SHIFAT NAZMEE
Strange as it might seem but it’s true.
‘Change’. Whether it be winds of change or a series of revolutions bringing in changes, throughout the entire day there would be some time or other when we would wish for a change. But nobody ever gave a thought that what they are currently enjoying would change had their wishes been granted.It was this one day when I felt that I could be happier had I not wished for that change because it was the thought of change which bothered me rather than the changes I expect to bring about in my life.
It was raining. My friends arranged a get-together in a restaurant. The very thought of going to the party excited me but the rain, it ruined all my expectations. My phone was ringing, my friends were leaving me messages asking about my whereabouts but I simply avoided them all.
I was sitting in my bed staring out the window at those people who were running home. Just then something caught my sight. When people around were busy rushing to their homes, few street children came running and sat in the pavement. They were splashing water at each other. Well, nothing could have made this game of splashing water more exciting than music. One of those girls was singing a song (which I never heard of) and the boys were busy making tunes with whatever tools they found handy.
I went running downstairs and saw them making their way towards the north. I put on my raincoat and decided to follow them. They were dancing and singing merrily. Suddenly they came to a halt in front of a chatpati stall. The children were winking at each other and they had those mysterious laughs in their faces which often shows up on my face when I am up to something fishy.
The children went near the chatpati stall and appeared as if they felt pity for the chatpatiwala who was getting wet. So they offered to guard his chatpatis while he can stand under the nearby shade. No sooner had the man hid under the shade that each of them stood near the four wheels of the stall and at the same time sneaking a fuchka from the stall. Just then one of them cracked a fuchka, the man came running and got furious. They fled while the man was throwing stones and screaming out aloud ‘little rascals’.
They were running and I was following them swiftly. Finally they came to a halt and laughed heartily at their own actions. As if stealing the fuchkas was not enough they took a step forward for the cha-wala. Fortunately they did not have to make any effort to take a sip of hot tea in this rainy weather because one of their best buddies was a cha-wala. But he agreed to give only a single cup to be shared among them. They each took a cup and poured equal amounts of tea at each of the cups and then produced the cups under the open sky and allowed the drops of rain to fall in the cups. When the cups were full they lit a match and heated their tea. The children drank to their hearts content. Soon they found themselves under a sunny weather. The clouds had cleared and the sun came out.
‘Shooh, what a waste! We were having so much fun’.( they were actually talking in Bengali)
‘Yaah! I miss it too. Now we all need to split up’.
‘Not so easy, guys’.
‘What do you mean?’
‘Let’s eat a pan’.
‘What?’
‘Yes, of course, what do you want- waste this evening or make it eventful?’
‘Mmmmmmmmmmmmm?’
‘Good! Then lets just split up for a pan hunt and meet here after 15 mins’.
‘How would we know when is the time out because none of us know how to count?’
‘Nor do I. it’s just an approximate. C’mon ,now lets hurry’.
They each went in different directions and I decided to wait for them.
They were back within minutes and ate a pan till their mouths cannot take any more. But their happy times were over. The traffic officer came and shooed them away. The weather dried up and they bid each other a hearty farewell. When I went home I still found my phone ringing. I bet my friends would be really jealous when they get to know how much fun I had.
Why did I wish for a change when I am already so much happy?
It could be just, ’Yeh dil maange more’.