Tuesday, January 29, 2008

The Walker

He used to walk every day in the morning… He has been doing more than 30 years! For 30 years he had been walking the same streets every day… People at times thought he was too old to still be able to walk… Not everybody at his age where able to walk… This fellow seemed determined…

Sharp at 6.30 AM, he would be brisking through the streets, some women used be cleaning their frontal area of the houses… a typical custom in south India… almost everyone in the streets recognised him… He was a legend… people could tell the time by seeing him across the streets…

He had a bent back… age did show up in his face… but not in his walk… The determination in his walk was evident… He never needed support to walk… never did he see down nor behind… he surged like a ship… mighty!

The girl had just finished her letter… she had penned every word in the letter at haste… She did not know what she was doing was right… But for her there appeared no choice… She had to do it… She did not sleep all night… the sun was showing up at the east… If it was to be done, it was now! She made the arrangements… These were her last moments alive… Made a last glance at her pet dog through the window… and stepped up a chair and tied the fatal knot around her neck…

Another glance at her pet dog… the window was bright with light… It was summer and the day break was early… Time to say good bye… she lifted her leg to push off the chair… A faint view behind her pet was a man lying on the road… She made an attempt to see him… What difference does it make…? Another glance…

He had fallen down… holding his chest… Something was wrong… he could not scream… or may be he did not want to scream… The girl was next to him… holding his head on her lap…! His face was old… his eyes were shining… she saw his eyes… it did not show pain… It did not show fear… It was calm… there was no scream… He is dead said a person standing in the crowd… The girl had seen him everyday since the time she knew anything…

It was 6.30 AM, the street was empty but the sun was up on the east… The girl was out in the street… she was walking with determination… with confidence… she will live… she will walk… she personified possibility…!

2 comments:

Unknown said...

The write up clearly depicts the human psychology, sympathy & empathy - one who is prepared to kill herself too is not able to bear another one die accidentally.
Also if they come out of the situation a fraction of a second, they wont commit sucide. And the old leaves become manure to the blossoming flowers.
VERY GOOD.

Terri said...

pretty