HOLISM - DAVID

DAVID

         “C.H.A road... “.

The auto driver looked carefully at him suspiciously and then let him in. He didn’t feel unpleasant on the act though. He loaded the dingy bag into the back and sat calmly. He felt relief for something. The sound of clinging of meter didn’t invite his attention. As the vehicle moved on, he squinted back at the corner of his eyes and saw his past days bidding farewell in unison; the same way he felt when he turned back at the train and before, in the taxi. They said ‘Bye,s’; requesting the fate not to take a U-turn ever. Wind brought fresh air and new fragrances, strange to his palates for a long time. Buildings, pavements, auto-motives, shops, people, all had ate up newer forms and newer demeanours since he last met them. At the tri-junction before C.H.A road, the rickshaw stopped at signal. He saw the pavement connection to the road a little distant. He took his baggage and got down. He ran before the signal went red for walkers. He felt 5 years younger, yes exactly 5 years younger walking on that pavement. An old man walking towards him stopped at close and looked at him carefully. He kept his head low and continued, leaving the old man’s inquisitive stance incomplete. He knew that person.

         ‘Raju Chacha’; he murmured.

Such relations had gone extinct for him. Long 5 years had taught him the value of bonds and bothers. He had only his shoulders to hold on, only his hands to wipe hiss tears and only his legs to balance a fall, though he couldn’t make out any of these at most instances in his life. His mom was still alive, and so was his siblings; a brother and a sister, both elder than him. But he had no big complaints for how they treated him for the past years. He had reached the saturation to get hurt-and-run by the so called feelings. He felt them now as excuses; mere excuses to escape from the reality; the present world in which one lives. Love, care, contemplating, sobbing, complaining, cursing; all were excuses …………..…………………… ………………

Frustrated inventions of a rugged life.

He saw his ancestral fortress, the house which succumbed his childhood and young ages with happiness and prosperity. Like a film roll emanating from its spindle, the memories backlashed his focus. A temporary absentia… neighbours, first love, ganging, eve-teases, angry young man image, kung-Fu lessons…. Everything ……………… ………………………………………………………………………..

‘Was that mine?’ he couldn’t believe the ‘he’ in the memories was himself. The journey from 25-30 was long and solid; solid enough to wipe out every traces of goodness extant in his life…. Now he was full of chafe,,,,, leftovers . . .

He saw his brother sitting outside the house. Davis. His hair had gone salty, boasting out an age more than he actually had. He mused around to hear children’s voices; he had not seen his brother’s. He exactly remembered his sister-in-law’s face. He wished to see his mother,,, after a long wait. Though he had no big expectations in their reactions towards him, he wanted to see and hear them before he moved on in his life. He saw two eyes looking erratically through the glasses, throwing out a feel of eerie in air.

         “David ……?”

David nodded. He sat on the wooden cantilever bench and smiled.

         “You got out today?”

         “Yesterday evening…” David replied without looking his brother.

         “How’s your health?”

David nodded in compliance. He felt a nausea that he had not tasted for a long time; something he thought he wouldn’t experience again. He wanted to ask a few matters and leave ASAP but he couldn’t recollect what all to …

         “Then… what else??” Davis came to the point directly.

         “Where’s mom??”

         “She’s at Dina’s… Will come after a week.”

         “Oh… by the way how’s she? Haven’t seen her children… How many she has??”

Davis took a reluctant pause and said as if revealing a family secret to a stranger;

         “Only one…. Daughter. Her name is Adheena.”

         “Sweet….. How about.., your children????” David spitted the words.

         “Two…. They have gone to school. Your sister-in-law went to office. I took a leave today”

Davis’ reply alarmed David. He got the hint that his brother somehow had got informed about his arrival and had taken leave to probably return an ‘old un-ordered parcel’.

He stood up taking his torn bag and motioned to leave when Davis spoke;

         “After your trials mom went sick due to anger on you. She said she doesn’t have a son in your name. We thought it’s the anger in her, but later realized it’s final when she made the will in mine and Dina’s name. I couldn’t convince her that….. You….................. If you want some money I’ll get you within two months; currently I got to repay a loan. This old house will be sold soon to a builder. I’ve built a small house in the corporation area. Like my children, people there don’t know about you. So contact me via phone so I could meet you outside. Also do call Dina before meeting her. Her husband is a little tough chap. And- “

         “In total, I should not interlope into your lives again………right brother??……” David intervened.

