Oh, these tiny people falling around me,
Each has a story to tell
Before their tales are long forgotten
They never know, they fell.
One little one on my finger tip
Glistening in the light,
“oh, please please let me be,”
He tries to put up a fight.
I wonder what to do with the lil fellow
I think I’ll just let it be
So I let him join his lil brothers
And just stand by and see.
These raindrops falling around me
Are some pretty little things
I smile and look at each one of them
They teach me a lesson of living
They bring us happiness and relief
They wash away our sins
They never knew they existed
They never know their kin.
Oh, these tiny people falling around me,
Each has a story to tell
Before their tales are long forgotten
They never know, they fell.
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
The ingenious man
It was just another day. The old man had closed work for the day and was walking back home while his son spoke to the staff. All the other shops had closed and people were all heading home to the warmth of their families. He greeted everyone he passed. It was a very small town and it was the same route he took home. He recalled how the town had changed in all the years as modernisation had technology had taken over the place but it had not lost its small town flavour. They were still warm, affectionate and loved one another. He thought of his younger days and how he used to travel to the big cities for miles on foot and get goods to sell off in the town. He had to sleep in the jungle and eat roots and leaves for dinner. Those were tough days and would get worse when all his goods would be stolen by the thieves and robbers in the jungle. He had nothing other to do than travel back and buy on credit.
But now things were different. He had seen his share of hardships and it had all paid off now. He and his counterparts were considered stalwarts by the younger generations who had changed the face of the town from a hamlet. The respect he received was true as ever and came straight from the heart.
He had given his family everything he never had. His sons had received good education and his daughters had been sent to boarding schools, something which was considered way ahead of its time. He brought the first television set and high end machinery to help farmers foster their growth. He had made innumerable contributions to the growth of the region and all these thoughts made him a proud man but he was still very humble. He smiled at all this as a stray dog came sniffing to his feet. He searched for some nuts in his pocket and threw it for the dog that happily wagged his tail and ran after them.
His 7 year old grandson came running up from behind. He was the old mans daughter’s son and would come home during the vacation. They held hands and walked home. It was a favourite thing between the old man and his grandson to talk about the old mans younger days which he happily complied. So he started narrating anecdotes as the boy listened patiently.
They were just a turn away from their home when they were suddenly interrupted by an old frail woman clutching her tattered sari. She had a wrinkled face and gray hair and looked very poor. She burst into tears and reached out for his hand. "Please don’t buy another mans land. Please buy my land, please. I need that money. My husband will die. Please buy my land." she said, wailing inconsolably. It took just a moment for the old man to recollect who she was and realised that the woman was the wife of the poor farmer whose land his family had been trying to acquire but had changed their decision as they were getting a better deal elsewhere.
The old man asked her to stop crying and asked his grandson to run and get a glass of water. The child returned in a jiffy and gave it to her. She stopped crying and thanked and blessed the little boy. Turning to the old man she requested him to buy her land as she needed the money for her husband’s treatment. He knew all about the old woman’s financial condition and knew that that piece of land was their only asset and also how important the land is to every farmer. They both were sons of the same soil.
She pleaded with him again and again but he could not promise her anything as it was a financial decision and he must not let the heart rule over the mind. He said he had to speak to his sons before committing anything.
He asked the woman to meet him at the same place early next morning.
They both walked home and no one spoke about it. The little boy was at his grandfather’s side the entire night and the man had not spoken to his sons. The boy went to sleep and shortly after the old man lay by his side and petted him on his head.
When the boy got up the next morning the old man was getting ready for his morning walk. He saw a brown packet clutched under his grandfather’s arm. He asked his grandfather if he could come along and he consented. He quickly got out of bed and dressed. The both walked out of the house and reached the same place where they had met the old woman last night.
She was already there. Sleeping on the pavement. She hurriedly got up when she saw them. Her face was smeared dirty with dried tears and her wrinkles seemed to have increased out of worry.
The old man gave the packet to his grand son and told him to give it to her.
She fell on his knees and thanked him excessively.
The old man picked her up asked her to compose herself and walked on holding his grandsons hand.
