The Old Man and his DREAM...

I still remember that eve; it was dark, just like an approaching night. The weather showed a sign of impending cavernous showers, as the grey clouds were endless in the sky.

Amidst of all those observations of mine, I felt I am flying a bit slow now,  I was sitting behind Misha as she was riding her scooter pretty fast.

 And now she slowed down and said “Here it comes, the reservation centre.” I had to book my tickets for home, the holidays had arrived and I was dying to go home, I was already too late to book.

I dropped off the scooter and entered the centre horribly, just not caring of anyone who would come before me, I just rushed. But, I never knew a disaster would await me over there.

I was standing at the same spot for about forty five minutes, the queue was not proceeding, I got out of it and went towards the glass box to enquire about the reason, and when I found it, I was shocked. The counter machines had stopped working; they were not printing tickets anymore. I cursed God; I thought he doesn’t want me to go home, as first my net stopped working (e-ticket) and now this.

In acute frustration I came out of the counter, the same way I entered. Misha was sitting on her scooter at the parking spot and seeking me. Seeing her face I could clearly make out that she was frustrated as well. And she had her neck exercise well done, as I could see her moving it frequently to find me amidst of the overcrowded counter, as the parking was in front of the counter itself.

I slapped her forehead and said “Your wait is over and so is mine, I think I am not going home.” Before she could utter the word “Why”, I heard a soft trembling voice behind me. “Bhaiyaa...bhaiyaa,” I saw Misha leaning a bit on her left, to get a view of the voice; I followed her as I turned back. I saw an old man, one foot shorter than me with long dirty grey hair, torn scruffy clothes and a piece of it in his hand.

“Please let me clean your scooter, I would just take 10 rupaiyaa, please bhaiyaa” he continued keeping his left hand on his stomach. I couldn’t fulfil his request; I was already so annoyed with the fact buried deep in my mind that I am not going home. I just ignored him by nodding my head, and headed towards the counter to see whether the machines have started working again or not, leaving both of them behind. I jumped in joy, luckily it had; the “buried fact” broke its grave and hopped off my mind.

Now the queue was proceeding, but at a slow pace, now the operators were to be cursed. But I was cool now, at least it was progressing. However, I felt guilty for something, something that I did just now. I cursed myself for ignoring that old man; I could have provided him ten bucks for nothing. I kept thinking of it as suddenly I felt a hand on my shoulder.

“I gave him ten bucks,” she said with a sad face.

As she finished, I suddenly heard some horrible sounds going on outside, some folks even broke their queue to check out what was happening. I was least concerned, as only one thing was going on in my mind “Ticket for Home”.

 I waited for the chaos to calm down; I kept Misha from going out to check. It was all quiet in ten minutes, then I paused for a moment and asked, “Oh really?” she still looked serious and sad, “Oh that’s good, did he clean the scooter?” I asked smiling though.

She nodded, “No he didn’t, I didn’t let him do that, I think he is suffering from some kind of stomach disease,” my lips came back to its normal position, “he is not letting his hands go off his stomach” she added.

After fifteen more minutes, the guy ahead of me in the queue disappeared with his ticket as my turn came; I booked mine in hurry and came out of the evergreen queue. Misha also told me that a guy was asking him about his treatment. He might be doing this job for the disease, I thought, but would it be enough to get rid of it?

As we stepped out of the centre, my eyes were earnestly searching for him, but they couldn’t find him.

“He’s gone, let it be.” Misha said looking at my face while I was still looking for the old man. How sweetly she could read my mind, I thought as I turned my head towards her. She gave me the keys and told to ride; she was in a hurry as she needed to get back home before her dad does, it was already late because of the hopeless machines and their slow operators. I couldn’t stop myself form looking for him, I wanted to kill the guilt within, he wasn’t anywhere around. I pushed the button for the scooter to start, Misha sat behind me and by pushing my back she would tell me to get out of the centre premises quickly.

