Bifurcated Bind

Ritam was walking, he was walking very fast. His slippers were not suited for this multitude of rapid steps which were further adding to the fatigue of his legs. Then he stopped. He turned his head to the left, there was an entrance to a park.
He stepped inside absentmindedly almost tripping in the process. Once inside he just stood there at the edge of the park not moving not at all. If one saw the bizarre blank expression on his face, one would think he was not blinking as well.
A group of boys passed him by, they were on their way returning home tired from a couple of hours of playing, but Ritam didn’t pay any heed, he just stood there. One of the boys from the group even turned behind to look at this odd person who was standing there doing nothing in particular, then he hurried away afraid that this person was up to no good. But Ritam kept on standing still.
The light evening breeze sped up the sweat trickling down the face, wouldn’t it be more comfortable wiping them off, but Ritam didn’t, he was still as a rock almost if not for the respiratory movement in his body. A lady going to market slowed her speed observing Ritam for while but then sped up thinking ‘complexities of the youth nowadays’. But Ritam didn’t feel the passing presence, he just stood there.
“I don’t think just standing here would be of any help,” said a fairly old gentleman who had managed to come near Ritam unnoticed. But again, Ritam wasn’t noticing anything to begin with, he was just standing still. Ritam didn’t turn towards the gentleman but he spoke, “you sound a lot like my math teacher in school, but you cannot be him, the news of his passing had reached me many years ago.” The math teacher smiled and said, “Oh, I am still very much not in this world, in fact I am not here at all, I am a fragment of your imagination which has temporarily escaped.”
Ritam still did not turn to look, but he spoke again “My childhood fast friend, his family shifted a few days back and he went away with them. We used to meet almost every week, now we won’t be meeting in such short duration anymore.” “And?” asked the old math teacher, coming a step closer.
“If you are from my mind, shouldn’t you know everything?” asked Ritam moving his head slightly but still not looking. The math teacher smiled again, “Even so, I am here to listen, isn’t that what you want me to do, go ahead pour your heart out.”
Ritam looked down at his tired feet, “I have been distanced from some friends in life, but this time it feels different. It’s not just the person, it seems like a phase of life has ended.”
The math teacher placed his hand on Ritam’s left shoulder and spoke, “It is all right to feel this way, it will make this friendship something to always look back to and it will always connect you both no matter where you are. Go back home Ritam there is a vacant place in your life waiting to be filled with something new, make it just as much memorable.. .” .. and the math teacher left and soon after, so did Ritam, not walking so fast anymore.

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Written by Anuran Chatterji

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