watching the game on the TV, sitting lazily on my rocking chair, i am so much involved in the game that i do not even notice the thunderstorm outside. The winds are hard enough to get the trees bow the ground…the shadows of trees against my large patio window, distracts my attention from the game momentarily. But, my eyes are as if glued to the TV screen. My ears are turned towards the match commentary, trying to avoid the background noise of the burning firewoods in my living room’s hearth.
The only other thing that is deviating my attention from the game is the occasional flying flares from the fire place. These flames have special heat in them, enough to charge my neurons to strengthen my links to past. Maybe I dont want to think of anything about my past days, and thats why I am trying my best to just concentrate on the game. I didnt realize when it started raining. I came to know when a strange sound struck my ears, it is the sound of hails striking against my patio window. The shadow of trees with this knocking sound, is creating an effect as if someone is knocking to get in…and this thing acted as a catalyst to my already struggling brain cells…and there I am…in my past.
Those were my days in school. I always tried to outsmart my peers, just to look different from them..and why shouldnt I be doing that, I was different. I had a strong family background, unlike other kids in my class…teachers also gave me special treatment, just because the school was much dependent on the donations routed through my family. This had created a strong feeling of hatredness for my mates…except for a few, who were like me…rich and selfish. We always try to disgrace other poor students by any means. When I was in 7th grade, a new fellow joined us. His father was a poor man, who used to sell “Qulfi” (a sort of milk lolly) after the school hours across the road. Whatever money he was making, he spent it on Ahmad’s education…just that one day he might become a Doctor or an Engineer. No one knew if Ahmad was his son, until one day when I was with my friends buying Qulfi from Rahim…Ahmad came to him and shook his hand, and he hugged him. This, I guess was the first and last mistake Ahmad made in his life, because this act gave us a chance to pick on him. The next day everyone knew Ahmad was the son of “Rahim Qulfi wala”…and we were making fun of him…
“oye, kulfi walay…kitnay paisay ki kulfi do gai”…“matric pass kulfi wala”…“tum ne parh kar kaya karna hai, becho gai to kulfi hi na”.
Whenever we saw Ahmad, we passed the same scolding comments to Ahmad…till the time when he lost his patience. He grabbed me through my collar and hit me hard..in return I also pushed him away. He fell on the ground, but I guess his desire of revenge was not over yet. He picked up the nearby rock and struck it hard against my forehead. A stream of blood shoot out, and I was taken to the hospital for treatment.
Next day, my father and I were at principal’s office cursing him for his incompetent admission policies, and asked him to terminate Ahmad immediately. He tried to defend Ahmad as he was one of the brilliant students in the school. But, the might of our wealth was strong enough to overturn his decision…and so finally he accepted to expel Ahmad from the school. When we got out of the principla’s office, Ahmad was sitting out there on bench with his father. On seeing him, I passed him a victorious grin…and that surely was enough to devour the sparkle in his eyes. The principle asked him to leave the premises as he was no longer a student of this school. His father begged principal and my father for mercy…but in vain. With tears in Rahim’s eyes and with some unknown questions on his face he spotted on me and said “Sahib, Allah aap ko bahut day, lekin aap ko kabhee sakoon na day.”
I couldnt understand the meanings of his words at that time, and thought of them as ordinary stuff. But, now I think his words made a lot sense…and Allah listened to his pray. Today, I have everything in my life…money, home, business…everything, but I dont have any family…dont have anyone to listen to my inner feelings…I dont know what happened next to Ahmad…if he really made it to be a Doctor or an Engineer, but I wish time could roll back, and I apologize from him and his father about all that stupid things I have been doing…just because I was wealthy, and thought I am a different human…A type of human who can not be conquered or defeated…but look at me, I was defeated just by a few words!
Kaddu khao, jaan banao!