Sandy - Part I

 Chapter I

Knock at the door at that wee hours sounded like someone banging at my doorstep, I rolled up uncomfortably to move towards the door, power cut at that hour has made the stranger preventing using the calling bell, I shouted I am coming & moved towards the door switching on the emergency lamp, knocker was not a stranger, he is Sandy, childhood pal of mine, as usual he had come up with a new issue. His bloated face, bleeding lips said he had a rough time with some one, I opened the door and showed an approval to come inside. He took to the reclining sofa & signed me to get him water.

I motioned towards the refrigerator; opening it I asked what happened Sandy? picking up the ice cubes to mix him a stiff drink which would be soothing for his sores both mentally & physically,  though i am not a drunkard, I always used to have some alcoholic beverages in my shelf, he refused to take it, but I insisted him this is now the right medicine, he held the glass in both of his hands as if holding a glass bulb, rolling it in his palms, resting his elbows on his thighs, I waited for him to sip the drink, his eyes melting to tears unable to see me, still rolling the glass, I softly said "first gulp it" he had all the drink in one take, I refilled him with another drink, now he sounded energetic,, I know the effects of alcohol, though it is injurious on long term consumption, it has good effects when one feel ill, soothing out his stress like applying balm on a fresh wound.

Sandy is an engineering graduate, having in-depth knowledge in civil construction which is his major he is well known for his experimental innovative ideas which were successfully implemented as low cost buildings, designer buildings, his ability maneuvering with subordinates fetched him praise and fame in the industry, its not exaggeration if we say he played an impeccable role is shaping up the construction industry. He has his age old father mother, father served Indian railways for 34 years and his mother like any other family a plaster for all his sores, governed the family. 

Sandy like any other youth was robust, heaped piles of credentials as qualifications, excelled professionally, his timely behavior is compassion, if he finds anyone on his way to office or his way back home, staggering where to go he will empty his purse and would make arrangements for their night stay at old age home or juvenile hostel or finally a police station. He would call me from some where anytime and ask for help if he found anyone, sometime I would feel why this guy is peeking inside not letting us to be ourselves for a while. But never his compassion made him awry of the situation.

I glanced at him, now he looked composed, he uttered it was Sheeba's mother who hit him badly, one by one things started to unveil unto my vision, I exclaimed, wondered how these women folks are so arrogant, only fault Sandy did was running behind that rude woman's daughter Sheeba, for that the pay back, he was assaulted by her mother.  Time galloped alike fiery stallion, I believed passing months would have healed Sandy physical & emotional pain, six months gone, one hot tired afternoon Sandy evoked my spirits calling me over the phone, he announced he along with his friends are going to propose a girl who works as a helper for masonry in his construction site. This time again I was shocked to hear what he said, I started realizing Sandy is a man of quick turn ups of fluctuating moods, I wanted to confirm his decision as authentic.

Chapter II

I applied on the brakes seeing the green illuminant signal changing to red; it was a bright summer noon, sun burned like a hot big furnace, it was hell to wait till signal changes to green, a girl little at the age of kinder garden student spread out colorful waste cloths in her right hand while holding a bunch in her left, she stood near on my right side looking pleasingly at me, looking at the signal confirming it won’t change for forty seconds I carefully let out a soiled note from my purse for that waste cloth which can be used to wipe my bike. I could see her face lit up besides her tired poor complexion, she left handling the cloth seeking for another. This is very usual sight in the city in the signals, when we wait in excruciating hot sun little girls & their mothers with infants selling little mop sticks, waste cloths, sun screens to the commuters.

I don’t love charity, I believe one should not paid to buy fish instead one should be taught to catch fish quoted by a Chinese premier, more over I get a sick feeling when a person beg for alms to me, sometimes I get irritated like the alms seekers have found my soft corner of my heart, feeling sick, I would bark at them in defense.