Babloo and ...

'Babloo come here son', Mom smiled. 'Son...have you finished your homework', Mom asked. Babloo smiled in reply. 'I noticed everyday you are going too early on roof, what is special with these kites. You are not going for cycling now a days', Mom said. Babloo again smiled in reply. Babloo went onto roof top and was looking for something. Then suddenly there was a spark in his eyes and he sat on roof floor, just to smile again. Then he was looking into sky and sometimes in the direction where she was also looking towards sky. This girl was the reason why Babloo was too much into kites around those days. Next day he saw her on stationary shop Babloo smiled and she smiled back in reply. They used to pass smile everyday in evening when Babloo used to make his best attempts in kite flying. She used to smile on desperate attempts of Babloo, who really did not know much about kites. Babloo was a brilliant student with sharp memory and some extra sense of humor. 

On new year, Babloo passed a handmade colorful new year greeting card to her with his smile. She stopped Babloo, when he was trying to run from there. She opened card and said wow on beautiful drawing of Babloo. Babloo was there only for 3 seconds, he was so fast that even she did not get chance to wish him happy New Year. One day during kite session in evening she wove her hand, Babloo smiled and wove his hand in return. She asked him to meet at stationary shop, Babloo smiled again. Babloo wanted to see her, but somewhere, something stopped him. Next day weather was not good, it was raining outside. Babloo was looking outside impatiently; he was waiting for rain to stop. 'Babloo, what happened son... today no chance for kite. We will do drawing son, come and what about the drawing which you draw for me, last week you said you would show me', Mom said. Babloo didn't react, he was still looking outside of window. When rain stopped, it was dark outside, Babloo went to stationary shop for new pencil. 'Babloo, why don't you buy a box of pencil son. I noticed your pencils are breaking down quite frequently now days. What you are doing with those pencils', Mom asked. Babloo did not react and went to his room. That whole week weather was not so good, it rained heavily. Babloo was trying to go to roof even in rain, Mom stopped him. Babloo was too much sensitive towards cold and cough. Next week Babloo went on roof top in evening, he didn't touch the kite. His eyes were continuously looking into that direction. Mom came to see him when it was too much dark outside, 'Babloo, what happened son, come what you are doing here', Mom said. Exam days were approaching; soon evening break was going to cut down. The only break he used to take was for roof visit for 10 minutes and sometimes stationary shop visit.

After exam had finished, Babloo's roof visits became long even for 2 hours. Sometimes he used to stand in front of stationary shop for quite a long time without doing anything. That day his father came to stationary shop searching him when it was too late in night. Babloo did not have any school friend in his locality. His school was quite far and most of his schoolmates were from other parts of the town. 

Today when he was standing in front of stationary shop, the helper guy at the shop, who is friend of Babloo came to meet him. Babloo has so many friends from every age group. 'Hey Babloo, what's the matter, I noticed you are coming everyday here, but not coming to our shop ', the guy said. Babloo didn't react, but suddenly the thought came into his mind of asking the helper guy about her. Babloo's facial expression got changed suddenly in next 3 minutes. He ran away from shop straight to his house. 

He didn't say anything to Mom. He took his drawing and started drawing some faces. He broke his pencil; his hands were shaking, he broke his pencil again. He tore out some pages from drawing book and threw away. Mom entered into room. What happened son...Babloo was crying, tears were flooding out of his eyes. It is very rare to see the crying face of Babloo. Even Mom didn't see him crying like this.

Babloo is very smart; he doesn't know how to share his grief. Mom know that her son is in deep sorrow, but even she is not so smart to know the reason behind his tears. Babloo is dumb since birth. He doesn't speak our language. He only speaks language of smile, language of eyes, and language of love.

After exam she has left the town with her family, Golu has gone too far from Babloo, no one knows where.

First time in life Babloo is cursing himself, so far he was living in his own small world and spreading smiles with mom, colorful drawings and countless friends.

Today smile is lost, eyes are flooding and love...    

The Bank died...

Bhaiya...yes...'do you know, Madhav Joshi uncle died', Richa said to Vyom...'What ?' Vyom reacted.

'Arjun uncle called me yesterday; he was asking about you and told to inform you. He knows there are very few who shared laughs with Madhav Joshi uncle and you are one of them', Richa continued.

Vyom was silent for 3 seconds.' What happened to Madhav Joshi uncle?' Vyom asked casually. 'Arjun uncle was telling maybe heart attack,' Richa answered. 'What do you mean by may be, a person died and people don’t know why?'Vyom reacted. 'It was around afternoon and he was found dead lying at his office chair and you know what, there were around 2 Lacs Rupees cash in his Kurta’s pocket,' Richa said.

Vyom didn’t react much.

