Tasveeren

"Tum Ne Us Ghar Ke Deewaron Pe

Tasveeren Meri Laga Rakhi thin

Jab aap Nahi Hote ....

Tab Yehi Mujh Se Baat Karti Hain

Tum Kahaa Karti Thin

Woh Tasveeren Ab Tumhare Saath Nahi

Ab Tum Kis Se Baat Karti Ho?

Bas Ye Batlaa Do!"

The Retard...

"Please buy whatever u want to buy, as I may not open my shop tomorrow. My son is dead" said the shopkeeper in the Khajurahu main market area.

I was surprised to see his deadpan expression when he said the word " Dead". I asked him what had happened?

"He was first violated and then drowned in a well. He was just 7", was the reply with the same dead pan expressions. I found the whole conversation to be weird, so I bought whatever I wanted to buy and left his shop.

However, I did inquire about this incident at another shop in the market. I was told "yes that it is a true story but that guy is a retard".

I went back to his shop again, this time I knew what to do. I tried to talk him about the tragedy so that he could come out of the shock that apparently he was in. I inquired about his wife and how she was taking it. I tried to convince him that both of them should not feel guilty about this....and a few more words of wisdom on how to move on.

Deadpan expressions remained the same....no matter what I said.

Finaly, I asked him a stupid question.

"Why did you have just one? Why not more kids?"

"I wanted to provide proper education to him and raise him to be a big man...that's why I decided to have just one"

As I left his shop for the last time.....I knew who all were the retards.....

It wasn't him, that's for sure!!

(C) Shahid Parvez Sayed, Feb 6th at 10 am