We used to stay in a sleepy town in the late 70s. A stray motor car used to generate a lot of flutter in hearts of children. We literally used to run behind the car and force the hapless driver to slow down so that we could sit on the rear trunk and hitch a ride for a minute or so. We would be happy, just chasing cars.
One fine afternoon, we were playing bat ball(cricket term was unheard, those days by us) in our building compound and we saw a gigantic elephant ambling across our lane. A bearded mahout with a trident in his hands was astride the grey pachyderm who was stopping at the gathered crowds to collect fruits or coins offered by them. It seemed as if the entire town was on the road that day. The elephant represents Lord Ganesha and people were offering their prayers too. It was the first time we had seen an elephant on our daily walking sleepy road.
Me and my younger brother blindly followed the elephant, shouting and cheering all the time with our motley gang of friends. It was like a procession. The mahout smiled slyly at the resultant response. I did not like his smile at all. The sinister smile was masking his inner viciousness. I thought so. By the time I realised this, we were pretty far away from home and a salty smell hit my senses. We were nearing the creek and my heart started racing.
The creek was a place which was strictly forbidden and off limits to us. We were repeatedly warned by our parents but the elephant somehow got us there. Of course, the water currents were dangerous but importantly the creek was a hub for small time smugglers who got their goods in small row boats. It was a shady place and we were at our wit's end. We were hypnotised,mesmerised by the mahout, probably. We were just 4 kids left and the mahout got down from the elephant and started to approach us. My brother started bawling seeing the fierce look in the mahout's eyes.
We were unaware of the perils of wandering out to such a place. What would he do with us? was the burning question in my heart. We were kids who had never seen the world without our parents. We were ignorant of evil people who would probably sell us to a 'Fagin' like character. Our futures were pretty dark at that moment in time.
The creek harboured a few people who went for fishing with their nets and small boats to eke out a living. I noticed a familiar figure coming out of a slum. I saw a glimmer of hope and yelled out to her. She was our maid and we kids just rushed out to her. The maid women folk are dominating and razor tongued. She berated the mahout and threatened him with unimaginable and unheard of words. Her folks just rushed out to help her out with the verbal lashings.The evil mahout and the innocent elephant began their escape from there with a brisk pace.
The maid was our saviour for the day.
She took us back home. We asked her to hush up the matter, solemnly promising never to stray out of the buliding compound ever. She was kind enough.
The maid worked for us for a decade or so and left work as her children grew up to be good fishermen,expanding their business. I still sometimes go to visit her. She is almost bed ridden now, counting her final days.
I touch her feet and take her blessings. Without her, My dark future would have been in the wretched hands of the pied piper.
No comments:
Post a Comment