While passing through the tiny passage of last room, Baba suddenly stopped. Even at the age of fifty eight, his eyes noticed something! Baba turned towards old wooden cupboard. His eyes were fixed in the deep neglected corner between the back of the cupboard and the unpainted wall. There was a slight stink in the room, maybe because of oxygen deficit. Baba liked the odor!
He leaned forward and said, “Great!”
He moved the broken window pane to let sunlight in. Now it was glistening!
Cell phone started imitating an old Hindi song as a caller tune.
“Baba!”
Sudhir, Baba’s son, called out. Sudhir was thirty years old, married recently with an employed wife –Shaila.
The Phone call continued.
“Baba! There is a call for you! Where are you? Sudhir said loudly.
“I am here, in the last room”
As if caught red handedly, terrified baba closed the window pane and hurriedly came out. He was about to collide with Sudhir, who had a long broom in right hand and Baba’s mobile in left hand.
“What you were doing here?” –Sudhir
“Nothing… Nothing special! I was junt standing and watching”
“Watching… what?”
“Watching? A… Nothing!” –Baba
“Watching Nothing? Just now you told me that you were watching and now you deny!
Aie, a strong woman of forty four, rubbing her wet hands on the stained napkin, entered the scene. A pungent stench of garlic and spicy food followed her.
“What happened? – Aie
“Nothing!” –Baba
“What Nothing? There is something!” –Sudhir
“Whatever it may be, first all of you come in the kitchen and tell me, I shall solve the problem” –Aie
“But there is no problem!” While following them Baba said.
“You just wait! Sudhir you tell me, what happened?” Aie said.
Aai was smearing salt and red chili over roasted brinjal.
As Sudhir opened his mouth, once again the old song started. Baba snatched the phone from Sudhir’s hand and while going outside he whispered
“Call later! Call later. I shall… I shall!”
“Who is that?” –Aai
“Who?” –Baba
“Who? The person who called you just now?”
“Nobody!”
“Nobody? Is this an answer? If really “nobody” called you, then with whom you talked now, with a ghost?”
“My God! Nobody means the person with whom I talked is not important for you!”
“But what’s problem in telling me his name?”
“Just now he told me that he was watching and now.…”
“I was not watching” Baba said emphatically.
“Then?”
“I was thinking”
“Thinking? About what?” –Sudhir
“Nothing particular… Just vague!”
“No need to ask him. He must have an idea of a new story or novel”
“Not novel!!- Baba
“Means it is story! How I caught the thief!” –Aie
“I cannot understand how he could think of a new writing when he is drowned under so much of debts!” –Sudhir
“But how can I help if an idea comes in my mind!”- Baba
“I can understand that. Baba there is nothing wrong in writing. If any outsider happens to hear this, he would think that we are scolding you for writing.”
Baba kept mum.
“My point is that, first of all we will focus on our debts. Once we clear them off completely, then you are free to do what you like!” –Sudhir
Baba nodded his neck like a student.
“And why there should be confusion in your answers? First watching, and then thinking. Tell us frankly. There is no need to hide. You yourself have taught me since childhood – ‘not to hide’, isn’t it?”
: Is Sudhir a little bit emotional?
Thought flashed like a lightening in Baba’s mind.
“Why there is guilt over your face. What’s the matter Baba?” – Aie asked
Baba kept mum.
“Why are we wasting time? We have to clean the house before ‘they’ come.” –Shaila
“Right! Baba you also get involved.”
“No, no! It will not help. Baba will not allow us to throw anything! Actually he will only confound our work” Shaila whispered in Sudhir’s ear.
“Ok. He will do only dusting” – Sudhir
“But it may worsen his asthma.” –Aie
: Am I a totally useless creature in this house? – thought Baba.
Suddenly phone started singing!
“Give me that phone, I shall see” Aie said.
“No need! I shall tackle him” Baba said and listened to the call.
But his face started dropping gradually. Without answering a word Baba put off the call.
