ONE DAY LESS 

#2

PHOTOGRAPHY: KEVIN SREENATH

For the first time after trying to remember things, I was excited to see the sunrise; for it announced the call of the day, the day where I’d finally get to go out of the street. Appu had been to the city many times for Abba’s job. His adventures were reborn as a bed time story for me after my birth. Ammi would join us too to hear them, but she could never imagine to go out to witness the wilderness people created for each other. 

Ammi stared at me as I joyfully brushed my teeth and jumped around the house. Appu had gone out to check the air in the cycle and would return any minute. 

“Jaaneman,” Ammi’s voice spoke with fear. “Out there in the world is a circus. People do nasty things there, do you want to see them?” 

“But Ammi, Appu said there are flowers and trees there. And buildings too! And buildings with big roofs!” I yelled excitedly, raising my arms. 

“There are people who hate…” 

“Ammi? Shall I bring you flowers as I return?” She replied with a warm tight hug, and I could hear her heart thumping hard. I had felt my heartbeats too, but it was never as fast as Ammi’s. She was scared. 

“Pick out the yellow ones, like the colour of your dress.”

Appu’s cycle bell rang out of nowhere, with him wearing a weirdly green shirt. “Shall we?” He asked, as he got onto the cycle again, making me comfortable on them again. ‘Trring’ the bell rang as I pushed a little knob on it. Ammi spoke to Appu, commanding him to never let me out of the sight. It felt nice to know that she cared. And even nicer to know I would see the city soon. 

The wind felt chilly as Appu stepped on the pedal. He whistled an old song he sang to me a few days back. 

“That tree is one of the oldest. Banyan tree. Have you seen it before?” he asked as he pointed at a huge tree with brown threads hanging down from it. 

“No,” I giggled. “Can I climb on it?”

“Maybe next time, we have a lot to see in the city.” 

“Ammi said people hate each other there.” 

“There are some people. Then there are other who love each other a lot. I’ll show them to you.” 

The trees started disappearing slowly. Small buildings popped out from the sand with little children like me running in front of them, wearing bright clothes. More buildings and lesser trees. The chill of the wind had disappeared, and I was welcomed by the warm sun. “Appu? Is this the city?”

“Yes baba, this is the city.” A whole new world laid in front of me with people that seemed to be snoozing; not at all looking at each other. I had toys like this before, where I’d set a key and they’d walk for a while without any life. I used to laugh at them as I saw them clap till it stopped. The people weren’t any different, but the words of Appu were true. There were bright flowers in some places. Bright yellow ones, the ones I’d pluck for Ammi once we get there. And there were people who looked alive, laughing and walking. Appu pointed at a few of them and I knew instantly, those were the ones that loved each other. Few chased each other laughing, few gifted each other something. As I bit onto my nails, a habit that Ammi hated, I saw the whole world dance in front of me. And it felt good to see the love that remained.