This story is actually very close to my heart as I witnessed this myself. It is the story of an old man without any hope. It all started a few years ago. I was having my evening tea at my balcony. The sun was going down, a cool breeze from the east was blowing and the cacophony of neighboring kids was creating a congenial surrounding. It was a normal evening at our colony. I was watching the kids at the park when my eyes noticed an elderly figure. He was in his late 70’s, sitting alone at the park bench. It was a bit odd and melancholic but I did not give him any attention that day. The next day, I was having my customary evening tea when I saw that man again. He was not doing anything. He just sat there alone and watched the kids play. Frankly, I thought he was a lunatic but he was dressed a lot nicely for a lunatic. This went on for a month. It was making me curious. So I asked my mother about that old man.
She explained me about the man. The man was a war veteran. He recently moved to our colony. He had a son. But his son had not visited him in the last 10 years. The story was touching though his visits to the park were still a mystery. Next evening, I went to the park and sat at his bench. He was as usual on time, 5pm sharp. He sat next to me and started to gaze at the kids. It felt as if he was in a trance. I, bluntly asked him then “Excuse me!! Sir!! Why do you come here everyday?”
“I like it here.”
And with that we started an unusual friendship. From that day onwards, I used to meet him everyday at the park. He used to tell me war stories and about his life at the battlefield. I liked his company so much that I never got a chance to ask him about his son. I thought some things were better left untouched. But, one day, during our conversations he told me his story about his visits to the park. He had grand son who was 6 but he had never seen him. This made me realize why he had been visiting the park everyday. He had no idea about how his grandson had looked but these kids were the only thing that reminded him of his grandson. They were the projection of his grandson whom he might never see again. A man whom I used to consider a lunatic was in fact a pragmatist. His story was heart melting. For a man like him who had nothing left in life not even hope, these visits were the reasons to live for one more day.
Soon, vacations ended and I had to stop visiting him. A few weeks went by and mom informed that the old man was not coming to the park for a week or so. One day, I returned from my tuitions around 5 and was standing at the balcony. Then, I saw him at the park but this time he was not alone. He was with his grand son. They looked so happy together. His face had tranquility in it. Even his grand son was enjoying. The love between them was very sweet but it was unexplainable. It was a love of a very different kind: strong and pure. The moment was surreal and it looked like poetry in motion. I was so chuffed to see them.
But nothing lasts forever. A week after that the old man died cos of a heart attack in his sleep. He dint even feel the pain. Now, when I think about the incident I realize that his only wish was to meet his grand son and nothing else. Maybe that was how he wanted to end his life’s story. In fact, EVERYONES LIFE IS A STORY IN THE END, WE JUST HAVE TO MAKE IT A MEMORABLE ONE………..