“Who was he?” Aie asked anxiously.
“A Friend”
“What friend? He must have some name!?
“Deshmukh!
“That poet Deshmukh?” Aie and Sudhir screamed at a time!
Baba had no courage to say ‘yes’. Of course the guess was correct!
‘And what that boredom poet is asking you?’- Shaila
“What else? He must be in search of a listener for his new poems.” –Aie
Baba couldn’t say anything.
“But what he said?” – Shaila
“He wishes to come here”
“Now?” –All three screamed.
“Yes”
“How you allowed him to come” Asked Aie.
“When did I allow him? I said nothing. I just heard.”
“But when my guests are coming, how can we entertain that rotten poet?” –Shaila
“How can he even suggest to come and spoil our Sunday morning?” –Sudhir
“When everybody avoids this man and makes mockery of his so called poems, how can you tolerate him?” –Aie
“I shall not allow him to enter the gate; at least today”, Aie said.
“Let us focus at our ‘operation Garbage’!” Sudhir said.
Without uttering a word baba picked up the mopping cloth and went to the last room.
He took a quick glance behind and ran towards magnetic corner. He opened the window slowly…
Arrows of sunrays pierced the hidden treasure. There, in the dusty virgin area was hanging, seemingly delicate but actually resilient rainbow colored web with a tiny spider at its hub, woven by interlacing concentric strands, vibrating just by the gentle breeze, making the whole of that world live!
Baba started dusting, mosquitoes in sound sleep started dancing and singing. Baba slapped himself, saw a reddish stroke on his finger. He dropped it over the ‘beauty spot’. Instantly there was a high alert! The central commander contracted the web, and walked over the visible – invisible ladders to engulf the prey.
Baba was so preoccupied that he didn’t notice Aie at his back.
“What are you watching so intently?”
Baffled Baba turned and covered the web by his back.
“Let me see what you are hiding! … Ok that’s good.” – Aie.
Aie leaned. Nothing was visible. Suddenly she noticed spider running over the web.
“Oh! That’s why you selected this room Sudhir, see here is a bomb inside! …” Aie said in shrill voice.
“There is a terrorists attack outside!!”
“Rush out! The terrorist has already crossed our gate and has attacked our guests! ”- Sudhir yelled
All came out hastily. A big car was parked near the gate. A middle class couple was heading towards house with wrinkled noses. Along with them Baba’s poet friend was trailing by their side and lingering with wide pitiable smile smeared over his face and entire body!
Baba could feel his friend’s wagging tail and drooling saliva!
Baba went to him in a rage, held his arm firmly and nearly dragged him out of compound. Baba didn’t pay heed to surprised Poet.
“Who were the guests?”
“I don’t know.”
“What they have brought in that decorated box? Probably the gift?”
“I am not interested, I was not being introduced to them. You don’t get love and respect by begging.” Baba said.
“Why are you so upset?”
Baba narrated all the incidences and added –
“Even I don’t like your behavior. You are a poet. You must have your ego!”
“What do you think? I don’t understand the world? In fact I enjoy all the situations. I read the human souls when people interact with me. On the contrary, I advise you to think objectively. Your family members are doing right thing. They are only cleaning your home. Nothing wrong in it. Go and cooperate them. Good bye.”
Engrossed Baba returned. There was no car. He went straight to that corner.
Nothing was left there except a black dot on the wall …
Aie handed over a card to baba. Baba was speechless.
“Shaila’s relatives presented a POLAROID camera. Sudhir first photographed the web and then…”
Baba was surprised to see the photo.
: Color photographs always enhance the beauty of reality.
Baba wanted to put the photo somewhere…
: But again somewhere means exactly where? And what next?
Once again an addition of a paper? Who is going to see it? Am I going to see it later? What is its use then? Will you call it as ‘Life’? And say that ‘life is like that only!’ If so, then what is the purpose of life? …
Baba was standing like a mud statue. One thing he didn’t notice…
The spider, of course another one, had started its web!
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