AN INCOMPLETE STORY

The fresh breeze blowing over my face is provoking me to think more about my life. The pleasant evening is offering me an endless walk. The greens around me, showed how lock down had cured the environment. The true smiles gathered after the pandemic reminds me the olden days. Though I can’t join them like before, I can feel the pleasure of meeting our dear ones in real time.

I’m remembering all those days when I used to play with my mom and dad. The food she cooked, the lap I slept, all those things are playing like a sequence of dreams in front of me. Hope, the time when I had a long walk with my dad came back to me as a gift. I can remember each and every incident of my life. Not just remembering, it is like I am going through all those times again.

While I am walking, I saw the temple where I’ve met the girl of my life, without knowledge a wide smile bloomed across my face. Though I can see many heads are heading towards the temple, I never wanted to go inside it anymore. Well, I don’t know, why the place I loved the most seemed to be a banned one, and that too only for me. Those spiritual chants which once seemed delightful are disturbing me like a noise. Though I would like to go inside the temple, I’m not allowed anymore. This feeling caused a sense of sorrow inside me, but the weather’s magical power made me to walk further.

I came across the school which I’ve studied a long back. The memories started to flow again, just like the water in a nearby waterfall. Though I can see many of my teachers who became old, I never wanted to greet them anymore. Even if I greet them, they may not respond back. It is so funny to see that nothing had changed in all these years except the age of my teachers. Their funny warnings, the rush created by our principal, the assembly where we stood in rows and columns, nothing had changed, except me. Well, I’m getting used to this change slowly, but I don’t know till which extent it goes.

On the way back, I was greeted by an old library which is closed many years ago. I had many memories linked with the library, where I used to sit and study in my childhood. Surprisingly, I’ve felt like, the library is asking me to visit it for one last time. I started to go inside the library. Everything inside, seemed to be full of dust and dark. While walking through the stairs, I’ve found many books which were used to be my favorites once up on a time. Though I want to take out some books and read them again, I’m not in a mood to touch them. When I went upstairs, I saw the old computer which entertained me in my childhood. Though I can’t touch it, I can feel those days in which I spent many hours before that machine. Slowly I came out of that closed library and that old monument seemed to be smiling at me.

I continued my walk through the streets of the town. It’s been 30 years; I’ve entered the town as a baby. Each and every road of the town consists of a memory, my first driving test, my first car crash, each and everything is moving in front of my eyes.

Suddenly, I came in front of the church which I used to visit every Sunday. Though it is a very peaceful place, I felt disturbed while passing through it. Slowly I crossed my favorite church with a disturbed mood.

Soon I’ve reached my house, which is not a home anymore. When I reached my house, I was about to cry by seeing the building which I’ve lived for almost 30 years. But no chance, all the tears were dried up and I can’t cry like before.

As soon as I entered the house, I saw my little daughter playing on the floor. The innocent smile of my little daughter made me forget every pain in my life. Though I can never hug her like before, her smile is enough to cure that pain. Though I want to play with her by catching her little hands, it’s too late, I can’t do it now.

I laughed when I saw my wife’s rush. She’s always been a girl in hurry. May be now she is thinking about my little daughter’s future husband. It’s too funny to tease her, and it used to be my only addiction. Her innocent face, cute smile and childish mentality made me bound to her. Now I remembered our first meet in the temple, she looked like a cute little girl who is trying to light up diyas along with her mother. When our eyes met each other, I felt some special relation is there between us. Soon in few months, destiny made us wife and husband for life. Now I just wanted to hug her and make her feel calm in my arms. But I’m abandoned to do it. It raised a feel of guilt in me, so I left the main hall and headed towards my parent’s bedroom.

My parent’s room is filled with silence. It is very common to us, as my father is a retired librarian from the old library. My father is completely involved in the newspaper, which had a lot of news about Covid-19 scenarios. My mother sat at a corner and praying silently. I definitely know that she is praying for me, as her only wish is to see me good. I wanted to spend some time with them, but I don’t want to disturb their peace, at least for some time.

When I came back to the hall, my little daughter is still playing. She is not aware of any consequences and conditions around her. May be that is the reason, why that age is called the magical age. My little daughter’s innocent smile made me forget everything, except the beep sound of the pulse monitor in the hospital. That beep sound is still playing in my ear.

Soon, the land phone in the main hall started ringing. Everyone was tensed by the call and headed towards the room. My wife picked up the phone in a hurry and started listening calmly.

Yes, this is the phone call which I’m waiting for. I can sense it clearly by her expressions. She left the receiver and broke into tears. My parents were worried to see her like that and kept on asking what happened. I stood there helplessly with a small smile on my face. I know, I can’t cry anymore.

That call is from the hospital, where I’ve been admitted a few days back due to Covid. Though I know the news from other side, I can’t convey that. My father picked up the phone and asked the same question. The reply from the opposite side is very pale and it stated that, I was no more.

Yes, I left my last breath a few hours ago and that beep sound which is still playing in my ear, is the last beep of the pulse monitor, which I heard before leaving my body. I felt guilty, because I left my wife alone with the huge responsibilities of a kid.

Now all my family hurried to the hospital to bid a final send off to me. But I came all along here to look at them and wish them a last good bye.

Now my cute childish wife should turn into a strong woman and it’s time for her to face the world alone.

My strong wish to had a final look at my family, made me to travel across all the way to my house. This is my final and most memorable journey though out my life. This journey recalled each and every moment of my life and made me live my entire life again in a few minutes. Anyway, it’s time to leave this world. It is my story, which I left incomplete.