In my teens
I recall an incident
still etched on the
walls of my mind
involving a lean, tall, dark
old man in white
who came to my house
on bare-foot at the sunset moments in the village
pleading with my father
to give him shelter that night.
From the very first look
father was certain
that he was a man of self-respect
hailing from a well-to-do family
and with all humility
invited him inside
and provided him an easy chair
my father used to
recline in his leisure moments everyday.
What caught my immediate attention was
his gloomy face and tired face.
We at home knew very
well he was travelling
on bare-foot the entire day.
My father must have seen in him
his or his father
who left him in his early child-hood
which prompted him to give due respect and
care to the old man.
In the night
with father sitting beside
him on a bench
the old man unraveled his entire story.
That he was from an
aristocratic family, from deep south
and after his wife
left him for her heavenly abode
in the prime of her life
the burden of looking after his four children
fell on his shoulders
and with all love, care and responsibility
got them educated
married them off to well-off families
but with him reaching the sunset of his life
with flow of time
he gradually turned a burden to them
which they began to
express in their behavior and deeds
by neglecting even his minimum needs
treated him like garbage
which was like a slap in his face.
The self-respect in him made him
walk out of the family
with no destination in mind.
From that very day
he traversed long distances on bare-foot
spending each night at
some households, temple premises or on the verandahs of
roadside buildings.
Thus
that day he happened to reach our house too
for spending a night at our house.
My parents provided him
food and facilities arranged for a
peaceful sleep.
In the morning
with the Sun rising over the village
he bid farewell to us
with gratitude glinting in his eyes
but still looking gloomy.
I saw my father’s eyes
brimming with tears
on seeing that my eyes
too turned tearful.
Father watched him
walking bare-footed
like a lean tree about to fall down any time
until he melted in the distance…….
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