Nirupam instructed the vendor at the paan stall on how to prepare his paan, and the vendor followed. He took a betel leaf and added a small amount of slaked lime to it, then he added gulkand, two small sachets of mouth fresheners and some fennel seeds and cardamom. He then rolled the betel leaf covering the mixture and handed the paan to Nirupam.
Nirupam put the paan in his mouth and chewed it for the sweet flavours to flow out. He did enjoy having paan on many occasions. His moment was disturbed by the horn of a car. He turned to see his friend Suraj in the driver’s seat. Nirupam raised his right-hand signalling Suraj to wait and then he dug his hand in his pocket and took out money to pay the vendor.
Nirupam picked his bag and approached the car while Suraj opened the boot of the car to keep the bag. Then both hugged each other, while Nirupam was unable to say anything with his mouth being full. Both of them sat in the car and drove off away from the railway station.
Nirupam and Suraj used to work in the same office back in their hometown. When Suraj found a job in another state, Nirupam advised him to go for it, it was after all a better job in many ways than the current one.
A year had passed and one day Nirupam decided to give his friend a visit. Thus, here they were, seeing each other after a year.
“How was the journey?” Suraj asked
“It was okay. The train stopped at so many stations, the whole night people kept getting on and off the train. I couldn’t sleep peacefully,” said Nirupam with his mouth still half full.
“You should have asked me over the phone, I would have suggested you a better train,” said Suraj
“This was also a suggestion from a colleague, now I think it was a bad joke. You remember Vikram right? He was the one”
“I remember him. He had a few issues with the way he wanted people to see him. He spoke a lot for a person who stated almost all facts wrong. He must have just heard about this train and told you it was a good one to look reliable”
Nirupam pulled down the window of the car to let some air in, it was a time when having air conditioners in cars had not become a common experience. It was not a problem though, pulling down the window would solve the problem. The climate had not taken a turn for the worse yet.
Nirupam spoke, “You are right, it was careless of me to think Vikram might actually know something for once. Enough about me, you tell, how are things?”
“Things are better. My work profile has developed well because of this job. I always wanted to thank you for pushing me towards taking this job”
“No need to thank me, I confess I felt a little disappointed with myself for sending a good friend away”
Suraj smiled, “Well, you do know I will eventually come back to my hometown. Nothing will keep me apart from it for long.”
The car stopped in the parking lot of a building. It was a single building with four floors. The owner had rented out each floor separately and Suraj was living on the fourth floor.
As they reached the fourth floor after climbing the stairs, sweat had started to appear on Nirupam’s face.
“You know, next time, find a place closer to the ground,” said Nirupam
Suraj chuckled, “When you go back, start exercising every day and next time you might be able to climb up more easily.”
It was a spacious three-bedroom flat with white coloured walls.
“Look at all this extra space. You are one person; how many rooms do you need? Don’t tell me you are planning on getting married”, Nirupam said looking around
Suraj laughed, “My parents didn’t like the last flat I lived in when they came to visit, ‘it’s too cramped’ they said, so before they went back, they made sure to find me a more spacious place to live and this is what it is.”
Nirupam looked out the window at the other buildings and the trees which covered a large spread of land in front.
“It’s good that this area is under a thick dose of greenery,” he said
“Not for long,” said Suraj handing Nirupam a bottle of water, “I have heard a builder has acquired the land and plans to build high-rise buildings here.”
“If it happens soon, and you are still living here, I am not coming back to see the land gained from slaughtering all these trees,” Nirupam said in a serious tone. Suraj kept quiet.
After a day of talking, laughing, reminiscing the past, enjoying food, Suraj decided to take Nirupam to the nearby lake.
The lake was surrounded by metal railing. Some decorated food stalls could be seen around. Nirupam realised it was a good decision to come by, having this deep sense of relaxation.
Among the many sounds there Nirupam singled upon the sound of a harmonium playing. A harmonium is a keyboard instrument which has bellows to make use of the wind to produce sound through vibrations. Although the instrument has been largely replaced by the synthesisers at many places, there was a time when it was the more popular keyboard instrument in the country.
No matter how hard he tried, Nirupam could not figure out where the music was being played from.
“Hey Suraj, do you hear that music being played on a harmonium?” Nirupam asked
“Yes, I can hear it and I have heard it before, in fact many living here have,” replied Suraj
“The person playing knows what he is doing and is quite good at it. Where is he? I want to watch him play”
Suraj and Nirupam walked a bit far from the food stalls and there on the ground near the bench sat a man with harmonium, lost in what he was playing. His clothes were dirty from sitting on the ground, and the instrument itself had certainly seen better days. Nirupam was confused by why the man was sitting on the ground when there was a bench right there.
“Is… he a beggar?” asked Nirupam not so sure about the last part
“Not at all. He is from a financially stable family. His family never clarifies what exactly happened to him, but whatever it was, it left him mentally unstable. He wasn’t seen by anyone for months. Then one day here he appeared here with the harmonium.
His family was apparently trying to make him stable through music. But it seems things took a different turn. He started coming here to play music much to the annoyance of his family. But they couldn’t keep him in the house so they gave up and now he comes here not every day but often. He also sings well. On some occasions you can hear his voice,” replied Suraj
“How unfortunate, such a young talented man having to live like this. Why didn’t his family pursue further treatment?” asked Nirupam
“I don’t know and I don’t think anybody actually does”
“It’s also a risk leaving him here alone”
“He is not alone,” Suraj said, pointing to a man sitting at a bench farther away, “he looks after him.”
Nirupam looked at the man who was still playing his instrument unperturbed by two strangers talking about him.
“I wonder what he finds here that makes him come and play again and again,” spoke Nirupam
“Maybe it’s the sky or the trees or the people or the lake.”
“The open space,” Nirupam said with Suraj looking at him with a questioning expression, “I mean if I came here to play an instrument it would be because of the open space where the sound could spread wide with less disturbance.”
Suraj and Nirupam stayed for a while to hear the music being played. Suraj went and bought some snacks from the food stalls nearby.
Next day, Suraj and Nirupam were back at the railway station in the afternoon.
“I don’t think, given the duration of your stay, it can even be called a proper trip,” said Suraj
“Trust me, a mountain full of pending workload in office makes even the shortest recreation a wholesome experience,” said Nirupam
“Still, it would have been better if you came with more time in hand and next time remember to do that. I hope your short stay here was a good experience”
“The experience was wonderful, your hospitality was great, and evening was great too with the seasoning of music”
The train entered the station and came to a stop.
“I hope you are visiting home soon. Will see you there when you come,” said Nirupam as he picked up the bag to board the train
“The plan of visit is under construction but will be completed soon. You have a safe journey and call me when you reach home”
Nirupam boarded the train and waved his friend farewell for the moment.
Touchpoint
Early Morning Memories 
2 responses to “Touchpoint”
I really enjoyed this!
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The story of the singer is written with so much emotion and realism 😊 Well Done!
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