Story : The Eye

                                       Short Story: The Eye

I was waiting for the train to arrive on time but the dense fog halted it near Faridabad. The fog cleared but now the clouds seem to cover Delhi. The train was late by two hours. As soon as it arrived I entered my coach in no time. The train stood there for three minutes and then a horn hinted that it will be on a move. The train started to move slowly and I saw a middle aged couple entering the coach quickly with their teenage son. 

I comforted myself on a nice window seat and began to sip a hot cup of coffee. The middle aged couple sat in front of me with their son. As the train gained little speed, their son started clapping. I found it a bit strange as he looked seventeen year old boy. I ignored it and took it just as an exception. 

The cool breeze started to hit my face strongly and the young boy in front of me was enjoying it as a joy ride. He waved his hands to the men working in the fields and when the drops of rain fell on his hands, he was delighted. He said, “Look Dear Father, the rain drops are cool and very clear.” He sipped them quickly. He seemed to enjoy the change in sound of train on the little bridge on the track and liked the overall journey. However, I felt it was a strange behavior. His behavior was that of six year old boy.

I asked his father,” Sir, with due respect, why do not you counsel him or get his counseling from a good Doctor? He looks a bit hyper active child.” I did not used harsh word to hurt the couple. 

The father answered, “Sir, We are going back as we came to visit the Doctor only. We were in Delhi for his treatment only.”

‘Oh!’ I replied. I asked,” What did the doctor say?”

The father told me that Doctor was pleased on his response to the treatment.

But I questioned him. I said, ‘He seems to behave like a small child. Isn’t it?’

The father said, “Yes, he is a small child. He just got his eyes as he could not see from his birth. A kind person had donated his eyes to him. So, the world is new to him and he is seeing the things for the first time. It is like a new birth for him.”

The answer surprised me and I was ashamed of myself. I could not read the child’s innocence. The child mesmerized me and my intellect fooled me. I murmured to myself, “If I could borrow some sense from anybody, please. Any donors?”