The Rain

7, his wristwatch said, he tapped it twice, to check if it was working, it was. A deep sigh escaped his parched lips. Sipping some cold water he anticipated his situation. If he took the train, it would transport him to the other end of the city in mere 15 minutes. Walking down to the station Kumar thought about his day, it had been rather tiresome. And the frequent, angry calls from his wife added nothing to it. It was still raining and after a week of water slashing down he had almost forgotten the warmth of the rays.
He waited and waited but the pleasant whistle of the evening local did not reach him. Was he at the right station? He tarried for some time, pacing the platform in hurried steps. Where the devil was his train? He gazed irritably at his watch, almost 8.
Clothes sticking, phone ringing at every second, Kumar waited rather tolerantly to get a taxi, his last resort but none of them budged. “The roads are blocked because of the rains, sahib”, they all said. He dialled his wife’s number to tell her that he would not be able to make it to the dinner party they were having , but stopped as he saw a taxi coming his away . Slowly it approached him, the headlights flickering, the machine making a loud growling sound. It stopped short of where Kumar stood. For 2 seconds nobody moved. Maybe both were waiting for the other to approach like a prostitute who waits uncomplainingly to be picked up by her employer, the silence till the deal is done, is uncomfortable, revolting.
Kumar made the move, he hurried to the taxi and peered inside, and he looked at the man inside who was to be his companion for the next 60 minutes. Dark complexioned, pork marked nose and a little fringe for hair, Deepak was in his 30’s with the most genuine smile ever, child like. Kumar instantly took a liking to him. Deepak agreed happily to take Kumar. As he stepped inside, he realized he was not alone. 6 pairs of eyes gazed back at him. He hesitated, thinking if he had mistaken. Then he heard Deepak laughing, ‘don’t worry sahib, this is my family, i also live in that part of the city. Hope it is not a problem if they travel with us. Kumar smiled, smiled at the taxi driver’s simplicity, smiled at his children’s glowing faces, smiled at his own fate.
Everything was an illusion, mixed with the transparency of the rain; soaking wet in its warmth. He looked on through the glass, touching the rain drops from the other side, there shadow staining his hand with darker and lighter shades of light. He made shapes with his finger on the frosted pane, with children’s laughter playing a soft note in the background. With Deepak’s family in that little space, he felt whole, complete. And soon he was playing little games with the kids, becoming just like them, forgetting his origin. They twisted their hands to make chirping birds and roaring tigers and then burst into babyish cackle. In that 60 minute journey Kumar forgot about his angry wife , his friends, their dinner party , in those minutes he made a new world , which he had not known before . He wanted to hold these minutes, wanted to capture them, wanted to capture the memories between minutes, wanted to capture time... he took out his phone and clicked whatever he could. The children made funny faces and they all laughed till their sides hurt ,a merry go round on wheels.
And then the minutes were over and the taxi was turning towards his house. The journey had ended too soon, he thought. He wanted a few more moments to relive it.
Kumar stepped out of the taxi, ready to pay Deepak whatever he asked for. As he fumbled inside his pockets to get the change, he realized that something was wrong. His phone had gone. He came out of the trance and started searching everywhere frantically. He turned into something totally different, something totally wild. They all engaged themselves in the search. Looking everywhere they could, opening up the heavens. But in vain, the devise was lost or stolen.
It was the first thought that crossed Kumar’s mind. It had been stolen, and the thought made him blind. He accused Deepak and his family, accused their innocence, accused their existence. They stood there, in the rain, heads bowed, mute with the silence.
The muteness made him barmier, and in that insane second he put them all in the cab and took them to the police station. Not once did Deepak revolt, he just looked on with dead silent eyes.
Beaten, tired Kumar walked back home. His mind free of thoughts but in a prison of them. He felt deceived, shaken. And as he reached the lane where the taxi had dropped him and the unpleasant events had unfolded , in the blue darkness, he saw it, lying there, condemning him. He picked up the listless device, put it in his pocket and walked on.........