The
end of a party leaves you with a feeling of emptiness. The people leave after the singing, dancing
and eating. The noise subsides. The balloons burst in the heat.
What
remains are the plates and utensils to be washed up.
“Put
Raman to bed while I do the dishes,” says the exhausted wife to the husband.
The
husband is very understanding. He knows
that his wife is even more exhausted than he is. They are a working couple. The corporate bosses suck both their blood in
equal measures from the waking time of 5 am to the bedtime of 12 midnight. The time at home is also dedicated to
answering emails of their respective bosses and transferring the profits to the
bank balances of the bosses or the bosses’ relatives or the relatives’
relatives.
The
son’s birthday party was just over. The
children of the neighbouring flats were invited. The least they could do for their only son
who had just turned five.
“Tell
me a story, dad,” said Raman as soon as he tucked himself beneath the bed
sheet. The cooler whirred at the window.
Mum
always put the boy to sleep with a tale, he knew it. A fairy tale, in all probability. Mum had a lot of dreams. Those who dream a lot have a lot fairies in their
stories.
“Once
upon a time,” he started.
“Oh!”
said his son, “don’t tell me those stupid stories, please. No more kings and queens.”
“No,
sonny,” he said. “Not about kings and
queens. It’s about you. You and me and mum.”
Raman
looked at Dad as if he was the biggest fraud in the world.
“Once
upon a time,” said Dad ignoring his son’s eyes, “there was a boy. The boy was good. Too good.
So good that nobody liked him.”
Raman’s
eyes lit up with a sparkle that was almost blinding.
“His
friends thought that he was an idiot.
They teased him. They called him
names. They called him Chamcha. They called him Mama’s boy. They called him Boy. He didn’t understand any of those names. He didn’t understand why his classmates or any
other boys never allowed him to join their company. They seemed to hate him. So Boy went and sat under a tree.”
“Like Isaac Newton waiting for the apple?”
asked Raman.
“Who
told you about Isaac Newton?” Dad was
surprised.
“I
read in the Children’s Digest. Cartoon strip.”
“Oh. Yeah.
Like Isaac Newton. And Boy
dreamt. Like Isaac Newton. He dreamt of a world of apple trees on the
mountains. Dreamt. Dreamt of golden marigolds in verdant valleys. Of the silver brook that babbles down the pebbly
mountain into the verdant valley. Of the
fish that swim and birds that sing. Of
wheat that sways in the wind and jasmines that dream in the night ...”
“You’re
a good story teller,” said Wife when she came in having completed her work in
the kitchen. “I never managed to put
him to sleep so quickly.”
“Jasmines
are dreaming in his mind,” said Husband.
Let
him dream. Let him dream until his mind
will be stripped of the dreams.
He
hugged his wife. They kissed each
other. And they forgot their weariness.
Dreams are good but how far? Even the Mom and Dad are too innocent it seems. Complex story. But good from daily living.
ReplyDeleteI have always wondered why an episode from actual life should be complex. Have I understood life all wrongly?
DeleteComplex, yes. But isn't life complex?
Dreams, yes. Can we live without dreams?
Innocence is the theme of the story. Can there be innocence without dreams and can there be dreams without innocence?
I was listening to the story like the kid and didn't sleep at all.. do complete it :)
ReplyDeleteBtw, the couple resembles my husband and me :)
Wow! I like this. I was wondering if my wife and me were some exceptions in this funny world :)
DeleteAnd thank you a lot for asking me to continue that story. I would love to. But... let me see. Actually one story comes only once. I'll try nevertheless.
It's good to dream. It allows us to look at life with hope. Although, daily life seems bleak and hopeless at times.
ReplyDeleteThis story reminds me of the one I read in my HS English text. However, I don't recall its title.
Daily life is bleak for most people, I think, Namrata. It is becoming worse by the day. But people manage to make it delightful. That's the beauty.
DeleteIs it "Should Wizard Hit Mommy?" that you are reminded of? In fact, I was teaching it the other day. Probably, it played a role in my subconscious mind as I wrote this.
Oh yes! It was that very story. :)
DeleteThat's what is so special about a child, right? Ignorance is bliss. We lose it as adults. Forever. And suddenly someday a 'nothing' of life stares back at us. Then we know, the party is really over.
ReplyDeleteInnocence rather than ignorance. But, of course, innocence and ignorance are related too - though one can retain innocence in spite of awareness. The "boy" (child) should continue to dream within us.
DeleteI salute your understanding of the story. You got it really well - esp the party being over.