Yesterday Evening

It was one of the chilly winter evenings of December. Vihan let out a deep sigh as he put in hands in the pockets of his jacket.

It had been a long time since the last time he had sat on this bench of the park. He took out his mobile phone, checked his Photo Gallery, and kept the phone back into his pocket. He calculated something for the umpteenth time in the back of his head, then got up and started walking on the tracks of the park.

Vihan was a Computer Science graduate and was working in one of the top 50 fastest-growing startups in India as a Data Analyst. His family was happy. He had no loans to payback. And, unlike many of the engineering graduates, he had a beautiful and supportive girlfriend too. (I'm sorry if you feel it’s a personal attack. It is!) He had everything that a person asks for in his life --- stability, love, and support. But strolling in that park, he felt as if he's lost. And he felt guilty for it.

Vihan harked back to the day when he had seen Om for the first time four years ago. Hopping out of the yellow and black taxi, Om, a six-year-old small boy, held his mother's pallu tightly. Om's family had shifted to the same building one floor above Vihan's apartment. As Vihan helped Om's family accommodate their luggage and lower their burden, Om's parents liked Vihan’s generosity and let Vihan interact with their little boy Om without any hesitation.

Needless to say, Om instantly connected with Vihan as if he was his real brother. And as days passed by, the bond between Vihan and Om grew fonder. One could always spot Om at Vihan’s house. Whenever Vihan was at college, Om used to come back early from his school, and wait on the staircase for Vihan to return home. Some days he used to have dinner at Vihan’s house while some days he used to sleep there itself, reluctant to go to his house. Vihan was also enjoying this time a lot. Being a single child, he never experienced the feeling to have a younger sibling. With Om, he has even loved the fact that Om used to address him as dada, which was like Vihan’s dream of having a sibling come true.

Soon Vihan was allowed to take Om to McDonald's, shopping malls, and parks. The local park had become their frequent go-to spot suddenly. They used to play cricket, football or sprint the entire evening for hours at length and then sit on a bench, exhausted, till it was dinner time and their moms’ had not called at least once.  

One December evening, when Vihan and Om were returning back from the local park to their home, both of them were still in a playful mood. Om was running ahead of Vihan, teasing him to catch Om if he could. It was in just a fraction of a second that all the giggles and laughter turned into a horrific cry,

“Dadaaaaaaaaaaaaaa……”

Om was hit by a fast-moving car. There was blood all over as Vihan knelt beside Om for the last time. The night had ended for Om.

“Dada!! Please pass me the ball,” said a small boy as his ball rolled in front of Vihan.

Vihan came back to his senses and returned the ball. The small boy’s smile automatically brought a smile at Vihan’s face. It had been 3 years now that Om was no longer alive, but he still felt his presence with him whenever he used to think of the old days.

He knew he couldn’t get over the guilt that it was somewhere his own mistake that he couldn’t save Om that day. Maybe he could have played in the building itself that day. Maybe he could have never let his hand free. Maybe.

Vihan checked the time in his wristwatch, took pictures of the park and the bench, and soon vanished into the street light.

Nobody can change the past. Time may not heal everything but it surely hurts less after our heart becomes accustomed to the pain. Each one of us someday or the other goes through some kind of an accident. This could be a financial loss, a breakup, or maybe even the loss of a close one. Always remember that there’s nothing you could do of the past now so, forgive yourself and move on so that,

The inner child in you doesn’t die.

Peace.

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Posted by Pranav Gaikwad.