It was a chilly
December evening.
The sun slowly
started saying goodbye for the day.
I, just like any
other day lay abandoned between the piles of boxes, cursing my fate.
The bright
orange light gave a scorching sense of loneliness and when I watched mothers
taking their children back home, I also just wished that I had a family too.
At the time of
dusk usually a man comes and adds on to the dust in the city by throwing garbage
on me.
These were the daily happenings in my life until one day an old man, perhaps
new to the city trudged along the way.
Maybe he was tired,
and he looked much too feeble.
His eyes emitted
innocence.
He suddenly
stood gaping at me and the next step he took he was down on the floor, unable
to neither stand nor walk.
He badly needed
support, so he looked around for some time and set his eyes on me.
He looked at me
and said “god’s messenger, you are in front of me in the form of a walking
stick.”
He lifted me up
and put his 55 kilo weight on me.
All along the
way, more than his weight, I was happy to have someone for whom I was
important.
After walking
for a mile or so, we entered a large structure (house).
I was unable to
figure out what that exactly was, but for the first time in 6 years as soon as
I entered the structure I felt warm.
I felt as if
some heavenly angel had wrapped a woolen blanket around me.
I was taken
inside and just next to the door there was huge vase placed in which there were
a couple of colored sticks (umbrellas)
I was placed
between them.
Though I never
knew what they were, I enjoyed their company.
Days went by and
now I had started to understand many things.
I also observed
that I had become a very important part of the old man’s life.
He never even
went to the nearby shop without me.
Who knows what
kind of games our fate plays.
That which never
seemed to be a source of help to anybody had suddenly gained abundant
importance.
Some more days
passed by and the eve of Christmas arrived.
When I looked
out of the window that night I saw a totally different world instead of a dark
spooky night sky.
I saw crowds
laughing and enjoying the essence of Christmas.
The next morning
as the old man walked me down the lane, he came across an old antique shop and
placed me near the door.
He went inside
and returned after some time.
He then looked at me with a broad and loving smile and
tied something to my neck which read “god’s gift.”
I was
pleased to have a nice tag all for myself.
I thanked my fate for making me
experience the feeling of loneliness so that I could enjoy the company also.
Years had passed, and the doors of heaven had opened for him.
Now
that I have no one to look after I have thrown back to the same place by the
same man who used to come and add on to the dirt in the city
as you know that
our fate plays nasty games
I found out that this man who dirtied the city
happened to be the son of this old man.
I learnt that this is the line that
separates a bad human being and a good human being.
Now I have come back to the same spot and as I see the orange light sky
dimming, I wish to close my eyes too and reach heaven to serve the old man who
once gave me importance.
Nehal.R.S
10th
STD
