A DROP OF TEAR TO DROWN IN

Unaware of the law of the city and his destiny, a boy from a slum jumps over a wall of a park. He chooses a corner to answer the nature’s call. The “criminality” of his act brings an on duty cop into action. A few deadly blows and his life is over. The man in khakhi runs away and a few people from slums gather around the body to mourn and seek justice. Time passes without any action and the number of mourners increases. The frustration converts into rage and these mourners become protestors. They throw stones and police fire bullets. The incident leaves behind five dead bodies and a bunch of questions. And so I turn and ask these questions to the common man in all our houses.

Politicians are to be blamed one of your uncles will tell you while fixing his first peg of the evening. He will tell you that these slums are the vote bank of these politicians. They are also breeding grounds of the criminals, thieves and all kinds of viruses. First they will take your land and then move further to all your parks. And with the sixth peg he will have the solution clear away these damn places, burn down the houses, throw them out, we don’t want them here he shouts.

Your aunt sits next to him clutching on to her glass of vodka, she is more sensible and is against the violent remedy. And she has a problem too. No slums mean no domestic help. But again she says you can’t trust these people either they steal and can always slit your throat for money. She is scared but says it’s too much to do all house hold chores all by herself.

Another cousin of yours who is college and seemed to be a politically correct person to you tells you that the government has done a lot for them. And they have got all the facilities- water, light, t.v, refrigerator etc. they continue to be poor coz they don’t want to work. Lazy bums he calls them.

To find out what the truth is you go see for yourself. There are houses of mud, some few bricks here and there. The roof covered with plastic sheets. Houses with five children in a room sized house. Sun beams on tired, sweaty and scared faces. As the evening arrives some men, women and children arrive from work. Few girls are getting ready by putting on bright makeup on there dark and tired faces. A man at the side is drunk and is beating his wife as she is not beautiful and can’t earn enough. Her children are not bothered they sit there glued to there favorite tv show. Another woman is cooking the nights meal which is normal as the every days roti with onions and if it’s a special occasion they even get boiled potatoes.

As I came out of the dark place I was thinking…… ah forget it… I already got my answers ….