It is far from truth to say that only blood relations are thicker or last longer. Nowadays, in fact, one finds the tide turning other way round. Relations last long when there is an innate bonding between the two, when there is no greed or selfishness involved. One can relate to anybody and that relationship can last forever, even a lifeless object can be your trustworthy buddy. By the way, there is nothing lifeless in this world, modern physics is finally proving what our age old sages wrote a few thousand years before.
The prelude to this blog entry necessitated because, i had a deep bonding with one such ‘lifeless’ object, the relationship lasted for over three decades, until a fortnight ago.
I was in third division in the early eighties, when my dad purchased this, it was a large almirah, a cupboard. I was a small boy then, those were the days of meager resources not only for our household but for the society as a whole. Having a color television, or a landline phone suddenly raised your bar a few notches above others. So this almirah, a strong metal bodied chrome colored piece of work, with a large mirror embedded on the left door arrived almost unannounced. When i reached home from my school, it was a pleasant surprise, i was very happy, actually, that cupboard was of not much use to me as i always led a much-unorganized lifestyle then and even today. I was so small then that i could barely see myself in the mirror then, the cupboard witnessed my growth, physical and in all aspects. I would dress myself everyday standing in front of that cupboard and slowly, that love, that bond, that relationship developed. The cupboard witnessed all ups and downs in our lives, more downs than ups though. It had a safe, where one could keep ornaments money and valuables, most of the times it would be the most vacant space in the cupboard. Like most of the kids of my age then, I used the almirah many a times, to hide my answer sheets which sometimes would not very presentable anyways. The cupboard stood firmly with us, it bored the brunt of our financial instability, as we changed houses, during monsoon it used to sink in knee deep waters, but, still stood firmly, no corrosion, no loss of paint, no scratches, its mirror smiled. It in fact, taught me a silent lesson, how to withstand a rough weather.
I had no plans to bid a goodbye to this loyal friend of mine, who was with me for over 35 years. But, i shifted to a new house. A newly renovated house suddenly makes your things look old and outdated. So the first thing in my wive’s no list was this almirah. I had to keep it in my old house hoping against the hope that someday i may be able to bring it to my new house. The cupboard now was empty and gave a deserted look.
Suddenly a tenant came calling and i had to empty the house. I now had no alibi to retain the best friend of mine.
So a scrap dealer was called, i did not wished to see my lovely treasure store of memories pass away. The dealer tightly tied ropes around it and most ruthlessly brought it downstairs caring less about damages. I felt very helpless and sad to go. It was not just a piece of metal for me, it was my companion for more than three decades
If you create a bond a relationship with even a lifeless object they talk with you, you only need to be that sensitive to understand. I talk with my tiger shark, i talk with my plants and they all respond. My readers may think i am a nut, so be it.
I inquired with the scrap dealer assistant what they do with these scraps, just to understand, the agony my friend was to undergo, i was pleasantly surprised. He told me that they would repaint it, do minor repair works and again sell it to someone. Poor people who cannot afford costly cupboards buy such old refurbished goods.
I was happy, happy that my friend would not be broken into pieces, It was once again going to adorn the house of somebody. Yet another child like me would stand in front of it and befriend it for years.
Bye bye my friend and best wishes for your new journey, i will miss you forever..