Moral Short Story – A SPARKLE TO SUN
Photo credit: nasirkhan from morguefile.com
1
An autorickshaw halted seven floors down the slushy ground that had enjoyed a gush due to incessant rains last night. Agastya lived at the seventh floor of Chishikho Apartments. As he looked out of the window that faced the main road to the commercial street, his binoculared-eyes fell on the autorickshaw and he saw two men walk out of it. He also noticed a third person sitting in it but the hustle and bustle of the city made him withdraw his eyes from the least important activity of the day. He finished his rituals and left for the office.
“ Hey Agy! Have you read today’s newpaper? Our city has been witnessing a huge number of kidnapping cases in the past one month. Why can’t we do something about it?” Mohan began his usual conversation with Agastya over the newspaper headlines.
“Ok tell me what can you do to stop the crime in the city?” Agastya retorted.
“ Let us be sensitive to people first and look carefully around us. This can check the criminals who know that the city dwellers hardly have time even to look at one another. Let us be aware.”
Mohan was right but the attitude that people held in the modern times was not that right. If by chance you happened to evesdrop your neighbour’s fight with his wife and decided to help them, you would be cautioned with a stern warning, “ MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS.” People no longer wanted anyone to intrude their private space and that was the real cause for the growing insensitivity in the people and the society.
The world had changed but Mohan had not. Many a times he stood amidst strangers facing their verdict never to indulge in their matters. Yet it was difficult for him to gobble the true picture of the changing society.
“ Ok we can discuss that later. I heard Agy, that you have applied for a week long vacation . Is it true?” Mohan did not want to continue the argument, seeing my impassivity in the subject.
“Yes. My wife and I have planned to visit some prominent temples situated nearby and give some peace to the ever burdened minds too. She has also applied for leave and we will set out after two days.” Agastya confirmed his plan and started the official tasks, leaving Mohan musing over his own calculations.
2
“ The traffic is growing in leaps and bounds per day. See I am driving at the speed of 45 kms/hr yet I seem to be heading towards an unexpected collision with either a vehicle or a person.” Shweta commented as she drove the car.
Sensing the upcoming of a real congested road of an approaching town, I took the steer in my hands and Shweta rested her head back at the adjacent seat.
“ Shweta! Put on the seat belt.”Agastya cautioned her and Shweta obeyed. But the caution notice was followed only for sometime. A panoramic view outside the window, adjacent to her seat made her disentangle herself from the seat belt and she started clicking photos of the roadside view.
3
SCREEEEEEHH!!!!!!!! Agastya suddenly applied breaks, avoiding the car, ram into the rear of a lorry that was moving ahead and had suddenly stopped without any indication, overtaken by a speeding long distance bus. The rear of the lorry however hit the car and Shweta’s head collided with the roof of the car.
What followed soon was a pool of blood flowing from her injured part of the head and Agastya saw a few men banging at the halted car, asking Shweta to open the car door. She did so, holding her head with her left hand and was slowly taken out by two men. One of the men put a piece of cloth on her head and made her sit in his car. Agastya followed her in a sort of daze. She was to be taken to a nearby nursing home .
On the way, Shweta kept memorising the names of her fraternity in order to console herself with a conviction that nothing serious had happened to her. Dr. Parekh was about to leave to attend a conference, when Shweta was dragged slowly to his cabin. A gentleman who had accompanied them in the car, offered her a glass of water but she refused to drink.
“ We have to apply nine stitches to the affected part and wait to see if more complications appear before you leave the place.” Dr. Parekh informed Agastya and he nodded confusedly. After an hour, he was told that the patient showed no serious complications and she could proceed to travel but at a slow speed of the car.
Meanwhile the good samaritans took their car to get some food packets for the couple. As they returned , Agastya immediately hugged both of them and wept in fear…..the fear of having lost his wife, had the duo not provided the timely help. What would have happened if the two men had stood along with the crowd and commented on the scene instead of helping Shweta????Agastya’s eyes filled with remorseful tears. Had he not posed as a mute spectator on many such accidental situations!!!!!!
4
Almost a year has passed after this accident. Nothing much has changed in the globe except Agastya’s attitude towards life and people. He leaves no stone unturned whenever he comes across people in dire help. At the office, Mohan is happy to see the true HEART TRANSPLANT of his friend and Shweta never forgets to put the seat belt on. Once again life is back on the track.
Next time you see any person in need of your aid, please do not turn your face and your vehicle away. A life saved or helped may turn out to be your return gift to save and help your own family members.
“ So shall we do something or atleast try to save our city from its polluters?” Mohan smilingly asked Agastya during the annual celebrations of the company .
“ IF WINTER COMES, CAN SPRING BE FAR BEHIND???????”was Agastya’s prompt reply.
END
