The Autobiography Of A Walking Stick - A Short Story By Nehal R.S. (10th Std.)


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



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