Tit for Tat

It was quite a tiring weekend for Mr.Sen as he had to dedicate each and every bit of his time to his family and friends with whom he has met after 20 years.

Mr Shyamol Sen who works as a consultant in a multinational company in the United States probably has everything in the world that a man can dream for. It was 20 years ago when he stepped abroad and never got the time to come back to his country and visit his ancestral house where he has spend his childhood. It was the news of his uncle’s death that has draw him to the where he is currently presently. The place where he grew up after their parents death when he was four, the place where he used to spend time with a big family, his uncle being the closest to him who treated him as his own child ,his friends , school and so much of memories associated. He felt overjoyed to see his uncle after such a long time and spend some time with him.

With the news of his arrival in town all his childhood friends family members whom came to meet him which made Mr.Sen uneasy at times as he is not always in a mood to accompany people and besides his motive of spending time with his uncle was getting hampered. So he decided to take a walk to the ghat in the river near to his house and spend some time there while his uncle takes some rest. He headed towards his destination following the muddy road which leads to the ghat.Ten minutes of walk and he was there.It was just an hour left for the sun to set.

“What a chance to spend some time and enjoy the sunset ” he thought as he sat on one of the wooden benches beside the river.”These beauty I won’t get in Chicago, this is what I missed ” he told himself and started having a look around. Nothing of much has changed about this place, he noticed it is quite the same it used to be , children coming here to learn swimming after their school , woman coming to fetch water from the river , farmers taking their buffalos for a wash.He went into a flash back soon with all his memories coming one after another as he didn’t noticed when the sun has set and the street lights have blown up with their reflection on the river.

He was about to get up when suddenly he saw a man walking with a stick coming towards the side of the ghat where the benches are. He went to help the blind man and made him sit on one of the benches.

“Are you new to this place “the man asked.

Mr Sen much surprised with this sudden question said “No, But I haven’t recognized you”

“You must not be a regular in this place, because no one in this town has the time to help this miserable blind man in the town” he replied with a sarcastic laugh.

“I live abroad I came here to visit my uncle’s house”

“Are you Shamol?”

“How do you know?”

” That means I have guessed it right you r Shamol who have came to visit his uncle after 20 years staying abroad”

“Yes but who are you?”

“I have been bang on in recognizing you without a pair of sense organs in my body , I expected a better performance from you my friend, anyways I won’t trouble you , do you remember ashok?”

“Ashok yes masterji’s son, why shouldn’t I? He was one of my best friends quite unfortunate that I couldn’t say him good bye when I left because he was in hospital as far as I remember”

” A better performance this time my friend ,I am Ashok once I was your so called friend ”

Mr Sen interrupted in between “Ashok what misery has happened to you my friend, Feeling so bad to see you like this.”

“For your information let me tell you that misery that trauma was only because of one man who is sitting right in front of me”

“What?”

“It was you Shamol , the reason why I lost my eyes”

Mr Sen wanted to say something perhaps in his defense,but something stopped him from within.

“Do you remember the football match where you hit my face with your boot. It injured my eyes and I was not able to open my eyes for two days when my parents decided to take me to kolkata for treatment ,but it was too late my retina was damaged and it could never be cured”

“But I never knew all this could have been so serious,it was just an accident and I thought you would be all right”
As he said all these Mr.Sen holded Ashok’ s hand and said

“I am so sorry my friend for whatever I have done. Allow me to help you this time , come with me to U.S I will take you to the best doctors.”

“This will not recover your sins,”after a pause “Beside I am not entertained with the acting you are showing in front of me.You knew very well and clear that it was you who injured me and never attempted to come near me in case I take your name and left the town as soon as possible . It was after you left then I realized that it was planned you wanted to harm me before you leave this town,but you did it so well everyone took it as an accident..”

“Please stop Ashok,give me a chance to make it all right”

“It will never be right my friend ”

“It’s true I tried to injure you because you were ahead of me in every fields but trust me, I swear on my children I never knew you have lost your eyes until you told me” Mr Sen was in all tears when he said “Let me help you ,I won’t forgive myself until I cure you ”

“You want to cure me so that you can forgive yourself, no my friend ”

“Ashok come with me “Shyamol got a grip of Ashok’s hand “For god’s sake come with me Ashok to my house”
as Shayamol was speaking he was interrupted as the street lights went off transforming the ghat into a dense dark land.

“The lights have gone off” as he spoke these words within a second he experienced a hard hit on his head from a stick.He fell on the ground .

“What are you doing Ashok..”

as Shayamol shouted Ashok inserted his fingers inside Shyamol’s eyes.
Shyamol shouted and cried and his blood was all over his face as Ashok quickly got up and started walking as fast as he can before he said
“I could have taken your name and lashed you my friend but I never did it because all I wanted is … A tit for a tat”.

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