WAITING...

It was the month of October in the late 70s, the wind blew softly, the leaves had just started falling from the trees, their rustling sound was tingling in my ears. As I walked towards my home, I could hear the ladies' giggles in the air, they were sitting in the backyard gossiping about their husbands. The cows were mooing and my younger brother was fetching milk from them. I went inside and saw my mother making rotis on the chulah. The fire entangled with the wood was lightening the sky, I could see my mother sweating, she wiped her sweat off with her dupatta and coughed a bit; her face was glowing more than the fire now. I adored her for several minutes; She smiled at me and her eyes twinkled, she said: "Ashok, do you want something ?" 

I came back to the world of reality from my world where I was so engrossed in adoring my mother and replied

" Oh yes, Baba, where is Baba?" 

She chuckled, "He had gone to Sudhir's house in the afternoon, he must be on his way back now ." 

Sudhir was my maternal uncle and my Baba was blind but he refused to sit at home and used to go out with a long wooden stick and black goggles to meet people. 

Now the moon's light had overthrown the sunlight and it was a dark sky; Baba had still not returned. We didn't have a clock back then, but it was around 10 P.M. 

I went out and started searching for him, there was a small tea stall in front of my house made of wood and hay. I went to the stall, and searched for the owner, he was closing the lid of his biscuit box, I asked him about Baba, he left the box in haste and few biscuits fell on the ground "Baba hasn't returned?" he asked shockingly. 

I replied in despair "No Chacha." 

The news of Baba not returning soon spread like the fire in the chulha. That night seemed longer than other nights, everyone was worried but was helpless as there was no telephone and we couldn't visit my uncle until dawn. 

A few tears came off my eyes as I remembered my Baba's habit of staring at the stars at night and telling amazing stories about them. The next morning I went to the river close to my house, I stood there and noticed the wave coming and returning but leaving some drops in my feet, the drops waited there in the hope of the wave coming back and taking them along with it. My Baba also didn't return like that wave and I was still waiting for him like the drops.

I went to my uncle's house with my younger brother. His village was 10 kilometers away, and it was a bit cold; we wore our shawls and began the journey.

Our hearts were full of pain and many unanswered questions, but our lips froze when we tried to speak. The chilly breeze was giving us goosebumps, and our eyes were becoming sore because of it. We reached my uncle's house, but our Baba was still nowhere to be found. My uncle told me, Baba didn't come to meet him yesterday, my brother and I looked at each other in shock and I could see him hiding his tears with the cup of tea in his hands. 

We returned, and today the wind seemed harsh than soft, leaves rustling sound seemed annoying than peaceful and there were no giggles to be heard. Everything seemed changed and horrifying. We did all that we could to find Baba but failed.

Today, I am an Ophthalmologist in Delhi and have taken a holiday to visit my village. As I am reaching nearer to my home, I can feel the wind blowing softly, hear the birds chirping melodiously and see the leaves leaving their parent tree and falling into a new life. I can hear the same ladies' giggles in the air, but their faces have changed. The cows are mooning, but now we have a machine to fetch their milk. In the kitchen, my wife is making rotis on a gas stove, and I am adoring her like I adored my mother. Everything has changed but now it's peaceful.

 I am going to the river, to see if the drops are still waiting for the wave to return. 

Yes!! they are. Just like them; Baba, I am still waiting. 

I wish you could see me become a doctor as you always dreamt of, and I could cure your eyes and you could see the stars again with me !!

BASED ON TRUE EVENTS