MORNING WALKERS
LT COL NOEL ELLIS
04/XI/2022
It is getting a little ‘nippy’ in the morning. The first blast of cool air which hits you as the front door is opened is like someone has thrown a bucket of ice-cold water on you. The temperature difference indoors and outdoors is substantial. Nevertheless, it is still fine to get out in your shorts and Ts for your morning walk.
In the peak of summers, one would come across early morning walkers but now the only few people whom you cross paths with is the security guard on patrol. Half bent, hands in his pockets, with a full sleeves’ pullover muttering his early morning prayers.
He wishes me in his shaky voice, Jai hind Saab… Thand Bari ho gayi hai. I pity him because for the sun city dwellers the night definitely is cold, as I acknowledge his Jai Hind as loudly as I can. Even if I am feeling colder than him, I must raise his josh.
The newspaper man is very punctual. With a blanket around him on his motorcycle, he delivers them without fail. I noticed that he carries those big cloth ‘Jholas.’ Each for a different newspaper. While on the move, he picks up papers from Jhola number one and three and chucks it accurately to land at your doorstep. His speed of driving, selecting the newspaper as per the requirement and the jerk to chuck them is so well synchronised that one has not seen him stopping to deliver the papers.
Next, I meet the car washers. They too are up very early. Before the ‘Sahab Bahadurs’ go for their jobs and business, their cars must be ‘chakachak.’ With rationed water, it is just a bucket for each car. How would you know that the car washer has visited? He leaves the wiper blades raised.
One was surprised when one of the boys was taking a selfie with an old Santro car. There are many high-end cars around but why should he take one with a car which is already faded with dents and scratches so prominent all around. My inquisitiveness could not be held back.
Some of the boys have been subcontracted by the ‘main car washer.’ To prove that they have cleaned a particular car, they must submit a daily report to him. That is what I call, use of technology, especially the mobile phones.
Around the same time come the ‘milk men.’ Shouting ‘Dooooodh’ before the sun is up would disturb many. They have ‘dallus’ with fixed quantities of milk. The washed one is taken away and the fresh one is hung high above on a protrusion. That also has logic, otherwise stray cats and dogs would taste the milk before the humans can taste them.
The street lights are about to go off. The doves start to coo and there is commotion amongst the trees. A few houses start playing bhajans. That is the indication for me to proceed home and get on with the plants especially if it is their watering day. With the chill in the air, now it is every alternate day.
Before I get into the garden it is also ‘feed time’ for the birds. They have suddenly re-appeared again. A flock of sparrows about fifteen-twenty of them now come to pick the grain I spread for them. Where were you all these days was an obvious question to them?
Oh! We were in the fields. There was so much to eat. We ate and ate till our bellies ached. Though this time the Bajra and Jowar have not been of top quality but there was no dearth of grains. Aren’t you scared of the farmers, I asked? Yes, we are but the fields are so vast that we can see him approaching and we scoot to safety.
They have made ‘machans’ in the middle of the fields. They blow whistles, bajao thalis and throw stones with slings to shoo us off. They even erect scare crows and mannequins. Those do not scare us anymore. Now I understood why the other day a tractor trolley was carrying those naked plastic moulded humans. I thought they were opening a clothes showroom in the village.
Why did you return then, I asked them? Well, they said, the grains have all been harvested. All that was lying on the floor has now been churned and the land has been tilled for the next crop. To find grain has become difficult. There are very few hiding spaces left, as the fields are open. The predatory birds do not leave a chance to attack us. I lost my aunt and niece this season.
Very sad to hear that, I said. You birds shall have plenty to eat here. To which they said that you guys need to stop over speeding while driving your cars and scooters in the colony. Early in the morning, it becomes difficult to make a judgement when to take off. I said, I shall inform the management and ensure I spread the grains accordingly.
The birds requested me for one more thing. That was to sprinkle water over the Champa leaves generously for them to take a quick bath. To which I agreed.
Isn’t it fun to meet all these folks in the morning? I wonder!!!!!!!!!!
JAI HIND
© NOEL ELLIS
Comments
Post a Comment