People play cruel jokes in college. One joke that I saw being played was pushing Umer Humayun into the swimming pool. Thats how I knew that he couldnt swim and was afraid of the water.
His family reminded me in a lot of ways of my own. He was an only son, he had two sisters ahead of him.. maybe three. i imagined they must have had the usual worries parents have when they have daughters at that age, like mine did.
He was without a doubt the most popular, universally loved, handsome, humble person in our class. everybody knew him, from seniors to my batch. his whole personna resonated brightness, positive energy. his big smile his defining feature.
his mother used to fret so much about him.. just like mine did about me. both of them used to be standing together when he and I used to come to Islamabad from GIKI in the bus to pick us up every single week even tho we could just as well catch a taxi or something. and sometimes she’d talk to ammi about how the food in giki isnt good and how she worries about his diet. his father had a survey of giki’s water facilities done.
summer came, and we all left giki. umar went to karachi. one day he his cousin and his mamoo went to the beach. he had assured his mother he wouldnt go near the water. but he was forced to when his cousin started drowning and stupidly he went into the sea still wearing his jeans. they saved his cousin but couldnt save him. he was a shaheed, he died trying to save someones life.
but the burden of death is on the living. we met his father when he came to giki to give the results of his water study after the whole reason for him had gone. i can only imagine how his ammi is now..
spare some prayers their way.
