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Profound Friendship
#WritcoStoryPrompt4
The email he has received today is marked urgent. But it's from a friend who died two years ago for a second,Araba was shocked but realization dawned on him and he cursed his despondent and dreamy thoughts......tears welled up in his eyes remembering his friend Lai and the wonderful memories of childhood they had carved out together.( Lai and Araba).....How, Araba wished that his childhood friend would have been alive so that they would have shared happiness together at least till there lifetime,or maybe till eternity if God willed...but God already had other plans......
Introspecting Araba reclined on his chair & closed his eyes and for sometime was swept in the waves of past Lai & Araba's promise of being together till eternity sharing joy & good will, throughout.How they were the most talked people in town, Tirap (district in Arunachal)...... for their strong"time tested" friendship. Beautiful reminiscene created brooks of pearls down the cheeks..... everything came gushing back Lai's marriage after a wonderful Scholarship and degree and a government job, Lai's excited invitation when his son -Sogong was born, and all & all, but dark memories of that fateful day made him scream when almighty was high with anger and lashed rain with thunder and solifluction created landslide...and the underconstructed bridge give way and poor Lai supervising the workers and engineers was severely injured and sccumbed to it with few fellows ... who lost their lives............... Araba,remembered how Lai had helped him financial for his education... crestfallen,Araba remembered the email - designated as 'URGENT' he quickly shook his thoughts away although things were still blurred ...........
Unfolding the enclosed attachment he realised it was from his wife Lairembi & seven year old Sogong ...late Lai's son, for whom Araba had created a business forum.... and Araba's wife had been living with, helping them out with their business while Araba was in Duyang (village in Arunachal)overworked with tenders for construction projects as Duyang of 1990's was on its way to Macadmization...
Araba, read the email and sighed with a mixture of despondance and delight -
Dear, Araba we all are doing well and are still grateful for your help and happily await your return to Gurudum(Arunachal, Araba had relocated from Tirap with his and Late Lai's family ) as we are really happy to express that Mamang & your baby is in good health, Mamang is still in bed slight weak..but will recover well under my care
we are awaiting your return soon as the situation often makes us anxious...some insurgents have established bases in Tirap, Changlang and Longding and are busy disregarding & deconstructing the dam construction work we hope everything is okay with you in Duyang, we heard some workers were threatened and Yoibi leader of insurgents threatened you, is that true?and grenade blast was nearby Duyang, I fear it's warning, Mamang suggests that you resign from your job............ as situation is just unexpected at places, it's always better to comeback & reignite with dear ones and stay with them as we people aren't able to meddle with them........ don't sustain the pressure better be back, await your arrival and little Sogong, wishes his uncle a good luck & safe journey........ !
With regards
Lairembi
Araba, pondered over the email, and whole night thought over it .... the situation was pretty bad and yes what actually happened to Lai,two years back no one knows .... was it really a landslide ? or was the event part of postwarning from his seniors as, Lai had once talked about ,how excited he was with his job and wanted to see his state developed but with "Good material and Honest people" hence, hadn't paid heed to warning from seniors, although pressure was always high to make one despondent and quite, which indeed was the motive .... That day Lai was on his way with few colleagues...to Itanagar..... to District Magistrate's office for the delibratory appointment he had fixed regarding the complaint for dam material...... and then at the junction....
Araba pondered that indeed Lai was a good human, a true gentleman who died young.... a good husband and a father, well respected for good deeds,chivalrous, allegory of integrity with courage of conviction, humble..... was once involved in... encountering the drug racket of Burma which was supplying drugs from Laos, Thailand Burma (Golden Triangle) that had dire consequences for youths in various states of Northeast , CBI has applauded his work ...............
A man full of life,career oriented, perfect in everything .... a good man.... beyond words, sighed Araba and on the contrary Araba,thought he -himself is no match ,nothing but a very simple person who did not want to meddle beyond his capacity & wanted to see his daughter and wife....help late Lai's family as they were his responsibility now, spend time with Lai's son & relive with Sogong who had taken after his father an imprint of his friend,
by now he was overwhelmed with sea of thoughts, with Lairembi's letter and Mamang's suggestion and wanted to cherish life, so he concluded he had endured what was in his share as for now as he was already under high pressure from his senior to get the dam done with that cheap,understated material which when built would surely collapse- flood any time creating dead zones, Araba remembered that when he tried to counter his seniors they had warned him to seal his mouth, and had made his life miserable since a long time till he finally relented ........ he had no option left as there was no chance for 'Environmental Impact Assement'
for second time, (as the party sponsoring the project conducted it as per the so called norms) with high cost and no one would surely go against the sponsoring party......
