Revelation #1: Chap 13, Verse 18
It descended on me again. It sweeps down, embracing ever so tightly to squeeze out all life in me, kissing me ever so strongly to suck out all vitality in me. The loneliness of a long distance runner. In urgent need of oxy-haemoglobin for my gasping cells, I decide to raise the hood of the kettle ever so lightly to let the steam pass. Fizzzzzz….
Obligatory Foreword: I wrote whatever follows almost a year ago, but never published it. A true life incident which happened when I was all of 22, one of the umpteen events which shook the very foundations of my existence on earth. Forever.
(whirring noise of mechanical links as the camera rewinds to circa 2004..)
~~~~
The boys called me ‘Tere Naam’, my falling tufts of hair responsible for this agnomen, much to the giggling amusement of young women. The boys were in the age group 7-14. They all ‘lived’ in a remand home in Shivajinagar, Pune. I think I miss them.
On a lazy Sunday afternoon one came crying miserably to me. He wanted to go home. The last time I had met him, he had given me the contact number of his ‘parents’. Today he had run up to me with expectations but I hadn’t called. It rarely worked. Nevertheless, I decided to call.
The number was correct. After some introduction I managed to speak to the boy’s ‘father’. I was elated at my premature success. I earnestly explained to his ‘father’ to please come and take his son home. The little boy hasn’t slept properly, hasn’t eaten anything. I felt pleased with myself. Then the world crashed. The ‘father’ spewed some third degree expletives for his ‘son’ and wished he rots and dies in the remand home. At that instant I had two options with me; blast him left, right, centre or keep silent. Will never know what I did was right or wrong. Silence .. and I hung up.
As I walked up to the little boy the song ‘The World I Know’ by Collective Soul hummed in my head. I remember it was drizzling ..the irritable Pune rain. His face lighted up when he saw me.
Boy: “…………………………………………”
Me: Silence. A silence of the deepest ocean. A silence of the darkest forest.
Boy(in tears): “…………………………………………”
Me: Look up at the skies for help. Only the irritable Pune rain on my face.
Boy(weeping miserably)
Me: “Mein bowling karta hu, tum batting karoge?”
Before I left the place I looked back at him. He was vehemently arguing over a run out with his friends. I smiled and looked up at the skies. It had stopped raining.
~~~~~~~
Write in your comments to l_____________l@rediffmail.com and I shall certainly respond.
Obligatory Foreword: I wrote whatever follows almost a year ago, but never published it. A true life incident which happened when I was all of 22, one of the umpteen events which shook the very foundations of my existence on earth. Forever.
(whirring noise of mechanical links as the camera rewinds to circa 2004..)
~~~~
The boys called me ‘Tere Naam’, my falling tufts of hair responsible for this agnomen, much to the giggling amusement of young women. The boys were in the age group 7-14. They all ‘lived’ in a remand home in Shivajinagar, Pune. I think I miss them.
On a lazy Sunday afternoon one came crying miserably to me. He wanted to go home. The last time I had met him, he had given me the contact number of his ‘parents’. Today he had run up to me with expectations but I hadn’t called. It rarely worked. Nevertheless, I decided to call.The number was correct. After some introduction I managed to speak to the boy’s ‘father’. I was elated at my premature success. I earnestly explained to his ‘father’ to please come and take his son home. The little boy hasn’t slept properly, hasn’t eaten anything. I felt pleased with myself. Then the world crashed. The ‘father’ spewed some third degree expletives for his ‘son’ and wished he rots and dies in the remand home. At that instant I had two options with me; blast him left, right, centre or keep silent. Will never know what I did was right or wrong. Silence .. and I hung up.
As I walked up to the little boy the song ‘The World I Know’ by Collective Soul hummed in my head. I remember it was drizzling ..the irritable Pune rain. His face lighted up when he saw me.
Boy: “…………………………………………”
Me: Silence. A silence of the deepest ocean. A silence of the darkest forest.
Boy(in tears): “…………………………………………”
Me: Look up at the skies for help. Only the irritable Pune rain on my face.
Boy(weeping miserably)
Me: “Mein bowling karta hu, tum batting karoge?”
Before I left the place I looked back at him. He was vehemently arguing over a run out with his friends. I smiled and looked up at the skies. It had stopped raining.
~~~~~~~
Write in your comments to l_____________l@rediffmail.com and I shall certainly respond.
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