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