The Quest of the River

It was a Sunday. Shephali was standing and watching people pass by on the road, mildly hoping to spot a familiar face. Her hands were busy unwrapping a mango candy. She unwrapped the candy and put it in her mouth, the flavour of the candy spread all inside her mouth.

Shephali was about to throw the wrapper of the candy nearby on the road when an uninvited voice came, “there is a dustbin right there near the sweet shop, throw the wrapper there.” Shephali looked up, it was her dance teacher, she greeted him with a guilty smile and quietly went to throw the wrapper in the dustbin. The dance teacher smiled and continued on his way.

Shephali threw the wrapper and then readjusted the cloth grocery bag on her shoulder before starting on her way to home. On her way, her eyes caught sight of little Tinni across the road. Tinni was walking fast with a paper in her hand. Shephali waved her hand to catch Tinni’s attention but Tinni completely missed it.

Shephali became a bit worried; she looked left and right, letting a few vehicles pass before crossing the road safely. Then she hurried behind Tinni, readjusting the strap of the grocery bag a few times so that it didn’t fall off. She was now almost behind Tinni, “Tinni… will you stop for a moment please. I was waving to you.”

Tinni stopped and looked back breathing a little heavily from the fast walking. “Hello Shephali di, I am sorry I couldn’t see you.”

“Its ok, where are you off to in such a hurry?” asked Shephali as she put her hand in the grocery bag.

“I am going near the river,” replied Tinni as she moved her hand to show the way to the river which she had taken.

Shephali took out a candy from the bag and handed it to Tinni, “Let’s go together, it’s been a while since I have gone there.”

Tinni put the candy in her pocket, “Thank you for the candy. Yes, let’s go together.”

Shephali and Tinni walked together towards the river, they talked about school. Shephali was in 11th grade while Tinni was in 6th. Throughout the way Shephali kept wondering what was on the piece of paper which Tinni was holding, there was something hand written on it; but, since Tinni herself hadn’t mentioned it in their conversation, Shephali thought of asking about it later.
When both the girls were almost near the river, the piece of paper fell off Tinni’s hand and Shephali picked it up, she gave a quick glance on what was written over it, “If you don’t mind me asking, what is this piece of paper? a letter?”

“A message”, replied Tinni as she took the paper back from Shephali.

‘A message but for whom?’ thought Shephali in her mind, ‘nobody’s name was written on it.’ Then she noticed Tinni folding the paper in an odd manner.

“Wait, what are you doing?” said Shephali in a surprised tone.

Tinni continued to do what she was doing and replied, “a boat, I am making a boat.”

“..and you will float it away in the river I presume,” Shephali said looking on the surface of the river.

Tinni smiled, “Yes. Now, come let’s float the boat away.”

Shephali and Tinni floated the boat together in the river and watched it move away.

“It is for my grandmother,” said Tinni, her eyes still focussed on the boat floating away, “my friend says that’s where everyone goes after dying, to the end of the river.” Shephali remained silent as she stood with Tinni.

That night Shephali drew a picture of a small girl riding away in a paper boat, with messages for her grandmother written all over the boat.

Written by Anuran Chatterji

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