THE SHOCK
Every one started running out.
In less than two minutes, the narrow lane leading to that spot was flooded with hordes of people - men, women and children. The shop-keepers left their cash boxes open and ran out, the house-wives left their doors open and rushed there, the barbers left their half-shaven customers on the chairs, the school-going children stopped there, the maid servants made their own group, a lame man, on his crutches, barely managed to park himself, there.
The crowd was still swelling ... and, every one was looking high up in in the air ... to 'him' who hung there precariously - from the leaves of that tall palm tree.
It seems, some kind and alert soul had called up the Fire men, and the Fire tender had just come. The frantic sounds of the bell and the siren had pressed the panic button - or is it the familiar curiosity button? - in all and sundry. Yes, the shop-keepers, house-wives, barbers, maid servants, school children and the crippled. Every one wanted to know what had happened, why the fire tender had come. And, now, they knew what it was. So, all of them were looking high up, at the palm tree, with bated breath ... They were anxious: "What will happen now? Will the firemen succeed? Will 'he' survive?"
The crowd was still swelling. The traffic had come to a halt, and everything else, there. Every one's eyes were fixed at 'him' - whose life hung, so miraculously, on those palm leaves. Now, they were wondering: "Will 'he' be saved? Or, will 'he' come crashing down to death?"
There was no time to think; one couldn't afford to make a wrong move.
The crowd was still swelling. Every one's heart was pounding like a plant. The life, there, had come to a stand still, except for this question: "What will happen to 'him'? Will 'he' survive? Or, will 'he' come crashing down?
And, lo! 'He' came crashing down, like a meteor!
"Oh! No," the scream rented the air. "What a tragedy."
Then, the crestfallen firemen began to roll back their equipment; the shop-keepers began to remember their open cash boxes; the house-wives - their open doors; the barbers - their half-shaven customers; the school children - their schools; the maids - their land ladies; and, the lame man - his crutches...
And, they all began to disperse, expressing their great disappointment and sorrow over the unfortunate victim. "He could have been saved," some of them argued.
Then, someone - who was the first to rush to the spot where 'he' had crashed down - lifted 'him' and declared at the top of his voice:
"He is dead."
The crow, it seems, had already died while hanging there ... Much before 'he' had crashed down. But, it was not the heart attack. It was the 'shock' - that the humanity cared so much for 'him' - that had killed 'him'!
The post mortem report confirmed.
In the next lane lay a beggar woman, for years - like an ancient ruin ...
It seems, 'he' was her best companion!
GERALD D'CUNHA
In less than two minutes, the narrow lane leading to that spot was flooded with hordes of people - men, women and children. The shop-keepers left their cash boxes open and ran out, the house-wives left their doors open and rushed there, the barbers left their half-shaven customers on the chairs, the school-going children stopped there, the maid servants made their own group, a lame man, on his crutches, barely managed to park himself, there.
The crowd was still swelling ... and, every one was looking high up in in the air ... to 'him' who hung there precariously - from the leaves of that tall palm tree.
It seems, some kind and alert soul had called up the Fire men, and the Fire tender had just come. The frantic sounds of the bell and the siren had pressed the panic button - or is it the familiar curiosity button? - in all and sundry. Yes, the shop-keepers, house-wives, barbers, maid servants, school children and the crippled. Every one wanted to know what had happened, why the fire tender had come. And, now, they knew what it was. So, all of them were looking high up, at the palm tree, with bated breath ... They were anxious: "What will happen now? Will the firemen succeed? Will 'he' survive?"
The crowd was still swelling. The traffic had come to a halt, and everything else, there. Every one's eyes were fixed at 'him' - whose life hung, so miraculously, on those palm leaves. Now, they were wondering: "Will 'he' be saved? Or, will 'he' come crashing down to death?"
There was no time to think; one couldn't afford to make a wrong move.
The crowd was still swelling. Every one's heart was pounding like a plant. The life, there, had come to a stand still, except for this question: "What will happen to 'him'? Will 'he' survive? Or, will 'he' come crashing down?
And, lo! 'He' came crashing down, like a meteor!
"Oh! No," the scream rented the air. "What a tragedy."
Then, the crestfallen firemen began to roll back their equipment; the shop-keepers began to remember their open cash boxes; the house-wives - their open doors; the barbers - their half-shaven customers; the school children - their schools; the maids - their land ladies; and, the lame man - his crutches...
And, they all began to disperse, expressing their great disappointment and sorrow over the unfortunate victim. "He could have been saved," some of them argued.
Then, someone - who was the first to rush to the spot where 'he' had crashed down - lifted 'him' and declared at the top of his voice:
"He is dead."
The crow, it seems, had already died while hanging there ... Much before 'he' had crashed down. But, it was not the heart attack. It was the 'shock' - that the humanity cared so much for 'him' - that had killed 'him'!
The post mortem report confirmed.
In the next lane lay a beggar woman, for years - like an ancient ruin ...
It seems, 'he' was her best companion!
GERALD D'CUNHA
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