“Ah! What a splendor dawn, the sun has painted red while the moon is running in search of darkness as if the darkness has escaped forever.” remarked an old squirrel awakened by the cry of cocks in the village.
Our squirrel while stretching his tiny legs and smiling at the pleasant dream of a foodie land from which he is just born to reality, bechanced to see a strange subject. “What on earth do I see? A new “banyan root” on a tamarind tree? No, it cannot be for it becomes a miracle and miracles are the sole asset of humans.” he went near the mystical root with eyes riveted to the subject and said “This is indeed a human. Yes, I have seen those lips which used to emit smoke of a kind I dislike. Those eyes, tut-tut! How light less they are! With the same eyes, he used to point me to his kids; Kids who never hesitated to make a futile attempt to catch me. Those legs which used to stamp the mire with authority have freed itself from the land, and those hands are holding no plow”
“By my God, What is this? How strange these humans are! What is he doing swaying against the chilled morning wind under the tree instead of preparing for tilling? I and my friends are all waiting to have a yearly festive feast on those earthworms served fresh by his tilling.” remarked a crow paying no observation to the thoughts of the squirrel.
Seconds later, the heart of the crow quaked, disturbed by the lady of forty five Ugadis who was running towards the tree with the cry that could put ten thunders to shame. She was followed by tens of men, women and children.
“Even shadows could have colored this colorless dawn. How strange these people are! They are saddened more by the death than at a living’s misery.” Cried a dog that was angry for finding no one to brush his white hair as was the routine.
“It amazes me, for the first time he lets me to kiss his lips and no, he is not slapping me. May be he is in love and quite fetish for my feet.” Said the fly that was surveying the motionless body kept in front of the house.
“I wish I was silent at the dawn; I can’t bear this disturbance caused by the talk and walk of these people,” the giant cock was cackling while scratching the bin.
“We shall decide the compensation according to the age of the body and the droppings it had, Sir. Adding to it, some tears for emotional minds can do wonders for our visit,” remarked the savior’s slave to give an impression of his calculative mind to his master who was about to switch off his headphone.
“Death along with the odors of its decay also brings strange white- dress creatures called saviors and hence the notes of comfort for which “living” was the only obstacle. Breath lowers our value, we must all stop this bloody air getting inside” murmured an old man who was jealous of the pink currency notes held tightly by the lady.
“I had once thought about migrating to city, now not anymore! With this rate possibly I could become the richest man in the village.” remarked the only graveyard digger with a beedi between his lips.
“Thanks to the increase of women’s lust for men of lower orders, our Gods have become angry. To calm them we must pray from the birth of dawn to the death of dusk. Plead the supreme for mercy; our pleading must be such that it should bring tears in his eyes which shall flood our lakes by rain.” It was the turn of a priest to bless the mass with his opinion.
Days rolled in silence ringing a new day, when the moon had captured darkness and the sun was about to close his colored eyes, our squirrel saw another man heading towards the tamarind tree. “Oh, this time a bit younger man is rushing towards the tree to try the same pose. I had heard once that humans act purely for pleasure. I too must try this exercise one day and disclose the secret to my race.” said the squirrel in a sleepy mood.
“Tilling has become rare; our feast on earthworms is slowly becoming a sweet memory.” Saying this, the old crow fled in search of a distant meal fearing another cry of a woman heading his way.
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MIDNIGHT SCRABBLES 