A day with Manual

After leaving there, Manual slowed down to read an epitaph on a tombstone. Litha also read it with him.

Lord God,

I stayed a stranger to you Until you came and found me.

I was lost in the darkness around Until you lit a lamp in my heart.

I was a slave to worldly pleasures

Until you made me my own master.

My hands were not pure of sin Until my tears and your blood washed it clean.

I was not rich by any means, But you made me rich in my heart and soul.

I strayed from you like the prodigal son, But you waited for my return patiently.

I lost my path many a time, But you were there to guide me all the time.

I was judged by my own,

But I know you won’t disown me.

Now the oil in my lamp is over.

Do I need a  lamp when I join you, the holy light?

The time has come for me,

The time has come to return whence I came.

Let me sleep in peace, Let me sleep till you wake me up and take me to your garden.

“It’s imperative to repent and cast out the evil Spirit of sins from the heart.  He will be the seat to worser evilness unless he fills his heart with good thoughts and deeds and strengthen his soul with faith in the Lord.” Manual said as a matter of fact and restarted the journey.

“I’ve  found a person that interests me”, said Manual smiling after a while.  “John, the wealthy had said that there were good men among doctors and it was fulfilled in Tony. Don’t you remember Tony’s words that it was his aim to make the people around literate. Lo, I’ve found one who spreads the light of knowledge among others.”

 They saw a mother and her little son sitting on the verandah of their house.

“Umma, you had agreed to buy a T.V.  You say it only but not buy it.”

“We ‘ll buy one soon, balale.  Let the money for mine novel come and my muth get a T.V.”  That mother comforted her son. She was on artificial limb as she had lost a leg in a childhood accident. The villagers had helped her family, poor, to treat her. Her husband did odd jobs in the neighborhood and her income from writing novels and short stories helped them to meet ends.

Manual and Litha got ready to talk with her but stopped when they saw a small group of people coming towards that house.

“You are great.” The oldest among them sat on the sidewall of the verandah and said, “Moideen got a paper from government. I read it. It is because of Sakia’s help!”

“I know to read the board of bus correctly.” Another person was also thankful. Manual glanced at Litha proudly. She shook her head in agreement.  Two people have already given witness that Sakia was doing them a great service. Now what was there to check more about her?  But she found Manual interested in talking to her. Sakia started dozing off in her seat.

 “Sakia, peace and happiness be with you. I’ve come to appreciate your deeds. It is a great job to spread the light of knowledge among others”.

“What happened to me?” she asked with alarm in her voice.

 “Fear not. Nothing has happened to you,” said Manual to soothe her. “We’ve come here because we want to know more about you. You have a son, right? That kid whom we saw pestering you to buy a T.V.”

“Pester! I live for him only.  If he want it he get it.  Till now I didn’t get that box because I thought it a nuisance. Now I get it for him.”

 “Aren’t you unhappy about your legs when you see your friends walking freely?” Manual asked.

“Allah is kind. He might have a purpose behind it. Perhaps I might have been proud if well.  Others wouldn’t have gained from me”.

“You can walk now because all these people helped you. So automatically it becomes your duty to return the favor by helping them, isn’t it?” asked Manual.

“I can’t forget their help”, said Sakia. “They helped me and I can walk now. They are good. Some time back I thought to see how they live.  I saw they not living. Just surviving. Just letting to be exploited by the powerful. They don’t expect anything from the world. They thought the world don’t expect anything from them. They not feel any hope in life. What use is their life? They live with no contact with outside, believing in superstition and black magic. I call some here and said I will teach them. Some came, some did not come. I taught those who came. They told those who didn’t come and they also came. Then they were interested. And the whole people were interested.  The school children came to help us. Government also started literacy mission. Now they are courageous. They stand on their legs.”

“Do you have any more plans for them?”  Manual asked while he took out the list of the elects.

“I will do all I can do. I can do a lot if Allah, the Holy, permits. I want to make them aware about AIDS,” answered Sakia.

 “Sure. You should do that. Allah, the Holy, will bless you in all your efforts. Sakia, you who have dared to swim across the river, will reach the Kingdom of God before those who walk over the bridge.”

 Manual added her name to the list. She woke up and looked around in surprise.

“Did I swim across a river?” she asked them.

They had made her lie on a cot and were nursing her, fanning and sprinkling water on her face.

“She is okay now”

“She work hard.  So this tiredness” “Rest for some more time”.

Hearing their words Litha turned to Manual and said, “If she had slept a little longer, they would have sent for a doctor.”

“The whole village would have assembled here. She is so well loved and respected by the people. And she is worthy of it,” said Manual.

The smile on his face was replaced by seriousness. “How many blessings have the Creator bestowed on man! But millions live in ignorance.  Life saving drugs are beyond the reach of many. Many are hungry, they have no roof over their heads, no pure water to drink and dress to wear.  They live in superstitions, believing in sorcerers and charmers and their talisman. If man is not ready to share the blessings he got, how will he be given more! The liquid blue can add beauty to a white cloth only if it spreads evenly. If it is concentrated at one place it will only spoil the dress.”

“What’s this river and bridge?” Litha asked when Manual stopped.

“You can swim across or walk over the bridge to reach the other side of the river. But the flow of water and the whirlpools can stop many who dare to swim.”

“What does it imply?”

“Didn’t you see Sakia heeding to her son’s plea to buy T.V.? Can the heavenly Father denies a man if his own beloved son prays for him?”

 She was not able to comprehend this answer also.  Manual noted the confusion on her face and said, You can understand only if you are blessed with the abiity to understand, and  got ready to leave.