Unaccustomed Earth

Zaheer: "And that is how the tortoise beat the hare in a race. Now, tell me Abraham, what do you learn from this?"

Abraham: "That you should not sleep during the race. Either way once you win the race, they give you enough money to buy an AC and a house."

Zaheer: "Where do you people learn this stuff?"

Abraham: "What did you derive from the story Zaheer uncle when you were a kid?"

Z: When I was 7 years old as you are now? I dozed off halfway as teacher was explaining it. Atleast you are focused.

A: And what is your age now?

Z: Well, you have to add 22 years more to yours. That makes it?

A: (thinks for a while) 29. Correct?

Z: Wow. Terrific. You must be first rank in your class?

A: In LKG and UKG, I got first rank 2 times.

Z: 2 times. WOWWWWWWW. In 1st standard?

A: In my class 1st standard F section, I got first rank in half-yearly and annual exam. Now I am in Second standard, E section.

Z: You are so brilliant. Did mummy daddy always ask you to keep studying?

A: Dad was cool about it. He always told me that I was very brilliant. My mom used to pester me a lot.

Z: Let me guess. She didnt allow you to play cricket. Correct?

A: Not just cricket. No gilli danda,no lukka chuppi, no video games.

Z: Oh. Do you hate her for that?

A: No. I love her. She makes me such delicious food every day. Where are mummy- daddy now?

Z: They will come soon. So, who was your best friend in school?

A: RajKumar. He lived 2 streets away. His uncle used to come to our house. He used to buy me chocolates.

Z: Oh wow. What chocolate do you like?

A: Milky Bar. My mom used to give me one every time I finished my homework.

Z: Ok. Lets have a deal. If you finish your dinner without further questions and asking stories, I will get you a milky bar.

A: I will wait for my parents and eat with them.

Z: They will come. You finish your dinner. Otherwise they will scold poor Zaheer uncle that he did not feed their cute son. Will they or wont?

A: (thinks for a while) My parents don’t scold. They are very friendly. We have so many friends in our neighborhood.

Z: Still, they might scold you. So you be a good boy and finish the dinner. Zaheer uncle will go and get you your Milky Bar. Done deal?

A: Done deal. Thanks

 

Zaheer rushed to the nearest departmental store outside the hospital and got 2 Milky Bar packets. He walked back to the reception and gave a quizzing look at the receptionist Ms. Latha.

 

Latha: "Sorry Dr.Zaheer. We still don’t have any information regarding his relatives."

Zaheer: "Come on Latha. There must be someone. Some uncle, aunty, cousin...someone."

Latha: "Most of them lived in the same neighborhood when the incident happened. So the chances are...practically slim."

Zaheer: "Damn it. Did the police arrest anyone?"

Latha looked at him with a look which meant "Don’t-you-know-it-wont-happen".

Zaheer: "Wow. Hail democracy. Some mad men decide to kill people, burn their houses, ransack their life and they walk freely. How can someone be so cruel to burn an orphanage? Have people in this country pawned their hearts?"

Latha: "Cool down Doctor."

Zaheer: "Cool Down? You want me to cool down? Go and try telling that innocent kid, that his parents have been murdered by the very people who lived next Street to him. Go try telling him that his world was darkened and will remain so when he was sleeping on that fateful night. If not for the neighboring injured Gurkha who found him asleep, he might have been dead as well."

Latha: "Did you tell him about his parents?"

Zaheer: "I find it hard to tell demise news to elders. He is a kid for god’s sake. I...don’t know how to tell him. Everytime I look deep into his innocent brown eyes, I feel like breaking down. Don’t know how long I can keep him distracted with Milky bars."

Latha remained silent.

Zaheer: “Childhood is all about hope in life. This news will bring his world crashing down and he will lose hope in entire mankind. All that will remain would be pieces. His, mine and all ours.”

 

Zaheer walked back to the room where Abraham was finishing his dinner.

Zaheer: "Hey little champ. Here is my part of bargain. Milky baaaaaaaaar."

Abraham: "Thanks Zaheer Uncle. Uncle, can you tell me something."

Zaheer: "Try me."

Abraham: "When I woke up yesterday, there was blood on my hands. Can you tell me why?"

Zaheer: "Unfortunately we all have in ours as well Abraham. It’s just that you see it and we don’t."

 

It would take some years for Abraham to understand what Dr. Zaheer really meant.

P.S: Partially inspired from this article

Donno how many of you remember this video posted below. Some of you might have seen it as kids in Doordarshan. Guess we need such Jingoism as Americans do :)