A Diwali Story (dedicated to a Teacher, Mrs.Jannni)

         

"I was cleaning my house for Diwali when I found an old letter from my classmate, Saleema.

She was from Jaffna and we had done our Higher Secondary together. We were close, real close. So I searched all my address books for her address. But I couldn't find any trace of it.In those days there were no cell phones and land lines were rare. Yet I don't remember replying to this letter.I cursed myself.

'Hi Kritika', she wrote and after enquiring about all our welfare, she continued,'remember I told you about my scientist brother? He used to continue his inventions even in hiding in spite of the war, the torture and the bloodshed all around us. 

Yesterday it was five days since he had come out of his room. So when I heard a noise I hid myself. He looked a sight with his unshaven face and ruffled hair.He locked the room, kept the key above the cupboard outside and went out. I knew that he would take his time and this was my chance. So I slipped the key and opened the door.

It was dark inside and I couldn't see a thing. But on looking again I found something darker inside. With my next step I tripped on something and fell. My face hit something hard and I tasted blood.My nose was stinging. I remembered a window and pulled the curtain.Light flooded in.

The dark object at the centre of the room was a combination of two computers. I had not seen a computer from this close so far so my hairs stood up.The key board was common to both the computers and looked like a snake and ladder board because of its multiple colours. However, from near it looked like a series of conveyor belts or rather like the red strip of crackers we used to burst using guns when we were small. Remember? with small tablet like bulges at the centre.

Outer to the computer on the left was a piano switch obviously pulled out from my brother's fan connection and he had not even bothered to replace it.I switched it on. Immediately 3 lights started winking.After a funny plane take off like noise, the necks of both  the computers elongated and fixed themselves in their respective stands.

The computer on the left had a mouth like  hole with a telegraph key- like tongue at the centre. It made some lip smacking sound and gesture.I was about to smash it but remembered just in time that it was only a machine.I tapped the tongue with the plastic key chain and some colours and designs began flashing across the screen from right to left. The blue, green and yellow lights formed  into a face moving forward and backwards alternately.

When it moved backwards its hands joined together in salutation,the way Indians do. When it moved forwards a hand seemed to come forward like in  the 3D movies and a voice said,'hello' .Was there a sly winking of the left eye?

I ran backwards but suddenly remembered the other computer and stooped  to see it. A part of the wooden framework of the left computer dismantled itself and like a robotic arm it switched on the other computer. The right computer burst into a cackle of laughter and moved slightly to face the left computer. Its bottom line swayed like a human  dancer swaying its hips in a Manipuri basket. Its screen showed one figure changing into many - and then changing back :or was I seeing wrong?

The first screen kept changing its colours and designs. I somehow had the impression that these two computers were communicating in a language I couldn't understand. The belts below the left screen had numbers but the belts below the right screen had letters and small words.  

When I touched a number on the left its screen showed some display in colours resembling that number while the right screen rolled and raced in a flash  of scenes I couldn't understand. Then I typed 'man' on the right. A bear like hairy man walked funnily with a huge stone club in hand, rotating it and playing like we do with our pencils.. A girl came running towards him. Soon he picked her up and threw her into the air, juggling her and the club alternately. He threw her some 5' into the air while the club went up some 3-3  1/2'.

The left screen kept asking me BC. With trembling hands I typed 'No'. Immediately it showed AD.The humans were round figures with just fingers and toes attached to the main body.Was it indicating muscle dis trophy due to disuse? I started giggling but stopped when I realised how difficult it must be. Then I noticed the 3000 on the left screen I had typed casually and  I understood.

 The right screen showed the images of objects as it would have been in the year the left screen depicted. Kritika, how long can you remain serious? I typed today's date on the left and Saleema on the right, just to check how accurate it could get. Will you believe it -a boy in jeans appeared on the screen and took my photo. How did  it guess my name? Where would he paste it? Neither did I want my brother to know that I had been there. I tried to hide my face. But the boy was persistent. Would he step out? The other computer seemed to be helping him. It was  waylaying me. I picked up a wooden scale from my brother's table at the side and noticing a worn out 'off' switch,pressed it with the scale using both hands.

Both the computers made a screeching noise and stopped angrily. The right computer's right hip was up and the left computer faded with an angry scowl.

I pulled back the curtains, locked the door, placed the key in place and ran to the safety of my room.
It still haunts me in my dreams, Kritika. That's why I'm sharing this story with you.At such times I wish you were with me. You'd know what to do.

With love to you and regards to your parents,
Saleema

I folded the letter and kept in my jewel box.But it haunted me too so much that I decided to share it with you,"my sister Kirtika told me.

But ,as you see, it's troubled me too so I'm sharing it here. Just in case it haunts you too, try sharing it.