         “I didn’t mean that.”

         “I know, I know…… Felt to see mom and some unseen faces…… I felt those are genuine needs. Anyways tell mom I came here. Also Dina… And give this to the children, saying some lie….. Bye”

Placing a packet of chocolates on the table, David rushed down the steps and strode towards the gate without turning back. He had been preparing for this scene for a long time but the reality did shake him a little. He knew his mother wouldn’t exclude him from her mind. Dina and Davis, both were good at taking advantages,, David could easily guess what would have happened. And his brother cleverness was evident from the scenario created at his ancestral home. He cleverly shifted his mother to Dina’s home. The story of selling the ancestral home and building a house at corporation would be a blatant lie. And about the will, something he had guessed years before…

He knew his life would never retain the name and lustre on any furbish. Once judged for IMPRISONMENT, a person would bear the title until his death….. ‘PRISONER’. The years inside the jail would just be a beginning. Shades of dislike, uncouthness and fear from the society would haunt him endlessly. Words of suspicion, Eyes of doubtfulness, reluctant hands to help could be common hinders. Friends become strangers, Relatives become tormentors, and society seems utopian…. All would point him guilty, perhaps the only guilty person around them, no matter how good he had been before…………………………..

David had a strong heart to supersede these mundane realities. He moved on ………..

                            He was around 300 km away from his home now. A suburban place he had not been to before. He guessed it was a border. He had already stopped thinking anything. After freeing, he hardly ate something and hunger came into his bean. A string of street food joints ensemble in a row and the truck drivers and local people flooded into them. David got into one and ate hot parathas and curry. Aimlessly he walked along the roadside; trucks were parked in a lane.

         ‘Was it good to get into any one? Or live in the state itself?’, he was confused.

He could see the check post. In the faded lights he saw the uniforms which befriended him for the past 5 years. David knew it was better to get into trucks after the border checking, else he might be caught on suspicion. Dawn might get better help. He decided to wait till dawn. Lying on a dilapidated concrete bench near a washroom he traced his eyes across the stars hidden behind the clouds. They probably resembled the days of his past. Until it rained, the glow would be camouflaged by the clouds; so was his condition. Night breeze drooled moisture on his face and he felt dizzy in a trice. Slow passing of trucks and vehicles in irregular intervals acted as lullabies to him. Time passed by. Soon he fell asleep.

         “Helpppppppppppppp……………….………… helpppppppppppppppppppp………………….”

A deafening cry accompanied by a series of footsteps awaked David from his much awaited sound sleep. Through his dizzy eyes, he could see a small male figure followed by a gang of big male figures. Before his senses could decipher the farce, the hoodlums had captured the boy, stuffing a large chunk of cloth into his mouth. Night again fell into silence. For a second, David sat straight……………………….. and then he started running. He didn’t knew why he was running but he continued running. A reflex call from his innards.

He saw the hoodlums but covertly followed them. The boy had stopped fiddling in their hands; probably unconscious. After a series of turns, they got him into a lone warehouse lighted with 0-watt bulbs. David waited for a few minutes and then went close to a broken window. The boy was tied to a column and he remained unconscious. One among the hoodlums was telephoning someone and other three; total four; were busy gulping some coloured beverage. David patiently waited and kept his sleep-deprived ears and eyes as sharp as possible.

After telephony, the man talked to his fellas,

         “Saab told to keep the child till 4:30. And Bhola, at 3:00 we’ll have to go near the check-post, Saab’s people will come and then we will proceed. You two look after the place. “

Comparatively smaller persons nodded to the speaker. The biggest bully should be Bhola. David looked at his watch, in the faint 0-watt light it showed, 2:25. At first he wanted to make it clear for himself,,, whether to involve in the matter…………………….. An unknown boy abducted by an unknown clan at an unknown place. He was an ex-convict and there was a handful of policemen within a km radius. If caught in a questionable situation with the boy at night, those uniformed law-executors would easily charge him for ‘kid’napping and to his luck, his family would be in front to hail the police act.

‘And child abduction had been old since begging became a profession.’

