A New Place...

3. To the land where I belong

I had stepped into an puddle and slipped... I fell flat. I was sure I had a bleeding knee. As the last the boogie went past me... I could see shocked faces staring at me...

The good thing at this age is that, though you are physically much weaker you are mentally much stronger, there is nothing new... be it people staring at you, shouting at you, throwing suggestions, these wounds, Oh.. I have had many many wounds and this was no different! Slowly I helped myself up and quickly collected my baggage. As I was doing someone came running to me, "Ayyo, ayyo!!"... .

The man seemed to be the station master. He sounded very concerned. He quickly helped me find some shelter... I was taking my time. The thoughts of the fall were still running in the back of my mind and wasn't really concentrating what was being told to me. Innumerable questions were thrown at me, the one that made sense was about why I got down there. Meanwhile I pulled out a towel from my bag and wiped off all the mud and used some water to clean up the wound. I knew this was the first of many to come. Not a bad start, I thought. I was waiitng for the rain to slow down a bit... meanwhile there was a quick flash of thoughts of how I started out... I was lost in those thoughts.

I was suddenly disturbed by a lightning, as if to tell me that I had some work to do. I had fallen asleep, a short pleasant one. The station master was gone. The platform looked absolutely deserted. Now I had to start, I was getting late. As I made my way into the water outside the so-called station, I looked for some transport facilities. Absolutely nothing... Oh God! why did I get down here... This thought was a bit painful one. Repent - the one thing that can kill anyone! It feels good to give a comment on every feeling of fine but in the end I don't want to become some whom I hate...

Almost no human movement was visible.. except for a small group of people having some tea about a 50 metres from where I was. The very thought I might get something to eat made me feel hungry. I did find some idlis lying in the hot pack but the neatness wasn't very pleasing... as I was having my breakfast I was observing how those tea glasses were being washed and put back into use. The thought that tea will be served in those was making me feeling uncomfortable. Aah! I was getting to those old days... no.. not any more. But I have to accept that immaterial of how the food was served, I did enjoy the food.

Then I took a road, which seemed to be the only one, hoping that I will find something... on the way I inquired from a few people but their answers were not very encouraging. As I was trying hard to convince my old legs to keep going I found some help. I met some one who changed the course of my journey. I met some one whom I believed right from our first meeting... not a friend of mine, someone different!

--buddi

0347

08 - 12 - 2008