I dream about.....A moment lost in time

The boy told me that it was the usual way he has been spending his days ever since he can remember. Deep inside, I knew that line pricked me, and it made me restless of not having enough potential to help him in any way. Kunal, the boy, I happened to meet accidentally as the park used to fall in the way of my destination. And I could almost find him doing something or the other which did not make any sense to me. 

Being from a poor family, his parents could not even afford enough money to educate him. But there was something uncanny about the attitude Kunal used to carry with himself. If I am to be believed, his attitude was the only thing he had. It was a God-gifted one.

Unlike his elder brother, he would never go begging in front of people, even if it meant no bread at the end of the day. Initially, I would not talk to him, and shy away from the incredulous shabbiness he carried with himself. But with a joyous aroma that he used to create, everyone on the way used to share a laugh or two with him.

That day when I was not in a hurry, I decided to look at his antics from a distance. It was something different that day. He was not the usual bubble of joy, he used to be everyday. He was searching for something. 

I wanted to know what was he upto. As I moved closer to him, he took notice of me and was back to his normal bubbly self (which I used to witness everyday) in a jiffy. From our past interactions, I knew he was the kind who would not even have sympathy for charity. Thus, that sudden act of change was expected. I queried him with what he was doing. Initially reluctant, later he replied that this was what he has been doing ever since he can remember. What followed was a chat which I can perhaps never forget. Each word that he spoke hurled questions at me. I left with ample food for thought with me.

On repeated poking of what he was doing in the park, Kunal told me that he was searching for something. Searching for a moment lost in time. He told me that they once had all the basic amenities to sustain life with, and he also used to go to school, but then during an earthquake, they lost everything. Their family moved to city in search of setting up a world of their own, but everything failed weirdly.

From then, Kunal used to come everyday to the park and search for those short-lived yet happy but lost moments. His story not only gave me jitters but also made me realize how crucial can memories be when you are caught up with solitude and helplessness from all sides. The intensity of his words was noticeable when he said I have only one dream, I dream about those moments lost in time.

I could not get past the thoughts of that encounter with Kunal as those words were still striking me back and forth. I don't know how many times in future I am gonna meet Kunal, and for how long, but for the memories he has given me, I would always be thankful, simultaneously, awe-inspired by the uncanny attitude and would never let those moments dissolve in time.


P.S: This post is an entry at Blogjunta Dreams Contest to be judged by Jyoti Arora, author of Dream's Sake

Thank God, it happened!

For some heavenly reason, it was raining mercilessly from the time I had woken up in the morning. I was hopping between the window-side and the balcony of my house for the past 1 hour, it was 6 now. Yes, I had gotten up at 5, perhaps by the sound of the rain. I was hoping against hope for the rainfall to cease knowing that even if it did, me reaching college was next to impossible. After having realized that it was going to be a day at home, I moved inside with dropped shoulders (going to college was something I simply loved!).

With such a start to the day, I had almost figured out what a day it was gonna be. Exams were nowhere in the vicinity of time, so picking up course books was beyond the bounds of imagination. Neither did I have any novel, the newspaper wasn't available that day, and I was sick of watching stuff which self-proclaim them to be entertaining.

I tried doing things that didn't make any sense but sufficed for killing time, but at the end they were good for nothing as I had a good 12-15 hours to bypass and sleep had decided to pen down a whole new tale of betrayal with me.

I did not realize but after the initial phase of boredom was over, the day started to flow at an easy pace. The distinctly evident rainbow in the sky and the strands of mild sunlight showing up on the floor through window and door were pleasant and nearly perfect. I could hear a song playing in the background, almost.

And those tears flowing out were a clear sign of a person breaking down to no one else but himself. They were sign of a human being breaking down just for the sake of holding up tears for perhaps, too long. Those tears meant a lot, specially when you know what it meant to cry without having to answer any questions and without owing any awkward explanations to anyone. And without the rainfall could actually stop, it had started again.

Before I came to terms with actually I passed by, I realized that I have had one of the most awesome instances of my life. Yes, crying did give me a comfort, which I never thought it could ever. The very embrace of those droplets on my hand were warm enough to get out the frustration and the feeling of holding up all that while. Then I knew why that feeling of angst was arising time and again when I was forced to spend a day at home, alone!

I wish there are more such days once in a while, or rather some extra minutes in a day to retrospect, love and meet yourself. That day I met myself, after quite a while. Trust me, it was completely my pleasure! J

It is worth it, absolutely! Before you head towards this phase of your life, "Years will pass...We'll let days go by...sitting in an office cabin...sometimes our heart may even cry... We had a choice...We chose listening to the brain... Now We have made a living but only have memories down the lane..."