Oh Krishna !! Are You Still There Around .... ??!!
It was about
The end of the year 1994.
I was a Fresher –
Mechanical Engineering Graduate.
On recommendation
From one of my Professors,
I joined
A mini and medium sized
Boiler Manufacturing Unit,
In an Industrial Area
On the Eastern outskirts
Around twelve kilometers
From my home.
I commuted
On my two wheeler,
A Hero Puch.
In those days,
The area that
I passed through
Was sparsely populated,
Full of fields
And wilderness ….
One evening,
While returning home,
My Hero Puch
Gave away
Just a little way
From my office ….
Going back
To the empty
Industrial area
Did not appeal ….
No Automobile repairing
Outlets around ….
And ahead was
A long way
Till the nearest
Main road,
From where
I could contact home ….
No mobile phones
In those days ….
No telephone booths around ….
Few passer-bys
Gazing, glancing,
Invoking discomfort ….
Two young girls
Came by.
I asked if
Any Mechanic
Could be found ….
No ….
Ooops ….
Can you help me
Reach the main road ?
“Sorry, Sister,
It is so far away ….
But, we will
Accompany you
As far as we can ….”
A little relief ….
The distance was long,
And they could come
For a kilometer or so ….
Dusk was pacing ahead,
Darkness was creeping in ….
Deserted surroundings ….
I marched ahead,
Dragging my two wheeler,
As fast as I could ….
Praying to overcome
Apprehensions and fears ….
A little boy passed by ….
About ten years of age,
Small, darkish
With thick black hair,
Agile, walking fast ….
I called out,
Asking him,
Where he was heading,
“To my village ….”
“Where ?”
“Past the main road ….”
Is it ?
“You see,
My vehicle has
Gone out of order,
Can we walk together
Till the main road ?”
He nodded
In affirmation ….
He spoke less,
Nodded or smiled
As I talked ….
I don’t remember
What I said ….
To pass time ??!!
Or to express
My gratitude
That he was here
To accompany me,
To conquer my fears ….
We walked and walked ….
With a vehicle or two
Passing by,
Once in a while ….
Occasional passer-by
Staring by,
As I wondered,
Full of fear,
How would I have
Managed walking alone
In this darkness,
Through this jungle …. ??!!
After perhaps,
More than an hour or so,
Of walking and talking,
Dragging my two-wheeler along,
The distant lights,
By the main road
Could be seen gleaming ….
What happiness they aroused,
Is beyond words !!
Now, every step further,
Was closer to being safer ….
I was jabbering on ….
How good it was
That at last,
We had reached
The main road ….
“I would call my brother
From home,
To pick me up ….”
Reaching the edge
Of the main road,
I saw,
On the other side,
A little shop,
From where,
I thought,
I could call
My brother ….
“Come, let us
Cross the road ….”
I called
The little boy ….
But, he wasn’t there
By my side !!??
I looked around,
Ahead ….
Where is he ?
Where is he ?? ….
And could spot him,
Pacing to
The other side,
Diagonally right,
Dissolving in the darkness ….
I called out,
But couldn’t be heard ….
I couldn’t even
Thank him !!
Oh little angel !!
I couldn’t thank you
Even once !!
How could I,
How can I
Thank you enough !! ….
My eyes followed him
As far as they could,
As I crossed the road ....
I came to the little shop
And asked for help ….
The kind inmates,
A man and his wife,
Readily helped me,
With their telephone ….
I called home ….
“…. I am fine, fine ….”
My brother came
On his bike,
With all his smiles and
All the twinkles in his eyes,
As usual,
To take me back home ….
Till my brother came,
The shopkeeper couple
Made me comfortable,
Helping me park
My two-wheeler safely
In their compound
Till a mechanic
Could come
And set it right ….
All the while,
As I came back home,
From within,
I remembered
And remembered,
And thanked
And thanked
The little boy
Who walked
With me
Through those
Toughest of times ….
And I still remember him,
And I wonder,
Who was he ? ….
Appeared from nowhere,
Walked all the way along ….
A village boy,
Walking back home, alone ….
Who was He ?
Little Krishna …. !!
Krishna, Krishna …. !!
Krishna, Krishna …. !! ….
Are you still there around ??!!
- Vanita Thakkar (20-08-2020)
This Is A Real Incident That Took Place About Twenty Six Years Back - My Two-wheeler Suddenly Went Out Of Order On My Way Back Home From Work .... I Had To Pass Through Deserted And Sparely Populated Locality .... Fields And Wilderness .... A Little Boy Was Passing By .... He Walked With Me Till I Was Safe .... And Before I Could Even Thank Him, Hurried Away In The Fast Growing Darkness Of Night ....
- Vanita Thakkar (20-08-2020)
© 2020 Vanita Thakkar
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