Night 3
Time 8 past 45
It was a usual
night where all the neighbourhoods’ bed time stories began. Chattering sound
was heard at Radha’s house. Little Aadhi was laughing over her mother’s act.
Aadhi twisted
his little face and asked his mother, “You know what happened today?”
Radha
rejoined,” oh oh! What happened?”
“I repeated
da’s adventures to my friends at school and to Madhi”
Radha shrunk
her eyebrows and mouth and said, “I suppose, Madhi Falls under friends
category, doesn’t she my little doll?”
Aadhi grinned,
“yeahhh! She asked more about da ma!”
“Oh oh!
Someone has got a girl friend. Yeah oh yeah,” She playfully said and hugged the
little Aadhi.
Aadhi
rejoined, “She is not my girl friend, she is my friend. I guess some one has
got things wrong here.”
“Oh oh! My
little five years old knows the difference between a friend and a girl friend.”
She closed one of her eyes and said,” Something is wrong!” She laughed.
Aadhi replied,
“ma! Please, tell about Da.”
Radha cleared
her throat as little Aadhi sat curiously on the bed.
“It was a cold
night and pitch dark as well. For a moment I thought I was in north eastern
part of our country. Unbearable cold on a December night, your Da and I was
walking with my head on his shoulders as his hand was covering me. A little
walk I could remember for years. It was a night after our marriage and I was
carrying you in my womb. I heard a man shouting “Help! Somebody please help
me””
Aadhi
Interrupted, “Ma! What is mean by a womb?”
Radha replied,
“It is a small bag inside my stomach.”
Aadhi,” what
was I doing there?”
Radha
chuckled,” Only heavens knew it kiddo! You weren’t born at that time as you
were inside that bag. ”
Radha asked,
“oh God. Aadhi do not interrupt, see, I forgot where I stopped the story.”
Little Aadhi
replied, “You heard a man shouting “Help!””
Radha
Rejoined, “Ok Ok. Got it! Startled by the sudden sound, your Da and I turned
towards the way from which the sound travelled. We saw a group of men beating
an older man and they were trying to steal from him. But, the old man held his
bag as tight as he could. They started to beat him harder. Blood was oozing
outta his head. Your Da started running towards the man. I shouted, “No! Don’t
go!” It’s too late. Your dad pushed the man who was holding the old man. He
punched him on his face. A big blow, the man lost his balance and fell on the
ground. I stood there paralyzed when I saw a fat man held your dad. But, your
dad was a hard man to beat. He pushed the fat man with is back and forced him
towards a flickering lamp post. It hit the fat man’s head and he fell
unconscious. Then he speared the other one with his bulk shoulder. He fought
hard and won the fight at last. When I thought everything was ok, the fat man
who was hit by a lamp post stabbed your Da on his back. I shouted out of fear
and ran towards your Da but as I told you earlier, your Da was a hard man to
beat. He plucked the knife outta his shoulder and stabbed the Fat man’s leg. He
fell on the ground. I went near him, “Oh Dear! What have you done?”
Your Da said,
“I’m ok. I’m alright. That idiot doesn’t have guts to fight me. So, he stabbed
me at the back.”
I cried, “But
dear..why? why did you fight? It’s not our business.”
“Business? If
it wasn’t meant to be my business, I would have abandoned you on that rainy
night. Radha, this life is worth fighting for. “The happiest people I have
known have been those who gave themselves no concern about their own souls, but
did their uttermost to mitigate the miseries of others.” I have trust in those
words.” Your Da bending his back as I
was holding him said these words.
"First time I
realized that your Da was not a human; he was more than a human. I thanked God
for giving me a precious life with a precious man. I sensed Godliness when I
touched him. I helped the old man with his credentials. He thanked your dad and
blessed him."
Aadhi with his
awestruck face said, “ Da was an wonderful man, wasn’t he?”
“Yup. No doubt
on that. He was kind too” Rejoined Radha.
“When I grow
up, I want to become like Da!”
Radha kissed
her son’s forehead and lied next to him. Aadhi said, “Ma! I’m proud of my Da!”
Radha rubbed
his shoulder and said, “I’m too! Now sleep! It’s time and you have to wake up
tomorrow so that you can tell the adventures to your friend Madhi!”
Aadhi rejoined,”
and also to my other friends as well. You forgot that.”
“Ok sir. Now
time. Could you please close your blue eyes?”
“As you wish”
said Aadhi and closed his eyes.
Radha switched
off the light and patted her little son. After sometime, she woke up and walked
towards the main door as usual.