And god smiled

I was secretary to the managing director of one of the biggest companies in the world. My office was in one of the busiest areas of the financial capital of the country. Zuvyzbu Inc. had all the ultra-modern facilities man could boast of. Videoconferencing was the norm of the day. My cabin just outside boss’s, was a huge one. Every room was carpeted, and I often wondered that it would have cost a few lakhs to carpet the huge office with such costly stuff. I felt alone and without any friends in this concrete skyscraper. Although in my thirties, I had left avid reading long back. Those days, I read anything I could lay my hands on. As I withdrew into my shell, I turned to reading once again.

On the way back from office, by chance , a small board caught my attention.” Happiness library”. The smiling, gentleman behind the desk, in the 10 x 10 room with neatly arranged wooden shelves, was happy to help. A wooden nameplate was kept on the desk. The golden letters on it glowed “ K. Kumar”. He took out a thick blue register, and asked me for my name. “ M. Milee”. He wrote my name in the thick register with a shell studded black ink pen. Unlike all other places I had been to, he never asked for a surname or age or even address. Then he told me “ your library no. is 01.SA.2010. You just need to remember this number”. Somehow, it seemed that I knew this number all along. Seeing the strange expression on my face, he said “ you joined on 1st Saturday of 2010”. And he told me “whatever you would like to read - history, novels, stories, biographies poems, plays, science, …you’ll find it there., choose whatever you want to”. I began to get my doubts! Does this small place have all these ?

I asked uneasily “ what are the fees”?. And the old gentleman told in a whispering tone “ I was a teacher, and loved to see children reading. Even now, I do. After retiring, I have opened this place, and get the pleasure of teaching when the books are read. It’s free, my child!” . I asked out of curiosity “ you do not charge any membership, nor any fee for books, how do you meet the costs of running the place?”. His face lit up with a smile “ There are no workers, only me. So there is no salary. The room has been donated by an old student of mine. He owns this building. He pays all the utility bills. I have my food with his father, my classmate, and friend of last 66 years.”. This was too amazing to be true. In today’s world of cut-throat run for the first place everywhere, everything free!.

He glanced at his watch. It was 6.15 p.m. His voice echoed “ Now it’s supper time for this old man, mine is before sunset. I’ll be happy if you could join me, you can meet my friend also”. Oh! This was a temptation too hard to resist. Tomorrow being Sunday, I had little to do at home as I lived all alone. I nodded my head eagerly. He walked out of the room and asked me to follow him. I asked “ Are’nt you locking the room?”. Again I got his brilliant smile “ The knowledge never gets reduced by giving, in the land of words, nothing can be stolen”.

We climbed a flight of stairs in the same building, to his friends house on the first floor. There was a spring in his steps despite his age. The bell was answered by a tall slim man with jet black hair. He looked around forty. And I was shocked when Mr Kumar introduced him as “ Shahnawaz, my friend “. Another surprise for me ! two bosom friends of many decades from different religions. That too, in this city! But strangely, his friend had a sad look on his face. It almost seemed he was sorry ….for me.

Mr Kumar kept talking all through the three course supper, followed by hot kheer. His friend was more of a listener. I just had a soup, two rotis with a subzi and a small cup of kheer. It was full of almonds, but still very sweet and had a strong aroma of cardamum. Shahnawaz spoke in a sweet voice “ I am from Kerala, and we like elaichi very much”. I nodded in understanding.

Days grew into months and it became a routine for me to visit the library everyday on my way back to my home from my office. Always I had to search for the books myself. Mr Kumar never came to offer any help or suggestion. He always sat behind the desk. I found that strange.

Slowly I started getting the feeling that true to its name, the place indeed was full of happiness. On a Saturday, about a year after joining the library, I got a book with a strange title “ You can live forever”. And I entered this book in the register. There was a strange look on Mr Kumar’s face, but he only smiled at me.

It was a sunny morning. It looked more beautiful to me as it was a Sunday. I wouldn’t have to see the frowning face of my boss at the office. Although Zuvyzbu Inc.was ranked 44th company in the world, it was not one of the places I enjoyed going to. The place lacked a soul. And many of the people too !.

As I idly glanced at the table, the golden lined blue library book caught my attention. I took it in my hands and opened it. It looked quite new. Maybe it was a recent addition, or it may have been hardly taken. There was a thick silver coloured twine which acted as a bookmark. I pressed the book to my nose, there was a faint trace of some perfume which I could not identify. Somehow it reminded me of my childhood.

I started reading the book. It was getting interesting page by page. It described various personalities and how they think. I was amazed to find my type – it was “ gifted”. I was so engrossed in the book that the hours just flew by. Oh! This is impossible. The final chapter described ways for one type to attain immortality. And “Gifted” was the type chosen. The procedure was quite simple, it would take only a minute or so. Come on! How can it be ? Anyway, curiosity got the better of me. I decided to try it out. Maybe, it is true. This is exciting. Should I call my friends and tell them. No, no one would believe it. Let them all wait.

I sat in padmasana, as instructed, and closed my eyes. I visualized my best moments in life. My childhood memories flashed by. Then I visualized unpleasant moments. My office came to life before me. And then ! I followed the instructions precisely.

A flash of light seemed to strike me. My eyes opened. It was well past sunset. The lights were not switched on. But I could see Mr Kumar standing in front of me. His body had a strange glow. And I realized that the nameplate in the library had the same glow.

His words were now loud and clear “ You have become immortal. And he gave me the shell studded black ink pen. Now I am freed from immortality. You have relieved me. You will become free when someone born on same day as you, will become a member on the first Saturday of the year and read this book and follow the instructions. Remember, you can’t ask anyone to join. And you can’t suggest any books to read. Else, you will be a prisoner of time, like Shahnawaz.”

Suddenly, the light was gone!. Now I understood the sad look on Mr Shahnawaz’s face.

I got up in the morning and left home. Strangely, my steps led me to the library instead of my office. I went to the desk in the library. A wooden nameplate with golden letters was on it. The name read “M.Milee” I sat behind the desk, and waited. Time flew by, everyday I had my food with Mr Shahnawaz in his house. We never spoke a word during our meals. Sixty six years passed by !. Many members joined but I never got lucky to have a liberator.

I was sitting behind the desk when the sound of footsteps jolted me up. And YOU were standing at the door. I smiled and you smiled back. I could see my reliever in you. At last someone else will take my place. I welcomed you in and assured you that the library had a fantastic collection. I wrote your name with the shell studded black ink pen in the thick blue register and announced “ your library no. is 01.SA.2076”. And I heard the familiar question “ what are the fees”? As I smiled and looked up at the shelves of books, I saw god’s face. And god smiled!.