Often a thought of
remorse grips my imagination, ever since my disease had begun erasing my
memory. I started to write this diary so that I can reinvent myself after my
memory is completely obliterated. However, I don’t know whether this experiment
will work or not. It is just an endeavor that I am making to fight back an
encroaching unknown darkness.
Yet, at times, a sorrow
overcomes me and tells me that soon I would become obsolete and redundant and a
waste to this wide and colorful world. It is a question that has plagued my
mind, until I found an answer from somebody from who I least expected to get
it.
Ramu Goral, the
vegetable vendor, has been visiting our locality with his small wooden
vegetable vending cart from a time I cannot even remember now! I can only
recall that I had seen him in this locality ever since we arrived in Mumbai and
settled in this apartment. That means, since my childhood, Ramu Goral had been
selling vegetables to the residents of our housing society. He must be an
octogenarian, considering the fact that he has been around for a very long
time. However, till yesterday, the arrival of Ramu was like a routine task that
took place around my house and I had never bothered much about him. I had seen
him almost every day, I had looked at his vegetable loaded cart too, but have
never given it much attention.
Today morning, I was
standing near the window when I saw Ramu. A strange inquisitiveness gripped my
imagination and I summoned him to wait and went downstairs. I had never looked
at Ramu with so much scrutiny, but today I did. He was a short man of around
five and a half feet of height, he had a thin emaciated body while his skin
looked crumpled due to the burden of age. Yet, the remarkable part was his
vibrant energy and the high pitched voice that this seemingly old and feeble
man carried. I was completely taken
aback by the power in his expressions and the animation with which he was
hawking his vegetables.
I asked, “Hi Ramu. I had
been seeing you ever since my childhood. I am really amazed by the energy you
carry, compared to your age!”
Ramu smiled in return,
while wiping away the drops of sweat from his forehead. I fiddled with the
vegetables from his cart in order to continue the conversation and bought some
too. This brought a satisfactory expression on his face.
A sudden thought struck
my mind and I asked Ramu, “There is something that I had often wondered in my
subconscious mind, but today I would like to ask you. Why is it that you always
carry so many Plantain Flowers in your cart every day? As far as I can remember,
I had never seen your cart without the presence of this vegetable! Is there
anything special about it?”
Ramu smiled at me again
and said with an air of respite, “Sir, there is a little story about the
Plantain Flower and it is not just a mere vegetable! Would you like to listen
to it?”
I felt amused and agreed
to his proposal and Ramu began his little speech, “Sir, the Plantain Flower has
so much to teach us! I carry it in my cart not only to sell it but also as a
source of energy for myself. The Banana tree is born from the Plantain Flower
and it is a tree that never goes waste! Every part of the Banana tree has some
good use to mankind, be it nutrition or household applications. And the source
to genesis lies in the Plantain Flower which grows atop every Banana tree and
then moves on to give birth to another!”
A smile came over my
lips while I continued to listen to Ramu, “Sir, I am eighty-seven years old
now, but ever since I was a five-year old child, I had been working hard to
earn a living for my family. First it was for my mother and then for my wife
and children and now for my grandchildren.”
He added further, “My
son was a fisherman and the waves of the Arabian Sea engulfed him two years
ago. He left his widow and two toddlers. My wife passed away last year.
However, I cannot rest now. I must make myself useful, I cannot go redundant. I
must be like the Plantain Flower and yield prosperity for my daughter-in-law
and my grandchildren. The stack of Plantain Flowers in my cart gives me a
constant power and tells me that I am not redundant yet, I can never be so!”
Ramu went away with his
cart but I stood on the footpath for a few more minutes contemplating whatever
I just heard. The negative thoughts about the encroaching unknown darkness
cleared away from my mind. The story of Ramu and the Plantain Flower opened my
eyes.
I said to myself,
“Whatever happens, I would never be redundant. There is so much left to be
done, so much I need to know, so much I need to give. I too am like a Plantain
Flower, and can never go waste, whatever happens!”
The faint outline of
Ramu and his vegetable cart was still visible at the end of the road. However,
his shrill and strong voice was clearly audible. I smiled, turned around and
went back home with a contented heart.
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