For a person who was fed up with so called society, David had no interest in doing acts for social well-being; something he believed was a beautifier. Saving a boy who could be tomorrow’s rainmaker…

‘Bullshit!!!!’

David looked at the boy again. Without thinking further, he walked back..................... ........................................................................................................................,,,,,, he had plans.

The boy was wearing a more or less tidy, casual dress. So he could ensemble, the boy was not kidnapped from his school. Tidiness showed he had been identified recently; and a boy at 2:30am near a check post?!!!!!!!!.

David was sure the boy’s parents would have been there with the boy.

         ‘Identify them, pass the buck to their shoulders, and leave the place ASAP.’

He walked faster to find two crying faces searching for their little progeny lost in the dark. As population were less in the place it would be easier for him. And if they were not spotted, he thought he’d inform any food joint and the people might take up the heat. He looked into his watch again,    2:35am.

David reached the place he started running. The check post was empty. String of trucks might have gone through. It had lights though. He turned to the other side and saw the food joints out of the lights,,, empty. He moved to a truck, parked lonely near the washroom. But it had no one inside. He wanted to see a couple of crying faces; he couldn’t see any face.

Confused, he stood still. The good and the evil in him started arguing. A dilemma over three choices; whether to save the child, or to leave the place, or to continue sleeping as if nothing happened. David stared at the lights far away him……………….. It did call him, but he was not convinced. The good David prodded him harder to move his steps. But the bad David had his own reasons to defend…………………………….

He again looked at his watch; 2.42 am. Reluctant, heeding to his conscience, he walked towards the light. He felt the tread heavier step after step. Night’s silence seemed louder enough to pierce his ears. Daunting road tended to lengthen and the moonlit land bestriding the road was thinning narrower and narrower. David had crossed halfway and the light beam from the check post faintly lighted the road ahead him. He looked down at the lit road and walked slowly. He rehearsed the dialogue to be said to the policemen out there. A shadow covered the light beam affront him. On looking up he saw a young fella, similar to his age, talking to someone, apparently inside the operator room. David stopped. The man seemed a little tensed and lost. He was not audible but David surmised; the man could be the person he was waiting for...................

The man started walking towards David, disappointed. His muted blubbering echoed in the air. David moved faster and asked him,

         “What happened?”

         “…………..huh. My son……. I lost him-“

         “Come with me.”

David pulled him faster and on the way he tried to explain the things in the order which it happened. The man’s sobbing went louder when he heard his son fainted in midway and was tied to a pillar in an unknown pot.

         “What did that policeman say at the gate?”

         “He ain’t a policeman. He’s just the operator. Police already left the place. He called to the nearby station but the in-charge had gone somewhere and will be back by 4:30 or 5 in the morning” The man said in between weeps.

         “Pitch perfect. So let me be clear. We’ll have to rescue your child by ourselves. And we can try that only after 3’o’clock, if there lies any chance. Till that don’t panic or shout in angst and spoil your child’s life.”

         “But why only at 3??? We could try from now itself!!! What’s so bad in it?”

David didn’t care to reply. He signed him to quell all sounds and move. They reached near the warehouse. David first looked inside and after making sure nothing seemed different, he showed the man his son. His eyes grew red with anger; hands ambushed with veins. Muting his emotions he again asked David why they had to wait till 3. David showed him the four bigfellas escorting his son’s slumber and said in low voice,

         “I guess those two big shots leave soon as it ticks 3. It’ll be easy then. Neither you nor me can beat them down and come out alive. So be patient and hope,,, rather pray for no change in their plans.”

David looked his watch,,, 2:55am.

The two sat under the window and waited for the time to pass itself. The man was trying to settle himself; regaining composure and trying to figure out things so happened. David had something in his mind and was reinvesting thoughts to debug out any mistakes. He saw the man shivering in devastation.

         “What’s your name?”

         “………huh...Senthil.”

         “Tamil?”

         “No…. Bangalore”

David looked at his watch again. 2:58am.

         “Why you came here with your child? “

         “…huh?.......Satish……….. had an exam at a college…… in the city. We missed the bus at the gate……. Troubled at the washroom. I had stomach ache…, Satish stood outside the door. I heard his screaming voice…… and multiple footsteps parting away……. but couldn’t find…… anything when I came outside. “

         “Your boy, Satish….”