"A corrupted process,"thought Araba,
that night he mailed a resignation to District information office, and with much delibration, as he wasn't sure if the DM was into it ....he, for the sake of dwellers- " Right to Life," He mailed Yoibi the former researcher from Arunachal who came back from London last year, but now has taken over his late father's work and gladly became an insurgent leader supported by locals, master in oropolitics and good at manouvering the corrupt policies to some extent either by hook or by crook, Araba,found it a best option to seek his help regarding the deconstruction of dam project, Yoibi was glad and replied the email with enthusiasm promising to take strict measures although...sorry for Araba's resignation but was looking forward to help Araba in future for the goodwill Araba had bestowed on ..... his people !
That night, since his posting in Duyang, two years......Araba had slept peacefully
and next morning he was hugging Sogong and infant daughter in his very own home .... everyone was glad to see him and name day preparation for Araba's daughter has started he was back here after two long terrible years...... in Duyang amid corruption and senior's pressure........ Few days later it was broadcasted in news that the Tipa dam was blown up and the guards were already drugged deported in Namdapha.... where they were found unconscious..... Araba, smiled thinking that Yoibi must be underground by now, heaving a sigh of relief........
Looking at Late Lai's son- Sogong he smiled, thinking that maybe Lai would bless him for his small deed and is very much alive in Sogong!
Maybe the means used by Araba to achieve that end wasn't good enough but, he had no choice ......, rather then letting people die.... he wanted to Act.
post scriptum - life is meaningful and beautiful, depending on our lens........ many people regret and crave for their loved once........ so...... it's better to cherish yourself and the people in your life & follow the path of goodwill in your capacity...😊..!
Sometimes it's good to cry so let the pearls drop from your eyes,
Sometimes you need them the most but there is only a wind for you to hold you in it's arms and solace you with it's charms,
And a soft comfortable pillow to hug you and make you sleep
Sometimes when you are emotional it's just the ocean tides to splash your feet with love
Sometimes when you feel lonely it's just the stary night and love of trees that winks and dance to make their presence feel
But always your shadow and soul and memories of your loved ones is there to solace you in the rollercoaster of life !
© kalika singh
The email he has received today is marked urgent. But it's from a friend who died two years ago for a second,Araba was shocked but realization dawned on him and he cursed his despondent and dreamy thoughts......tears welled up in his eyes remembering his friend Lai and the wonderful memories of childhood they had carved out together.( Lai and Araba).....How, Araba wished that his childhood friend would have been alive so that they would have shared happiness together at least till there lifetime,or maybe till eternity if God willed...but God already had other plans......
Introspecting Araba reclined on his chair & closed his eyes and for sometime was swept in the waves of past Lai & Araba's promise of being together till eternity sharing joy & good will, throughout.How they were the most talked people in town, Tirap (district in Arunachal)...... for their strong"time tested" friendship. Beautiful reminiscene created brooks of pearls down the cheeks..... everything came gushing back Lai's marriage after a wonderful Scholarship and degree and a government job, Lai's excited invitation when his son -Sogong was born, and all & all, but dark memories of that fateful day made him scream when almighty was high with anger and lashed rain with thunder and solifluction created landslide...and the underconstructed bridge give way and poor Lai supervising the workers and engineers was severely injured and sccumbed to it with few fellows ... who lost their lives............... Araba,remembered how Lai had helped him financial for his education... crestfallen,Araba remembered the email - designated as 'URGENT' he quickly shook his thoughts away although things were still blurred ...........
Unfolding the enclosed attachment he realised it was from his wife Lairembi & seven year old Sogong ...late Lai's son, for whom Araba had created a business forum.... and Araba's wife had been living with, helping them out with their business while Araba was in Duyang (village in Arunachal)overworked with tenders for construction projects as Duyang of 1990's was on its way to Macadmization...
Araba, read the email and sighed with a mixture of despondance and delight -
Dear, Araba we all are doing well and are still grateful for your help and happily await your return to Gurudum(Arunachal, Araba had relocated from Tirap with his and Late Lai's family ) as we are really happy to express that Mamang & your baby is in good health, Mamang is still in bed slight weak..but will recover well under my care
we are awaiting your return soon as the situation often makes us anxious...some insurgents have established bases in Tirap, Changlang and Longding and are busy disregarding & deconstructing the dam construction work we hope everything is okay with you in Duyang, we heard some workers were threatened and Yoibi leader of insurgents threatened you, is that true?and grenade blast was nearby Duyang, I fear it's warning, Mamang suggests that you resign from your job............ as situation is just unexpected at places, it's always better to comeback & reignite with dear ones and stay with them as we people aren't able to meddle with them........ don't sustain the pressure better be back, await your arrival and little Sogong, wishes his uncle a good luck & safe journey........ !
