toxic vegetables, and species going extinct. Another school of thought believes that creation and dissolution happen at all levels across yugas, kalpas, and pralayas.
Be that as it may, my spouse and her ilk would like to believe that in the next cycle during the evolutionary stages of reptiles, the step relating to house lizards may be bypassed.
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