It has been 4 years since this incident happened. The old man died last year. He was my grandfather. I had nearly forgotten about that night but all this came afresh when I saw the old woman at my grandfather’s funeral. She was standing in a corner and crying. When she saw me she hugged me and said that my grandfather was a demigod and had given her husband life. I knew she was referring to that night and how we had bought her land. Or so I thought.
She was crying and talking and told me that my grandfather had not bought the land but given her money the lands worth.
I was spellbound at my grandfather’s magnanimity and benevolence and had always thought my grandfather to be a shrewd business man.
I learned so much about him from him after he was gone and thanked him. He taught us so many lessons posthumously and am proud to be his child.
I know he is always watching me and smiling at every deed.
I love him and he knows dat.
But now things were different. He had seen his share of hardships and it had all paid off now. He and his counterparts were considered stalwarts by the younger generations who had changed the face of the town from a hamlet. The respect he received was true as ever and came straight from the heart.
He had given his family everything he never had. His sons had received good education and his daughters had been sent to boarding schools, something which was considered way ahead of its time. He brought the first television set and high end machinery to help farmers foster their growth. He had made innumerable contributions to the growth of the region and all these thoughts made him a proud man but he was still very humble. He smiled at all this as a stray dog came sniffing to his feet. He searched for some nuts in his pocket and threw it for the dog that happily wagged his tail and ran after them.
His 7 year old grandson came running up from behind. He was the old mans daughter’s son and would come home during the vacation. They held hands and walked home. It was a favourite thing between the old man and his grandson to talk about the old mans younger days which he happily complied. So he started narrating anecdotes as the boy listened patiently.
They were just a turn away from their home when they were suddenly interrupted by an old frail woman clutching her tattered sari. She had a wrinkled face and gray hair and looked very poor. She burst into tears and reached out for his hand. "Please don’t buy another mans land. Please buy my land, please. I need that money. My husband will die. Please buy my land." she said, wailing inconsolably. It took just a moment for the old man to recollect who she was and realised that the woman was the wife of the poor farmer whose land his family had been trying to acquire but had changed their decision as they were getting a better deal elsewhere.
The old man asked her to stop crying and asked his grandson to run and get a glass of water. The child returned in a jiffy and gave it to her. She stopped crying and thanked and blessed the little boy. Turning to the old man she requested him to buy her land as she needed the money for her husband’s treatment. He knew all about the old woman’s financial condition and knew that that piece of land was their only asset and also how important the land is to every farmer. They both were sons of the same soil.
She pleaded with him again and again but he could not promise her anything as it was a financial decision and he must not let the heart rule over the mind. He said he had to speak to his sons before committing anything.
He asked the woman to meet him at the same place early next morning.
They both walked home and no one spoke about it. The little boy was at his grandfather’s side the entire night and the man had not spoken to his sons. The boy went to sleep and shortly after the old man lay by his side and petted him on his head.
When the boy got up the next morning the old man was getting ready for his morning walk. He saw a brown packet clutched under his grandfather’s arm. He asked his grandfather if he could come along and he consented. He quickly got out of bed and dressed. The both walked out of the house and reached the same place where they had met the old woman last night.
She was already there. Sleeping on the pavement. She hurriedly got up when she saw them. Her face was smeared dirty with dried tears and her wrinkles seemed to have increased out of worry.
The old man gave the packet to his grand son and told him to give it to her.
She fell on his knees and thanked him excessively.
The old man picked her up asked her to compose herself and walked on holding his grandsons hand.
It has been 4 years since this incident happened. The old man died last year. He was my grandfather. I had nearly forgotten about that night but all this came afresh when I saw the old woman at my grandfather’s funeral. She was standing in a corner and crying. When she saw me she hugged me and said that my grandfather was a demigod and had given her husband life. I knew she was referring to that night and how we had bought her land. Or so I thought.
She was crying and talking and told me that my grandfather had not bought the land but given her money the lands worth.
I was spellbound at my grandfather’s magnanimity and benevolence and had always thought my grandfather to be a shrewd business man.
I learned so much about him from him after he was gone and thanked him. He taught us so many lessons posthumously and am proud to be his child.
I know he is always watching me and smiling at every deed.
I love him and he knows dat.
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