The Food Warehouse

Mahatma Rice

He Never Knows

There stands a young kid of 10 years, his eyes are exhaustively glued on the road for the last two hours, he is expecting his dad, he wishes his dad may arrive soon from the city, he left home early in the morning to see the victims admitted in the hospital, those who injured of the last day’s bomb blast that shook the city, where 100 lives were perished by some resolute self proclaimed prophesier of the human kind. He promised to bring him book, which he has to take to school the next day. He feels an unusual feeling of calmness around there, since he is a kid, he could not understand it anyway. He enquired his mother, when his dad will be back, but she is busy with cooking, simply nodded her head helplessly.

 

He does not know why the people kill each other, he read from books that in the jungle, animals kill other animals for food, but he is confused when he knows human does not eat another human’s flesh, as human are civilized than animals and they do eat, rice, wheat, vegetable, fruits etc. He asked his teacher about this; he as well unable to provide him a correct answer. His mother often tells stories of gods and goddesses and how they accustomed to the prayers of humans and help them when they need it and of course there are evil spirits too, always on the lookout for the chances to spoil the human souls. One day his teacher told his class that the bomb that killed the people has been the heinous act of terrorists; he absolutely surprised to know that the terrorists are humans too; the teacher further explained that nowadays the enmity between people have exaggerated, most of them are due to conflict of people from different religions and people opted destructive ways to kill their own brothers, sisters, nieces and nephews. He recalls one day, during the assembly, the headmaster asked them to offer prayers to commemorate the victims of Nagasaki atomic bomb catastrophe, the mere difference was that that one was between certain races and this was against people of other casts, results of both are the same, devastation. Since once the bomb exploded, it victimize simply humans, not group of people of certain casts, it swept away numerous innocent lives.

 

He knows various boys in and around the locality and he befriended many of them, some of them are from other casts too; they are living together peacefully there for generations, many of them are poor, involve in various jobs to meet both the ends, they always adhere to the civic senses. In lunch time, he share sweets, toffees, fruits & other things with other boys and he is often being called on auspicious occasions to their homes, his friends also visit him on various occasions. He could never see any hidden enshrouded evils in any of them; nothing affects their friendship as of now. He recalls the day, he learnt to ride bicycle by one of them, apart from his best friend, with whom he always moves around, however everything changed suddenly, now people see other people as their foes and they wished to be remained in their houses rather to meet and speak to others, a sudden fear aroused from nowhere, the emergent calm and peace give a vague picture how much fear engrossed in them.

 

He still sits at the door and to his surprise, the tarred road reminds him of the shape of black snake, laying there lazily, as if it swallowed the people who moved on them, only vehicles breach the silence, He observed one by one the buses roared and sped past his house, none stopped, neither passengers embarked upon nor disembarked, as most of the people remained in their homes, as if the bomb blast shook the city alognwth the hearts of the people, it is of course a strange and fearful experience, people wonder what happens to their country. Though none of them is part of any such activities, still frightened severely, this calm is a warning clearly written on the wall, something even grievous thing to happen.

 

He heard one aunty from the neighboring house murmurs to his mom that most of the victims were the vendors, bystanders, small dealers, other such people, all were selling their items to ‘people’ in their own ways, from all communities, Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs as well as jain all were having consented the services, but it took only second to perish the lives, as the bomb had only one aim, wipe out as much as people. The truth is that bombs do not target certain people, but its object is innocent lives, of which they do not have any links at all. The police stood helplessly there just like bystanders, as they are clueless who did it, they are on the heck of ignominy, the government has no words to solace people, as the masterminds sit somewhere and simply detonated the bombs, the genius handiwork is much worthy that it explode as fast as and gravely and swept away the lives alongwith it.

 

His father is neither a vendor nor a policeman, he was nowhere in the picture, he was at his office at that time, though he often involves himself into humanitarian tasks of helping other people, he often offers blood to the victims of road accidents or helping the misfortunate people to get hospitalized, though he has his own beliefs and he pray his gods, he never have any cemented leanings towards religion, politics, he put the humanity above all. Some of his likeminded friends often join him in such situations, it is simply a Good Samaritan nobleness, since they are not intended to have anything in return, they help the people who need their aids. When he heard about the bomb blast and the consequent delivery of human bodies to the hospital, he set forth to the city to offer his help. He always in front of them to offer whatever help they required, he heartily bears the sorrowfulness of other people.

 

**************

 

While riding the scooter, he remembers the promise he made to his son – get a book for him, a simple, but affectionate promise. He knows his son is eagerly waiting at home and he can see that innocent eyes stick on the road in the search of his father, he parked his scooter on the side of the road and ran his eyes on the shops, fortunately only two three shops were open and the book dealer’s was one of them, he immediately purchased the book, just when he leaves the shop, the police ordered the book dealer to close the shop, he relieved he atleast could have the book. He stood there and looks around for a while, now he can see the policemen took ascendance of the city, even the birds, the stray dogs and cows left the place to nowhere, he comes across that the entry of vehicles have been relinquished and made ways for scores of policemen in and around, they frisk everybody, but he is a familiar face, he could advance.

 

he briskly walked towards, from this farther he could hear the cries of the distressed people, when he approach the entrance of the hospital, all of a sudden a jeep sped past him and stopped at some 10 feet from him, some persons with covered faces jumped out of the jeep and shouted loud the names of their gods, the polices sprung towards and in seconds conquered them and put them in their jeeps, but one could escape and he pushed out a large radio like thing from his pocket, seeing this he plunged into the nearby sewerage to rescue himself, in a flicker, when plunging he could see the person’s finger move to a button of that radio, then a sudden thundering noise burst out ………………………………………………………….. then everything came to calm, the extraneous silence inundated the street…………

 

…………….there lies a book, which never reaches the little hands, who needs it, neither he could see the other more precious thing than the book, again. The blowing air opens the pages of book one by one and in the last page, there portrays the picture of Mahatma Gandhi, the familiar face of a messiah of peace and ahimsa, though some of us rarely cited him as a pariah, helplessly looks on the skies, as if he prays to the almighty to forgive the people, who obliterated the lives of scores of people plainly and to rest the demised souls in heavenly abode. We do not know both of his wishes ever become true, but let us hope it will be fulfilled.

About the Author

I am working as a secretary in an Indian Conglomorate and wish to become a writer

Is the packaged Mahatma Yellow/Spanish Rice unhealthy/healthy?

Unhealthy or healthy?

It's packaged and has additives and preservatives....what do you think?