The clock was ticking faster than usual. The RJ had just mentioned the time check, it was 10.14. He was already running 14 minutes late for his office. Not that he was answerable to someone back in office, but it was this habit he had worked on real hard to improve. But there was nothing much one could do with this city traffic and the traffickers. Even after an year here, he was still getting used to this kind of barbaric behaviour on the roads, which was very unlike what he had seen ever since childhood.
It was a regular left turn from the signal, when suddenly he came to a screeching halt. The moment was seized. There were tons of mean machines behind him who just about managed to avoid a hit. But that didn’t seem to bother him.
All he could see at that moment, was a pink balloon flying to the middle of the street. The balloon was half deflated and had a string attached to it… probably a used one. But it was not that balloon which froze him and his already over heated machine. It was a kid, a roadside kid as we all like to call them. The kid was sun burnt, half naked, with only a torn nikkar to cover his body. He had some cuts n wounds on his right leg and arm. He could see the kind of pain which had inflicted his tender soul, making an optimum use his existence. But still, he could see a smile on that kid’s face- A smile which eludes most of us – A smile of contentment, a smile of satisfaction, a smile of happiness, a smile of being free.
The kid had nothing to loose and hence indulged in whatever he thought belonged to him, this balloon being one of those. The balloon had slipped from his hands and he chased it till it flew to the middle of the busy street. There was this abrupt transformation of emotions. The face beaming with an almost infectious smile was overshadowed by the fear of loosing something… something, which meant the world to him at that moment. The kid’s body came to a momentary pause, but his thoughts and his emotions were far from freezing. Hearing the screeching of the tyres, he hesitantly walked towards the balloon and that captivating smile returned. With a very prompt about-turn, he returned to his abode, with a priceless pink balloon.
The rest of the journey to the office seemed pleasurable and smooth.
8 comments:
aaahh... this has such a dream-like feel to it... A pink balloon flying in the air... and a small kid chasing it. You have portrayed the emotions and insecurities of the kid very well in such few words.
And this somewhere leaves you wanting to be the beggar kid, than the man driving the car.
I wish I was a paupper... With no house to live, I would have enough room for hope...
My stomach though empty, my mind would feast on eternal peace...
With the moon and the stars above my head, wrapped in the cloak of the night... I could dream on and feel closer to the heavens...
With nothing to hold in my fist, I would still hold on to faith...
With nothing to live for, I would live life for itself and live it till I die. :-)
Keep writing!
Cheers!
Ultimately all it needs to be happy are not ravishing girls, loads of money, flashy cars, or archies cards, or even the balloon. All it needs is the will, and a child within.
Excellently put into description. Express job.
hehehehe... you are tagged! Welcome to the first vice of blogosphere, namely tags!!!
chalo, now take the tag. :p
@Meenakshi: Glad you liked it and felt the character..though I fail to understand why would you want to be a pauper??
The whole idea of the piece is to make us all realise that we are missing on finer things in life and we should start appreciating them.
Jusht to confess, at that moment in time, even I felt the same way. :)
and am sorry but am a lil...rather a very much of an illiterate in this world of blogosphere...so this tagging thingy...would appreciate if you could help me understand it better.
@ Sushant: Nothing can be nearer to this truth....no amount of ravishing girls and cars and cards will make us feel happy if we cant nurture the child within. It is this child which sees us through, most of the trials and tribulations and provide us courage to move ahead and enjoy this gift called Life at the same time.
Thanx for appreciating the piece! :)
hahahhahaha... Silence, I got what the piece wanted to communicate... The little, sweet nothings that just come to pass and give you a smile that you wear for the rest of the day. :-)
But when I read that piece. I so wanted to be that pauper child. And roam about on the road so carelessly, with that utmost freedom... With no cares, no responsibilities, no heavy philosophies... I just wanted to live that simplicity and enjoy that tipsy weightlessness for a moment. :-) Isliye I wanted to be a pauper. :-)
Hi Silence,
Drifted to your page from Meenakshi's and as I came here... my fast paced life came to a stand-still. I saw myself in the protagonist of your story and similar incidences of my own life flashed in front of me. Incidences that I had never thought about before, that I never knew existed in my consciousness. Thanks for bringing those little events to the fore front.
I must say... You are very perceptive and have an eye for details... be it the details of tangible, material things, of settings, or even emotions and feelings. :-)
Keep up the good work and do write more often. :-)
Now my dear Silence, Arent you taking the concept of "silence" way too far?
C'mon... write something! We are waiting. :-)
Great work.
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