Some lives

"Faster Appaachu faster..."
Vinod's rickshaw was well ahead of us. And it was rode by Raman, much younger and stronger than Appachu.
But still we believed Appachu could do the impossible. Appachu could do anything. Absolutely anything!
Stop at the sweetshop and buy us rasagulas that our parents denied us.
Stop at the abandoned pond where it was believed lived the giant alligators, and get us the lotus flowers...
Tell us why nobody went into the big mansion across the paddy fields. (Yes, there existed the bad spirit of the dead man)
Tell us why there was a rainbow after the showers.
He knew more than our Science teacher, he knew more than our Maths teacher.

“Apaachu, what happens to the moon day by day, where does it go?” that’s Johny, with whom I always fought for the side seat.
“ There is a big fox in the sky…, and he tries to eat the rabbit in the moon…and…” Appachu would start the explanation.

Janaki always carried her precious treasure with her. A jar refilled with live dragon flies every day.
The dragon flies would flutter their wings and Janaki loved watching them trying to escape.
We always felt pity for the captivated innocent flies but it was no use fighting with Janaki.

Boby did not like Appachu because he would seize away the bubble gums that Boby had secretly obtained.
Bubble gums were a strict no in school and at home. Appachu thought bubble gums caused cancer. We did not know what cancer is, but we hated it cause, that took away our bubble gums. Boby always said, he hadn’t heard of anyone having cancer and it was a myth.


We graduated from cycle rickshaw to school buses, our own cycles, bikes and later …cars.
Johny now works in ISRO. May be he still wonders where the moon disappears every fortnight and he tries to find an answer with the fox and rabbit story.
Boby went on to become a doctor, specializing to treat cancer patients. I don’t know if he allows his patients to have bubble gums.
And Janaki, she called me last month. She wanted me to contribute something for Blue Cross. She was one of the volunteers of the animal welfare organization.

And Appachu? He must be still riding the rickshaw some where down the lane, giving some other children, the way to their lives.

Some lives...remain as stale as ever...and some lives....as complete as ever.