The Starfinder (a short story)

The bell rang. Few minutes passed - no one answered the door. It was early morning and the sunrays were spreading wings. Pranab was sitting in his chair enjoying the warmth of sun with a cup of tea. This was his morning ritual since he retired last year. Every morning, sitting in the balcony - enjoying a cup of tea with the newspaper.  He bought this tenth floor flat (apartment) ten years ago. He loved the view of the whole sky and city from the balcony.

The bell rang again. Pranab heard and said in loud, "Ramu kaka, someone is at the door". Ramu was the old family servant.  His father got him from the village when Ramu was ten years old. Ramu's parents were poor farmers indentured with loans with Pranab's grandfather. They requested Pranab's father to take Ramu to the city to help them. Pranab was one year old at that time. Since that time Ramu has taken care of Pranab like a brother for almost six decades. He was like the old vine which grows with the tree ... always there.

Ramu slowly got up  - his body has been tested with hard work for last six decades - it was not the same anymore. His body was bent a little with wrinkles in the face. He slowly got up with a sigh and walked slowly to the front door.

"Babu, Rahul is here and he wants some old newspapers" - Ramu updated Pranab. Rahul was the son of their maid who came to their home and cleaned utensils twice a day. He was eleven or twelve years old and had a younger sister probably two years younger. Both of them played together in the dusty road outside the apartment when their mom was working. 

"Why does he need" - Pranab inquired. "He wants to do some project", Ramu replied in a pleasing voice trying to convince Pranab to agree with the request. 

Ramu was very fond of Rahul. He saw him like his grandson that he never had. He never married - the bond of servitude was like a black snake ... it twisted the soul in many ways. However good the master is, you never felt free ... you always felt the skin of black snake touching and so he did not want to bring anyone into his life and feel the same.

"Sure, please give him all the old newspapers" paused a bit and said, "Please do not give him this week's newspaper... I want to re-read an article which came day before yesterday."  Ramu was happy with the answer and his face was lighted up with joy but tried not to show it to his master. 

"Sure babu", Ramu said and he hurried back to tell Rahul. Pranab had taken care of Ramu well and called him  'Kaka (Uncle)" as he was older than him and he had known him for most of his life. Ramu called him "Babu" which is used affectionately for a son or a brother or could be used to communicate with a superior.

Months have passed. There is a new stack of newspaper now, once in a while someone comes and buys the old newspaper to recycle.  Life is like a river  - it flows. Does the river know why it flows? Sometimes finding an answer is not important... just experience it. Humans have built dams to stop the river flow but like a river which can not stop itself, we humans can not stop the river of life  ... let it flow  ... let it flow ... be a droplet in this river of humanity.

Pranab was sitting in the balcony. The sun set few hours ago - this was busy time for markets and so the lights were in full force trying to woo the customers. Sitting on this balcony he felt good. He was enjoying this moment of peace from the noise and hustle bustle of the market. Today the sky was clear and the stars had come out with full glory. Full moon was few days away and so the splendor of moon made the evening very pleasant.  He was humming some tune while tapping on the side of the chair. This was a moment - the moment before or after was irrelevant - it was the moment where one is fully connected to everything and all the knowledge vanishes in this vacuum of moment. 

Ramu standing at the door was trying to say something but he was hesitating. He had not seen his master this way for last five years since Pranab's wife passed away. Since then, life had been very different for both of them.  Both of them were living alone ... like the two banks of river, stuck on the past and trying to move forward. They wanted to jump into the river of life again but finding it hard ...   it was the same hesitation a small child feels before jumping into the river for swimming, one step forward and two steps back for a while.

Finally, Ramu said in a soft voice, "Babu - Rahul is here and he wants to say something to you".

"Sure - please ask him to come here" - Pranab replied. Pranab is fond of Rahul also. It reminded him of his son when he was young, who is now working in a far away city. Rahul slowly walked forward but does not know how to address Pranab. He made slight coughing sound to alert him. Pranab and Rahul start chatting about school, friends and his sister.  After sometime, Pranab asks, "Rahul - you wanted to speak to me about something - what is it?"

Rahul handed Pranab a paper bag and said, “This is a present for you.” Pranab said "Thank you", but he did not understand the gift – a small paper bag. He looked at Rahul with inquiring eyes. Rahul explained with excitement, “The newspapers I took few months ago, I made paper bags like this and sold it for money. I made 50 rupees.”

"That's very good ... very good", Pranab said and then he continued ... "what are you planning to buy with that money?"

"I wanted to buy a dress for my sister." Rahul replied with a smile on his face just like a dancer smiles after doing a great performance - a proud but grounded accomplishment.

"Very nice  ... good boy Rahul" and he gave a small tap in the back of Rahul. Pranab looked at the paper bag and opened it but saw a hole in the bottom. "Thank you for the gift but it has a hole at the bottom - what can I use for?"  Rahul took a bit of strength and said, "Baba - you like watching stars and all my friends watch stars using this kind of paper bag. I thought you will like it also and so I made one for you."

Pranab took the paper bag and tried to look at the stars ... he head slowly moving from one constellation to another like a child.

"Baba - are you crying" - Rahul said as he sees streaks of tears coming from his eyes.  Pranab took off the paper bag and wiped off the tears ...  and said, "Nothing ... my eyes are just tired looking at the stars ... you should go back to home now... your mom may be looking for you "

After a few seconds of pause, "Rahul - please take as many newspaper you need going forward". Rahul was very happy with that, He silently bowed down to Pranab as a sign of respect and hurried back home with a smile as if he found a new sense of closeness. Ramu closes the door after Rahul and went back to the balcony to check up on his master.

When Pranab was young, he had done a similar thing ... made some paper bags, sold it to a store and bought a gift for his sister on her marriage -- he was fifteen at that time. His sister married at a very young age.  But after few years she passed away ...  and whenever he asked details about it, he was always told, "You are too young to understand…" He remembered fondly, just before going to her husband's home, his sister had said in his ear, "I will always be there for you. When you need me, look up in the sky and you will find me in a bright star."

 
Pranab was trying to locate his sister among the billions of stars looking through the hole in the paper bag. Ramu took his towel and wiped up the tears from Pranab's face. They both look at each other and feel the vast empty space....

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Jan 22, 2017