Madhav Joshi, kind of a bank for some people in a small town somewhere in hills, got a big property in inheritance.  Vyom never heard Madhav bhaisaab, Joshi G or Madhav uncle from anyone; it was always Madhav Joshi, apart from ‘papa’ from Jahnavi didi. 

Vyom was sitting silently; he was not able to recollect what he used to call Madhav Joshi in his childhood. Vyom doesn’t forget things easily, but still he was not able to recall. What he recalled were some voices...hey Neo...ullu ke pathhe...uncle what does this mean ? hahaha bachhe gaali hoti hai ye and then he repeated with his childish voice ullu ke patte...hahaha bachhe gandi baat...don’t repeat this...come we will play Cricket. Just call to Chetan bhaiya, I got a new bat for him. Hey uncle where do Chetan bhaiya live, why doesn’t he live here? Bete Chetan bhaiya lives in his school. What... in school, how come it's possible? How someone can live in school, everyone leaves school after final bell. Hahaha bete Chetan bhaiya goes to a better school and he lives in hostel with other students. Now a days it’s summer vacation in his school, so he is here with us. Uncle what does better school mean. Neo... you ask so many questions, It’s cricket time now, call to Chetan bhaiya. OK. It was a kind of routine for some years, then one day Vyom left the town and moved to another town with his parents, may be for better school. 

After that, once in a year whenever Vyom visited Arjun uncle’s place, he used to go to Madhav Joshi’s place. But Vyom never got a chance to meet Madhav uncle, he was always in his office, busy in meetings or on phone call. Madhav Joshi had a office in his house only and first time Vyom saw trunk dialing phone in his office only. Vyom used to play with those rings on phone with Jahnavi didi. 

Last year, during his visit Vyom was walking on the roof-top of Arjun uncle’s house, Madhav Joshi saw him from his roof-top and he send a guy to Arjun uncle’s place.

'Are you Neo?' The guy said...yes...Madhav Joshi  send me here, he invited you to his place'. 'Ok, I will come in some time,' Vyom said.

'Hey Neo, son...you are looking like a hero , where are you, how are your parents and simmy,'Madhav Joshi said . Vyom greeted Madhav uncle. 'I am good , I am in Delhi,' Vyom said. 'Your name is still Neo or something else? I think it was Neo only when you were here in school,' Madhav Joshi asked. 'No, I discontinued Neo in new school, it’s Vyom now,' Vyom answered. 'Good... Vyom Pratap Singh, but for me you are always Neo,' Madav Joshi said. 'Yes, here everyone calls me Neo only,' Vyom said. 'OK son...come we will have tea,' Madav Joshi said. They had tea in Madhav joshi’s office. 'So, what about your parents, simmy and your younger brother. He looks exactly like you, last year he came here with your mother, I thought it was you. Son what about the future plan, when you are planning to get married, at least I will get a chance to meet your father, he is a gentleman. Do you have visiting card, give me your phone number. Chetan is also there in Delhi, visit him sometimes,' Madhav Joshi continued like a child who doesn’t bother whether someone is listening to him or not. 'I am not carrying my visiting card, but I will write my number for you,' Vyom said. 'Yes, I will call you, it has been a long time to speak with your father,' Madhav Joshi said. In past few years Madhav Joshi got changed a lot, he was a lone person in his own world. His son doesn’t talk to him, his daughter has been through unsuccessful marriage. His eyes were red and wet, the bank was looking so week, not from his structure but from his eyes.

'Ok, I have to go,' Vyom said. 'No, how can you go like that, you will have dinner with us, I will call to Arjun,' Madhav Joshi said. 'No it’s fine, I came today only and will be leaving tomorrow most probably, they have already prepared dinner for me,' Vyom said. 'OK, son...as you wish, convey my regards to your parents, I will call at your number will speak with your father,' Madhav Joshi said.

Ok uncle, bye...bbye...take care son...

After 3 days Vyom got a call on his phone, hello...hey son it’s Madahv Joshi here. Hey uncle sorry, can I call you back in sometime, I am on my way in metro, just reached Delhi...no problem son, I wanted to talk to your father. Take care son...                  

That was the last time when Vyom spoke with Madhav Joshi. 

There was a time when Vyom used to ask silly questions to Madhav uncle, he used to play with him and Chetan bhaiya . That time he was not aware of the fact that Madhav uncle is a bank, but soon after some years he came to know the fact why whole town knows him as Madhav Joshi. Gradually with some years, bank went through bankruptcy, the bank who did not realize the meaning of relations, lost his son long back when he stopped talking to him.

The bank died last week and left so many questions unanswered, all the questions look simple but he ignored them just because they were simple and he was busy in dealing with the other questions. The tragedy is even at the time of his death, the Bank had some pieces of paper, which had some questions written, in his pocket.