Me vs cows

Before I narrate the story let me set the context. I stay in the heart of the city. My residence is metres away from one of the biggest highways of the city which later connects to one of the biggest national highways. Anytime I have to travel anywhere I have to go to the highway by crossing one side and moving to the other side. Because of the traffic management it is not as risky as it sounds. Crossing the highway is very convenient for the pedestrians and appropriate safety measures are taken on the highway. Though I do not see a danger in crossing this highway, what happened with me told me that the danger is not only associated with high speed vehicles.

It was a regular working day for me. I had left my home at 7:30 to go to my office. I had been walking on the road so that I could cross the highway and go to the other side to take the company transport.

I stood at the traffic signal and waited for it to go to change so that it would be safe for me to cross the road from the opposite side. While I saw a herd cows consisting of 5 or 6 adult cows, 2 or 3 bulls and a few calves crossing the road. The cattlemen were behind this herd. The herd looked disciplined and well behaved while they were with their cattlemen. The herd was coming towards the side of the road were I had been standing. I had been seeing them every day, so I was not afraid of them.

However as the herd crossed the road the signal changed. The herd was able to cross the road but the cattlemen were stuck. Now the herd panicked. Without their owners they were unable to understand what to do and where to go. They started running around frantically. They were unable to react to the situation of being separated from their owners. The cattlement had been shouting the instructions towards the herd but the herd was too scared and confused to listen to them.

Unfortunately this chaos was taking place few feet away from me. Suddenly I saw that a mighty bull had started charging and he was running straight towards me. This was the moment when I could not afford to freeze. I started thinking about my own escape plan. I had little more than seconds to respond to this situation. I could not outrun the bull because he was definitely faster and stronger than me. There was no way for me to retreat because behind me were the fast running cars. I quickly looked around to find that there were police barricades placed near a compoun wall of the hospital. I decided to sprint and take shelter behind those barricades. I thought that it would be the safest.

Also the second plan was ready with me. Behind it was a government run hospital. I decided that if the Bull was able to attack through the barricades I would jump the wall and enter the hospital. I have read somewhere that the bulls can climb up the stairs but cannot climb down. To enter the hospital there were stairs leading towards basement, and hence that could have been my perfect escape where I could have been safer.

I did exactly what I had thought. I sprinted towards the barricade and hid behind them where the bull would not be able to see me. Thankfully I had not required to jump the wall and enter the hospital because by that time the cattlemen had been able to cross the road and were able to bring there herd under the control. I closed my eyes and thank god for saving me from this chaos.

After this near death experience I am not scared of cows but I now I am always careful when I see a herd.