         “Yeah “

David stood up slowly and looked inside. Things were intact.

         “I told Satish several times………. to sit in the bus. The conductor would have noticed it then; I couldn’t tell him…… in prior………. He was afraid unnecessarily and said he’ll wait……. in the washroom.……….Ill fate of my child……… “

         “Don’t worry. And don’t freak out in panic when you get inside. You get inside when I deal the two hoodlums and get away with your child. Okay..?”

         “………..huh... Yeah.”

David’s watch ticked 3. He looked inside. The bullies were busy drinking and eating. Satish was still unconscious.

“These people doesn’t seem punctual.” David said.

“Why do they need my child?” Senthil grounded his eyes while speaking.

“Uh……… I don’t know actually. People abduct children for various reasons-”

“What fu**ing reasons?”

David maintained his own composure and replied to the person who had lost it,

         “May be to sell them in some other place, or for… carnal pleasures, or for their internals,,,, anything. But don’t worry Senthil, we won’t let anything bad to happen.

“Who are you? How did you happen to see Satish? You said you were sleeping at some bench near the washroom. You’re any hitch-hiker? Or a beggar or something?”

David was not pleased with this questioning.

         “I think it’s not important for you to think upon such things right now.”

         “No. I want to know. Everyone I saw today are strangers. The filthy people inside, you, the operator, the irresponsible conductor, everyone is a stranger. I want to know. I want to know who you are. I want to know why this all happened to me.”

David found the man hysteric. He was probably spitting out thoughts fuming in his inner mind. Anxiety had overpowered his outward demeanour. David looked into the window and ensured the scenario might not change at least for the time being.

         “My name is David. Lives,,,, or lived in a village far away from the border. Now I’m homeless, jobless, abandoned and free. Free in all senses.”

         “Why is that?”

         “My family; my brothers and mom, said they don’t want my company anymore.”

         “And why is that, tell me, why is that?”

David feared a little to say the exact truth to the misaligned Senthil. But he, in his inner mind wanted to say the lingering embers heating his brains for years; his ill fate.

         “It’s slightly lengthy. You sure about it?”

Senthil nodded without thinking.

He sat close to Senthil, smiling at his sceptical eyes, he said;

         “After my dad’s death, my elder brother took up charge of the house. My sister’s marriage was the major phenomenon in focus. As she was ‘excellent’ in studies, dowry became a mandatory in her marriage market. I had a job in public library and also helped my master in Kung-Fu classes….”

The pauses in between filled David’s heart with the colour and hue he lost in the swaying run of his life. Like the petals of a flower, they all got blew away…….

         “Our land assets; me not in the ‘our’ at present; had a dispute with the neighbour. He took advantage of dad’s death and claimed, a portion of our land was his. The boundaries were not clearly marked when he bought the land. My mom always said, I had the heart of my dad [smiles]………… He believed in words rather than papers. And so probably didn’t care separating from the neighbourhood ……………. To meet the marriage expenses, brother decided to sell half of the land. But this filthy neighbour came out with boundary conflicts and sent off the buyers. Moreover he installed new boundary piers with the local political aid, eating up our land to a substantial extent. Our family really suffered mental strain and strangles. One night brother and I decided to take out those concrete piers. It was midnight. Unfortunately, neighbour saw us. He started shouting and stormed towards us. Brother had this plow in his hand. In the reflex he hit that man on his head, and hit again in the fury. Probably he went unconscious. We ran from the place before people gathered but his wife had heard him shouting on us. Brother was married, looked after the house and sister-in-law was pregnant. Dina’s marriage was a stake to be superseded. I was young, unbounded with relations other than my mother and siblings….. A natural sacrifice one young descendant would take up for his family’s well-being…… and I was happy for that. But I didn’t knew it was the end of my bonds with family. I was not informed of my sister’s marriage, birth of my nephews or anything. Five years in jail,,,, and probably the rest of life in the jail with no bars….  SOCIETY………….. No big difference……………………………………………………………..

Slept near the washroom when felt tired. Saw your child running. Felt to help. That’s all….”

Silence embarked around them in compliance. Senthil seemed sober.

