By-Pass
while I was standing near a worn out Guava tree just waiting for my bus , I heard a feeble mumble and felt some one was trying to reach ,me.
when none to be seen around I was again pulled from my back with a dry branch of the tree. Was it a dream? I could actually hear the Guava tree talking to me!
"Psst...do you hear me ?" It asked.
My mind still boggled I managed to nod my head.
" do you like me?" it asked
I looked at it from tip to toe i mean root! nothing special about it. in fact there was dirt allover and the leaves had lost their original color looking more like a weather beaten old lady with not a soul to groom her.
Since I didn't want to hurt it I managed a smile and said" yeah..you look ok.."
I could sense the tree chuckling in side amused by my so called politeness.
"I was not like this at all an year back too. Do you want to hear my story?"
"Oh well ,,since the bus may not be coming ...well...yeah why not..go on!" reluctantly I got ready.
Now let's hear it all from her mouth..I wont interfere.
"I was of this size say about the height of a small pup when my owner brought me from a nursery. He was very caring and loving .He planted me in front of his house, a place where sunlight was aplenty.And watered me every day until I could take root in the new soil. A small iron mesh was placed to protect me from those innumerable cows and buffaloes once abundant here. He was so happy to see me sprout leaf after leaf and showed me off to all his people.He had a son who was just of my size when I came. He would shower me with water hose .It was so much fun to be drenched with cold water after a scorching day light.I would sway happily in the evening breeze enjoying the silence of this street.Oh, I can see your quizzical look. Yes, this street was so silent that you can hear the temple bells of that far away village . But for some occasional bicycles and a still rarer motorcycle no transport to pollute.That's another story. Any way where was I? Yes, then things started happening .new houses started sprouting every day.Along came cement ashes and sand dusts. But I had no trouble as my boss was showering his love and cool water. By then I started bearing fruits.Oh!!I can't forget the first flowering day. The whole family was out to see the white bushy flower and wondered how big would be the fruit.I never disappointed them. I gave extra large fruits, full of flesh and sweet. Like the saying goes only fruit bearing tree gets more stone throws I started hosting lots of squirrels and green parrots took their first taste of the fruits before my boss could pluck them. there were lots of young boys who would climb my back and had their pick during the deserted afternoons.
I enjoyed their foot pressures when they climbed..Hmmm..even now I long for those massaging pressures.
Life was rosy until the day when some officials passed through this street and discussed a by pass to the highway coming up nearby.
Since I had no idea what it meant I kept flowering and borne fruits hosting parties all the time.My boss was watering me when a neighbor came over.They started discussing how life would be after the proposed By pass. the discussions went on and on for days and they finally decided to sell the house and move to a quieter area. The words came as a jolt to me . I never thought such an idea could pop up in his mind. Soon the road was filled with rubbish and granite pebbles were strewn-ed all over. Noise level was so high that I couldn't hear even the rustle of my own leaf.
there were people and machines every where.dust clouds became a common sight.the birds and squirrels had a tough time staying back with their privacy gone.Since water became a rare commodity my evening showers were a thing of the distant past.But the worst day came when my boss finally moved out to God knows where. He took one last look at me and tears welling ( or so I imagined!) bid farewell to me with a slight touch.The children ,now grown up were only too happy to get away..
Well I was on my own since then. The officials chopped off all my branches and here I am with just a sticky branch with no chance of bearing fruits.That leading to my guests deserting me.There are so many people around none to bother about a lonely tree.A bus stop shelter further shrunk my sunlight area.Now I am counting my days. Living in the past do give solace.And sharing it with some soul makes it more comforting..
I know I bored you...But ..well.thank you for listening....There!! your bus is around the corner..go on..Have a nice day.."
I couldn't control the tears and decided to take a walk than to board the bus.may be I can listen to more such stories as a gesture of care .That is the least I can do as a prayaschitham.
while I was standing near a worn out Guava tree just waiting for my bus , I heard a feeble mumble and felt some one was trying to reach ,me.
when none to be seen around I was again pulled from my back with a dry branch of the tree. Was it a dream? I could actually hear the Guava tree talking to me!
"Psst...do you hear me ?" It asked.
My mind still boggled I managed to nod my head.
" do you like me?" it asked
I looked at it from tip to toe i mean root! nothing special about it. in fact there was dirt allover and the leaves had lost their original color looking more like a weather beaten old lady with not a soul to groom her.
Since I didn't want to hurt it I managed a smile and said" yeah..you look ok.."
I could sense the tree chuckling in side amused by my so called politeness.
"I was not like this at all an year back too. Do you want to hear my story?"
"Oh well ,,since the bus may not be coming ...well...yeah why not..go on!" reluctantly I got ready.
Now let's hear it all from her mouth..I wont interfere.
"I was of this size say about the height of a small pup when my owner brought me from a nursery. He was very caring and loving .He planted me in front of his house, a place where sunlight was aplenty.And watered me every day until I could take root in the new soil. A small iron mesh was placed to protect me from those innumerable cows and buffaloes once abundant here. He was so happy to see me sprout leaf after leaf and showed me off to all his people.He had a son who was just of my size when I came. He would shower me with water hose .It was so much fun to be drenched with cold water after a scorching day light.I would sway happily in the evening breeze enjoying the silence of this street.Oh, I can see your quizzical look. Yes, this street was so silent that you can hear the temple bells of that far away village . But for some occasional bicycles and a still rarer motorcycle no transport to pollute.That's another story. Any way where was I? Yes, then things started happening .new houses started sprouting every day.Along came cement ashes and sand dusts. But I had no trouble as my boss was showering his love and cool water. By then I started bearing fruits.Oh!!I can't forget the first flowering day. The whole family was out to see the white bushy flower and wondered how big would be the fruit.I never disappointed them. I gave extra large fruits, full of flesh and sweet. Like the saying goes only fruit bearing tree gets more stone throws I started hosting lots of squirrels and green parrots took their first taste of the fruits before my boss could pluck them. there were lots of young boys who would climb my back and had their pick during the deserted afternoons.
I enjoyed their foot pressures when they climbed..Hmmm..even now I long for those massaging pressures.
Life was rosy until the day when some officials passed through this street and discussed a by pass to the highway coming up nearby.
Since I had no idea what it meant I kept flowering and borne fruits hosting parties all the time.My boss was watering me when a neighbor came over.They started discussing how life would be after the proposed By pass. the discussions went on and on for days and they finally decided to sell the house and move to a quieter area. The words came as a jolt to me . I never thought such an idea could pop up in his mind. Soon the road was filled with rubbish and granite pebbles were strewn-ed all over. Noise level was so high that I couldn't hear even the rustle of my own leaf.
there were people and machines every where.dust clouds became a common sight.the birds and squirrels had a tough time staying back with their privacy gone.Since water became a rare commodity my evening showers were a thing of the distant past.But the worst day came when my boss finally moved out to God knows where. He took one last look at me and tears welling ( or so I imagined!) bid farewell to me with a slight touch.The children ,now grown up were only too happy to get away..
Well I was on my own since then. The officials chopped off all my branches and here I am with just a sticky branch with no chance of bearing fruits.That leading to my guests deserting me.There are so many people around none to bother about a lonely tree.A bus stop shelter further shrunk my sunlight area.Now I am counting my days. Living in the past do give solace.And sharing it with some soul makes it more comforting..
I know I bored you...But ..well.thank you for listening....There!! your bus is around the corner..go on..Have a nice day.."
I couldn't control the tears and decided to take a walk than to board the bus.may be I can listen to more such stories as a gesture of care .That is the least I can do as a prayaschitham.
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