With regards
Lairembi
Araba, pondered over the email, and whole night thought over it .... the situation was pretty bad and yes what actually happened to Lai,two years back no one knows .... was it really a landslide ? or was the event part of postwarning from his seniors as, Lai had once talked about ,how excited he was with his job and wanted to see his state developed but with "Good material and Honest people" hence, hadn't paid heed to warning from seniors, although pressure was always high to make one despondent and quite, which indeed was the motive .... That day Lai was on his way with few colleagues...to Itanagar..... to District Magistrate's office for the delibratory appointment he had fixed regarding the complaint for dam material...... and then at the junction....
Araba pondered that indeed Lai was a good human, a true gentleman who died young.... a good husband and a father, well respected for good deeds,chivalrous, allegory of integrity with courage of conviction, humble..... was once involved in... encountering the drug racket of Burma which was supplying drugs from Laos, Thailand Burma (Golden Triangle) that had dire consequences for youths in various states of Northeast , CBI has applauded his work ...............
A man full of life,career oriented, perfect in everything .... a good man.... beyond words, sighed Araba and on the contrary Araba,thought he -himself is no match ,nothing but a very simple person who did not want to meddle beyond his capacity & wanted to see his daughter and wife....help late Lai's family as they were his responsibility now, spend time with Lai's son & relive with Sogong who had taken after his father an imprint of his friend,
by now he was overwhelmed with sea of thoughts, with Lairembi's letter and Mamang's suggestion and wanted to cherish life, so he concluded he had endured what was in his share as for now as he was already under high pressure from his senior to get the dam done with that cheap,understated material which when built would surely collapse- flood any time creating dead zones, Araba remembered that when he tried to counter his seniors they had warned him to seal his mouth, and had made his life miserable since a long time till he finally relented ........ he had no option left as there was no chance for 'Environmental Impact Assement'
for second time, (as the party sponsoring the project conducted it as per the so called norms) with high cost and no one would surely go against the sponsoring party......
"A corrupted process,"thought Araba,
that night he mailed a resignation to District information office, and with much delibration, as he wasn't sure if the DM was into it ....he, for the sake of dwellers- " Right to Life," He mailed Yoibi the former researcher from Arunachal who came back from London last year, but now has taken over his late father's work and gladly became an insurgent leader supported by locals, master in oropolitics and good at manouvering the corrupt policies to some extent either by hook or by crook, Araba,found it a best option to seek his help regarding the deconstruction of dam project, Yoibi was glad and replied the email with enthusiasm promising to take strict measures although...sorry for Araba's resignation but was looking forward to help Araba in future for the goodwill Araba had bestowed on ..... his people !
That night, since his posting in Duyang, two years......Araba had slept peacefully
and next morning he was hugging Sogong and infant daughter in his very own home .... everyone was glad to see him and name day preparation for Araba's daughter has started he was back here after two long terrible years...... in Duyang amid corruption and senior's pressure........ Few days later it was broadcasted in news that the Tipa dam was blown up and the guards were already drugged deported in Namdapha.... where they were found unconscious..... Araba, smiled thinking that Yoibi must be underground by now, heaving a sigh of relief........
Looking at Late Lai's son- Sogong he smiled, thinking that maybe Lai would bless him for his small deed and is very much alive in Sogong!
Maybe the means used by Araba to achieve that end wasn't good enough but, he had no choice ......, rather then letting people die.... he wanted to Act.
post scriptum - life is meaningful and beautiful, depending on our lens........ many people regret and crave for their loved once........ so...... it's better to cherish yourself and the people in your life & follow the path of goodwill in your capacity...😊..!
Sometimes it's good to cry so let the pearls drop from your eyes,
Sometimes you need them the most but there is only a wind for you to hold you in it's arms and solace you with it's charms,
And a soft comfortable pillow to hug you and make you sleep
Sometimes when you are emotional it's just the ocean tides to splash your feet with love
Sometimes when you feel lonely it's just the stary night and love of trees that winks and dance to make their presence feel
But always your shadow and soul and memories of your loved ones is there to solace you in the rollercoaster of life !
© kalika singh
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