Crude combustion sounds stole their attention. Probably the hoodlums were racing some motorbike in neutrals. It was 3:15am. David stood up and saw them instructing the other two. Bhola was inspecting their surroundings. The bike moved through a narrow pathway and disappeared; rumbling sounds faded off. David stood still. The hoodlums seemed inebriated to a high. He prayed ………. Yes, he prayed after a long time, probably for Satish. Then he took the two wooden sticks he had gathered before and gave one to Senthil,

         “Keep this behind your shirt. Don’t use it until someone comes to you”

David himself kept it behind his shirt loosely. He took a stone approximately weighing 10kg. He looked at Senthil. He eyed in conformance. They stepped aback and threw the stone with enough force to break the window of their vision into innumerable shatters. The deafening voice startled both the hoodlums; one of them falling from his chair to hurt himself. Other man looked around in commotion and saw two men running towards him. He tried sprinting for his metals but the spirits dispirited his spontaneity. David reprised his Kung-Fu agility and in a trice, he took the wooden stick and broke it into two using the hoodlum’s head. Senthil; awestruck, covered his head and shouted in shock.

         “You creep! Get your child and start running ……”

The other rookie hardly stood up when David clobbered his upper thighs with a Tibetan kick.

         “Are they dead?” Senthil asked.

         “Nah. I hate jail. Now just RUN!!!!!!!!!!”

Dribbling footsteps filled the street-light-deprived road. Senthil panted like a dog carrying his enfeebled son and David ran looking into the extents on all sides to see if they were being noticed. He was not sure if they had escaped from all. Humming sounds of truck horns and slight traces of lights invoked a relief in their hearts. They were not alone. They reached the main road. A tea stall was open. They walked towards it slowly.

         “Satish!!! Satish!! Son!! Are you okay my child? Satish!!!”

Sprinkling drops of water on Satish’s face, Senthil tried to wake him. David was examining if the boy had any external wounds.

         “Err………………mmm……………….” Satish muttered in tire.

         “Let him sleep well now. He’s not wounded, I guess. Better get to your place ASAP and take him for an internal check-up…. Chetta, when will the next bus to Bangalore reach here?”

         “You won’t get bus directly from here till 8. Better have some tea and snacks from here and then take the bus to Kovai at 4:15am. From there, Bangalore buses are available at any time.”          The stall owner said.

David slid his hands along the boy’s head. Breeze did the same along his head. Milieu was fine. Peace surrounded them. They felt it in unison; everything is fine.

         “So that’s it. Get the bus to Coimbatore. Have something from here, and also take something parcelled in case Satish woke up in midway. Take good care of him. Also be careful while eating food from outside. Don’t spoil your stomach. [laughs]. And say my regards to his mom.”

Senthil smiled. His smile conveyed a gratitude inexpressible through words. They both hugged together. Then they had tea and hot ‘rotti’ made of rice flour and parcelled up some.

4:10am.

They waited for the bus to come. Senthil took his visiting card from the wallet and gave to David.

         “I have an upholstery production and marketing unit at Bangalore..; in the downtown. I actually need a…..good, person to help me manage these. I would like you to come and….. be my aid….. What you say? “

David took the card and smiled. He smiled whole-heartedly; for he saw someone showing a piece of care towards him. He kept smiling without replying.

Horns of the bus came into their auras; with the stall owner bellowing at them to wave at the bus to stop. David stood at middle of the road and waved wider. He talked to the conductor and came running towards Senthil.

         “It’s all clear. Good to go my friend. Take care and reach safe.”

         “Okay David. Come to Bangalore. We’ll be waiting. Bye.”

         “Bye.”

David waved them off.

He looked at the visiting card in his hand. Without thinking, he tore them into pieces. He could see a new relation was building up with him and Senthil……… David was not ready to make the mistakes of his life again……… There existed a fine, commendable bonhomie in his heart with Senthil; and he didn’t want to impair the same. He apologized to the day’s friend and started walking in the opposite direction. David already decided in his mind, not to make any relations that existed for long,

For,

      He didn’t want to scapegoat himself for earning the myths… love & care….

He moved on, serving himself again for the goodness of others; expecting nothing but humanity, in return. 

………………………………………………..END……………………………………………………

Lama signing out…….