Bought a surge protector today. The ani-haru: “Ah, protector, this same same like god?”

Later, eating vegetable momos at the end of a long day, the ani-haru tell me: “We very long puja. We puja, then protector happy. We no puja, then little angry. We many many eating, protector little angry.”

Senduk wags and hops when I open the accordion-style gates on the front wall of Pujung’s house, where I will sleep from now on. No barking or trying to run out. He is the sweetest, most affectionate and docile pet. I sit for a few minutes in the darkness and stroke his long bangs. He buries his head in my knees. In the other room, Pujung beating a drum and ringing a bell.