Dusk was settling in as I walked towards the Bus Stand to board a bus for the journey to my Village. As I walked through the city I noticed a lot of lights, fanfare and music. It looked like a festival of some sort was going on. At first I did not realise the reason for this but on noticing the beautiful roses in the hands of people I recalled that it was Valentine’s Day. It was a pretty sight and I stood there taking in the fun and excitement and just for a moment I thought to relax and mingle with the crowd and buy a rose or two. But then it was a pointless thought and I resumed my journey.
It was late by the time I had reached the stand and I had missed the bus. I looked around and found a tourist taxi ready to go to my village. Having no other option I boarded it. I waited for it to be filled with the required number of people to be on its way. There were two young men and two middle-aged ladies already present when I boarded the taxi. After a wait of about fifteen minutes three beautiful young girls came along and boarded the taxi. The taxi then finally started on the journey.
I looked out of the window and did not pay much attention to the other travellers as the two young men were engrossed in some business matters, the ladies were busy talking about some shopping while the three young girls were constantly giggling. I sat immersed in my own thoughts and I was nagged by the feeling that I should have bought one of those roses.
After sometime I noticed that the young girls had stopped giggling and were looking at a packet that was wrapped in newspaper in their hands which they were handling with great care and love. My curiosity got the better of me and I tried to find out what it was. But try as I might I was unable to do so, but, I still remained patient hoping against hope to get a glimpse inside the packet. After sometime I was finally rewarded with the sight of what that packet contained as one of the girls unwrapped the newspaper.
The packet contained big and beautiful red roses. At once I realised that they were from the festival I had come across. I again felt that feeling that I should have bought those roses. I looked at the beautiful flowers, how lovely and fresh they looked so bright and blood red in colour; the queen of all flowers. The girls were speaking again, one of them started to sprinkle some water on the roses saying that she feared that they may wither away. The second girl talked about how she would have a beautiful rose garden by planting these roses and the third girl said that she simply wanted to gift these roses to the one she loved the most. I sat there quietly listening to them talk and watch them care for those roses as if they were the most precious things they have ever held, so delicate, so beautiful. I realised that the young men gave knowing grins to the girls talk and the ladies did nothing but give a cursory glance at the roses and went back to their own conversation.
In this manner the journey progressed, me looking on at the beautiful roses and regretting the fact of not buying one, the girls giggling and caring for the roses, seeing to it that they are not crushed or withering and the other passengers talking amongst themselves.
I was suddenly brought out of my revere by the taxi giving a sudden jolt. I realised at that moment that something was amiss. The taxi started to waver a bit and the drive was not smooth anymore. My co-passengers also seemed to notice this. We asked the driver what was wrong. The driver replied by saying.” Oh! It’s noting, the road is just bad”. We all sat back relieved to hear that but not a minute had passed when the taxi wavered again. All of us asked what was going on after all the road was not that bumpy. After some more time of coaxing the driver sheepishly replied, “Umm, it’s nothing much, just that the brakes have failed.”
We all sat stunned at that statement. Silence reigned and then came the cries of panic. We all screamed at the driver and asked him to try and stop the car. All the passengers were in a state of alarm and utmost horror. In the midst of all this the driver informed us in a very calm manner, “don’t worry, nothing will go wrong. This has happened to me so many times. I will make you reach your destination safe and sound”
This statement of his did nothing to soothe us, it just increased our horror and when a truck nearly hit our car all fury burst forth. Finally the driver gave in to our demands and slowly brought the car to the first gear and taking the car towards stony areas and off the road finally brought it to a halt.
We all but scrambled out of the car and I practically knelt down on the ground and cried out in sheer relief. For a moment we all stood catching our breath and then we realised that we were in a deserted area and we were in dire need of another car to get us the rest of the way. One situation of panic was over and the other had begun. The two men started to try and stop passing cars but to no avail. We stood there in the middle of nowhere for more than an hour and our hopes dying with each single passing minute. Then one of the young girls screamed and said, “Oh look there is a tourist taxi headed this way”. All of us decided that it was either this taxi or we would be stuck here. So we stood in the middle of the road and the taxi had to halt. We saw that it was already half full and would not accommodate us. So, we did not even ask permission, but, as soon as the taxi came to a halt we simply opened its doors and jumped in, squashed each other and sat on each other’s laps.
The driver at first did not agree to take us but after much pleading and promises of a double fare he relented. Thus we left our first taxi and the driver who refused to leave his car unattended behind.
After half an hour of unease and discomfort our journey finally came to an end. I let out a sigh of relief at the sight of my village lights. We disembarked from the taxi and gave the taxi fare.
My co-passengers remarking as to what a day it turned out to be, each left towards their respective homes happy to be out of such a situation unharmed.
I too thanked God and started on my way home but for some unimaginable reason I glanced back. There on the ground in the mud I saw the once big and beautiful red roses, crushed and withered. They lay there forgotten by all.
- Kheinkor Lamarr
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