RASPBERRY - A Short Story

Chapter 4: Out of love

I was waiting for him near the playground, under the banyan tree. The atmosphere was chilling, and my whole body was numb. I guess I was getting the right feeling because the news regarding what happened to him could make me numb for hours. His absence enraged me, and I went back to my home, committing that I would never talk to him again, nor would I show him my face. I really didn't know that I was actually telling the truth.

Two weeks had passed since that accident happened, and there was no trace of 'raspberry kaka' in my life after then. It was just because of my habitual reflex action that I used to turn to glimpse at the lonely lane from where that postman used to come and the banyan tree under which he used to sit, but there was no one. My anger and frustration gradually converted into tension. I was always thinking of him, praying that nothing bad had happened to him, and also praying to see him soon, but God didn't listen to my prayers. I got more tensed, and now there was only one thing that I could do.

The next day, I called my friend, Monu, and asked for his help getting me a bicycle. He asked several questions, but I answered none of them. He helped me with a bicycle with the condition that he was going to accompany me in what I was going to do.

"But where to go?"

"I can't tell. If you want, then come with me, but please don't tell anyone about this." That was the first time I was saying something to my friend with a 'please'. All of that is only for that 'raspberry kaka'.

We started our journey the next day, early in the morning. We cycled along the cobbled road, interchanging our turns as paddlers after every mile. After the course of one hour, we were exhausted and also reached our destination, which was actually mine. He was puzzled upon seeing the stop and was unable to make up anything as the building in front of us was the village post office. All of that is only for that 'raspberry kaka'.

I asked Monu to wait outside, and I went inside. The post office was of British time; it was a single-story building with only two rooms, one big and one small, like the holes in my 'baniyain'. The furniture in that place seemed beyond its expiration date. There were not many people, and many desks were empty. In one corner, a huge pile of dusty files was kept.

A man sitting in the corner was staring at me. I went to him and asked, "Do you know where raspberry kaka is?"

"What? I don't understand."

"There 'is' a postman in your office. He 'is' a slim, bald old man, and..."

"Shut up! Don't talk about that bald rascal. He was such a-" A woman who appeared to be in charge of them interrupted him. She signaled the man to apologize to me.

"I'm sorry, kid. I was carried away. Sorry, that was an extempore." And then he left his desk. After that scenario, I concluded that the 'raspberry kaka' was a notorious man in that office.

"What do you want?" the lady asked me.

"I'm looking for a postman who works in this place," and I explained his physical properties to her.

"Yes, I know that man. He was Mr. Gulati. He passed away three weeks ago."

I lost my breath for a while. I didn't know whether to cry or interrogate her. I had no words and no energy to do anything. I was really NUMB!

With heavy and slow steps, I went out of the post office. Monu was waiting with a bicycle. "Come fast! Its too late. We have to go."

I looked at him for a while with an open mouth, still pondering the words said by the lady. Then suddenly, I started running along the road without thinking of anything.

"Hey man! Where are you going?" He ran after me with the bicycle.

I was running so fast that I never knew when I had completed two miles. I was exhausted. Holding my knees, I panted. As soon as I stopped, I heard the melodious chirping sound of birds from the place on my left. I glimpsed at that place, and sooner my glance was changed into a stare of wonder. There was a huge garden with varieties of trees and shrubs. At the center of the plot, there was a small hut, looking in the same condition as the post office. There was one thing in the garden that caught and held my attention, and on seeing it, my eyes grew bigger. It was a raspberry tree. I was drawn towards it. After a long time, I was seeing them, raspberries! My appetite was growing wildly, and I couldn't control myself. I climbed the tree as fast as I could and clung to its branch, gripped a handful of the raspberries, and...