You have My Collection of Books!

I still remember this day last year, when I witnessed what I have always been taught was inevitable!  I met people whom I have never met before, heard things that I never heard before and felt helpless like I never felt before. People being ushered in and out of the house, people being consoled, pacified were being asked to maintain calm; amidst all this pandemonium He lay there calm, unmoved, dauntless and at peace. His wife lay in the next room trying to figure out what just happened.

His treasure of books rested in the shelves waiting for him to get back and caress them, read them an savor what they had to offer, but they didn’t knew he had ceased to exist. The last time I visited him in the hospital- his face was wreathed in a small yet bright smile, though pale he still managed to carry the same charisma he always had. I could barely look in to his eyes, for all I know they were signalling a cyclone that was about to sweep through our lives. 

“I might miss FIFA Euro World Cup this time, but, I never knew he really meant it. Lying on the bed he said it’s about time I start counting my days and I think I am done, and all I could do was look at him helplessly!” 

He is possibly the most practical person I have ever been with, and possibly the only person who has had so much of an impact on me. I can possible never imagine of an encyclopaedia like him, he read, read and read like a dog. He lay awake till late in the night through the morning just reading! Had it not been for him I would have never inherited a library. He always said “reading is what makes you come alive, no matter how long we stay together for the rest of our lives, you will always have my collection of books”.

The last time I spoke to him at length was during my counseling sessions with him regarding my career ahead, and these sessions never ended on positive note. I have asked him to wait till my graduation result and we shall discuss it post that. But, I never knew that I would make him wait for the rest of my life! The results were declared one day after he died and so did the counseling sessions. 

He always wanted to be ahead of life, prepare ourselves before life throws surprises at us and we stay dumbstruck. Well, he failed to succeed and he left all others dumbstruck. His attitude towards life is the only thing that I could manage to inherit, because he was unique in every other aspect! 

When he finally was about to be taken for the last rites, which I was supposed to perform, I could see people breaking down, weeping relentlessly my mom weeping looked at me wishing I could manage to pull out a miracle like one from the movies but, I could barely meet her gaze and I kept telling myself, “this is just a dream, I shall wake up soon and everything will be back to how it was earlier- Dad can never leave without saying goodbye!” 

P. S: I have graduated with flying colors, I am now earning Dad. Also, mom has been a real fighter she has managed to bare us for the past one year, she has a few complaints against us but, I am sure you will overlook them. All through our lives that we have spent together we have shown love caring in myriad ways, I have never really said this- simply and plainly I love you!

"I never thought I would be writing something so sober, but, I realized sooner or later one has to reveal his inner soul."