I did the same, and when I was just about to hit the road I found my neck turning to the right without my permission, I saw him. He was standing straight with his hands off his stomach, his eyes were glowing. The time turned slow, Einstein’s theory of relativity took its place, and he gave me a vanishing smile as I rode away in horror. I couldn’t dare to stop; the outlandish sight scared me out of my wits.

I couldn’t sleep the whole night, as both the encounters kept hitting my mind every time I tried. Both of them were as different as chalk and cheese, having a hidden meaning, a sense in them. The smile had a sweet revenge in it, and it’s not letting me sleep, I would stay up the whole night. The guilt was killing me from inside; it was getting deeper every minute. I was scared to close my eyes, his face would bother me every time I did so, and I was sweating like hell.

I got up and had a glass full of water. And then, I decided to throw away guilt from the inside, decided to fight it. I should get to that place tomorrow and should meet him again, I thought. I somehow managed to close my eyelids, and luckily sleep followed by, no face troubled anymore, strange it was.

I woke up early in the morning, dressed up light and left for that place. The reservation centre was not far from my home, it was hardly 2.5 kilometres, but I decided not to walk so as to reach there as fast as possible, and therefore took an auto. I reached there within ten minutes, the auto stopped near the gate and I stepped out of it and entered through the gate.

 I searched for him intensely; the search was more desperate than yesterday. I was looking here and there, everywhere. I could see number of scooters and bikes parked, and I would look for him over there hoping to find him with a cloth in his hand cleaning them. Had I seen him doing so, I would have never let him do it again. Meanwhile when I was searching for him, I came across a man who must be in his forties.

“What are you looking for brother?” he asked with his left eyebrow raised and a soft smile.

 “I am looking for someone, an old man who cleans two wheelers over here for 10 bucks.” I answered in a fast pace, seeking a positive answer from him.

He looked down for a bit, I leaned to match up my eyes with his.

“He was a good man, Rahim his name was” he uttered keeping his eyes low, I got what he meant. “When did this happen?” I asked with a shivering voice.

“Yesterday afternoon” he answered with his eyes on my eyes now, he had a smile.

My throat went dry and heart was beating fast, I asked about the time.

“Around 3:30 pm,” he replied. These three words were enough to make me think of what I saw yesterday turning my head on the right while exiting. Another sleepless night awaits me, I thought.

“Why do you need him but?” he broke into my thoughts.

“No...Nothing, I just owe him ten bucks” I jiggled.

“Oh I see...then you should just try buying some biscuits and gift them to a nearby lake, he loved biscuits” he said as he took his steps away from me.

How does he know this? I thought. I stopped him, and asked the same.

He reversed the few steps he had taken, “We were good friends, I am the one who cremated him, and I am the one who curses every person who ignores him, including you, you people ended his life.” He went away having his eyes wet.

I needn’t ask him anymore. I had the picture clear in front of my eyes; he had seen me yesterday, ignoring his buddy. I did the same as he had said me to do; I bought some biscuits and made it flow into a nearby lake. It felt good, and I had no guilt in me anymore.

Auspiciously, I never got a sleepless night again in my life, neither did I ever ignored another needy one seeking for my help. I used to get regular dreams of the old man; they were not horrible, but rather peaceful. He looked beautiful in my dreams, he wasn’t gone for me. He was living in my dreams; I had made a connection with him, more in dreams than reality.

Ever since then and even now, I feel that everything was predestined, the first meeting, the ignorance, the second meeting, the sleepless night, the ‘old man’s buddy’ encounter and his curse, everything. I feel that his curse has turned out to be a blessing, as I stand before my “Rahim Hospital for Geriatric Care”.

I think he had this dream in his subconscious, a dream of not letting other people suffer and die like him. That’s why all this happened to me; happened because he wanted it to happen, and he made it happen through me.

And I know he is free from all his agony now, having his dream fulfilled by an unknown but yet known one.

-       SHOUVIK rryan ROY