Unfiltered

The world was following its usual routine, the Sun was shining the Summer, the birds were making the sky more meaningful, the other animals were livening the forests, the trees stood spreading their shade for those who needed it, and there were us humans involved in an awful lot of things with everyone getting up in the morning with a different schedule and purpose.



If you think about it, there is never a set pattern that everyone follows even though they may refer to one, and each person is different and unique in their own way.



Before the Sun made the heat of the summer day rise to its peak, children played around on Sunday. Eight years old Gyan Arora passed through with his new bicycle. The bicycle had a white coloured frame with the company logo written in black bold font on the down tube. It had gears, dual disc brakes and a suspension in front.



The bicycle came to a stop as Gyan saw Mr Goyal approaching his car. Mr Goyal was more healthier than what was needed, his belly was the most distinct feature of his physical self which greatly overshadowed the rest.



Mr Goyal smiled at Gyan and said, “How are you?”



“I am fine,” said Gyan and paused before speaking again, “where are you going?”



“… to the market,” replied Mr Goyal, “would you like to come?”



“I have to go back and complete my homework,” said Gyan



“All right then bye,” smiled Mr Goyal and as he turned towards the car, Gyan spoke again.



“You can walk to the market, why are you going by car?”



Mr Goyal looked towards Gyan and answered, “Well…,” but his answer was cut short at that one word by Gyan.



“Grandma says if you don’t do something about that weight, you are going to have health problems soon,” said Gyan and then he remembered his pending homework and said, “I should go now, bye Mr Goyal,” and Gyan cycled away.



Later that evening a visibly frustrated Gyan’s mother walked into the drawing room where his father sat while Gyan was half way into his evening nap in his room.



“Any problem?” asked Mr Arora



“When is it not, with your son inviting them?” replied Mrs Arora



“He is yours too, it’s not all my genes,” said Mr Arora with something of a smile forming over his face, which stopped on seeing how serious Mrs Arora was and then Mr Arora cleared his throat and spoke again, “what happened?”



“I was on phone with Mrs Goyal, apparently Gyan told her husband that if he didn’t do something about his weight then he will have health problems soon and Gyan said he heard it from your mother,” said Mrs Goyal placing her right hand on the top back of a wooden chair.



“Was Mrs Goyal angry?” asked Mr Arora



“She tried her best to pull it off as an innocent thing a child might say, but I could smell the smoke. But that’s not the point, he goes around saying all these things, you have to tell him to stop. Last month he told the old security guard of the society that if someone suspicious really appeared then the security guard would have no chance of stopping him and would rather get beaten very quickly,” said Mrs Arora



“He might have heard that one from me, I hope he didn’t say that I said it,” said Mr Arora



Mrs Arora paused for a second and maybe a few more and said, “What do you think? There have been more such instances before, but nothing like this, you have to talk to him before I have to hide may face each time I come across someone who has been spoken to by your.. our beloved son”



Before dinner Mr Arora found his chance to talk to Gyan who was playing a game on the laptop.



“Gyan, close the game and come here,” said Mr Arora, pulling and sitting on one of the chairs of the study table.



If it were anyone else, Gyan would have protested being interrupted in between playing games, but never to his father. He closed the game and turned off the laptop and went and sat on a chair with his father.



Mr Arora took a second to frame what he wanted to say and then he did, “Listen, you said something to Mr Arora today. You cannot go around saying such things to others.”



Gyan thought about it and asked, “Why? Will Mr Arora not have health problems because of his weight?”



“He might have, but you cannot tell him that and especially you cannot tell whom you heard it from. He is elder to you and he is a good person, you should respect him and other elder people, just as they are,” said Mr Arora



Gyan thought again and spoke, “But if I don’t tell him, then who will?”



“His friend or a family member will. But you won’t, all right?” said Mr Arora



“Okay,” said Gyan



A few days later, Mr Arora and Gyan were returning from the market and they saw Mr Goyal parking his car and getting down.



Mr Arora looked at Gyan, “So, Gyan, shouldn’t you say something after what you said to him that day.”



Gyan listened to his father and walked to Mr Goyal and said, “Hello Mr Goyal.”



Mr Goyal smiled, “Oh hello Gyan, how are you today?”



“I am fine,” said Gyan, “I want to say something.”



Mr Goyal looked at Mr Arora who indicated with hand gestures to let Gyan speak what he had to and Mr Goyal understood what the matter was about. He said to Gyan, “All right go-ahead young man”



“Mr Goyal, are we friends?” asked Gyan



“Of course we are,” Mr Goyal said, extending his hand for a handshake and Gyan shook his hand.



Then Gyan spoke, “Then as a friend I should tell you that you must lose that weight or else you will suffer from health problems.”



Mr Goyal turned to Mr Arora who was pretending to speak on the phone and hoping that Mr Goyal goes away.

Written by Anuran Chatterji

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