Fireside Chats In Village Square

Winter had been especially severe with continual rainfall during the last one week. As the rains had taken a breather, it gave an opportunity to village folk to venture outside. It was a motley crowd gathered in a village square sitting in a covered shed. The shed had been built as a shelter for homeless. But in a village, you don’t find homeless people, so it started serving as a meeting place for villagers. Mostly older people gathered here for small talk, but there was no bar on youngsters joining the gathering.

A fire had been lit at the centre of the shed. Gathered around it was a mixed group of villagers. Only sarpanch was sitting on the chair, rest all were sitting on the floor in a circle around the fire. The Sarpanch had been given the honour of chair, not because he was the village head, but due to the fact that he had problem with his knees.

The village idiot, who also ran errands for the village head, was standing next to him. He was also soaking warmth of fire. There were a few village elders sitting by the fire. They were all goading village idiot to tell some story. They knew that anything he said, would be funny.

He began, “As you know I have worked in a big metro city.”

This was known to everyone.

Someone remarked, “You must be working on something very important there.”

Everyone sniggered.

Oblivious of the sarcasm, he continued. “I was acting as an assistant to a firangi Saheb.”

This was interesting.

“While Saheb walked in front, I used to follow him, carrying his bag.”

Everyone laughed. The village idiot was bewildered, he had not said anything funny.

Just then a dog entered the shed, he must have been shivering with cold. Everyone made a space for him. The dog sat by the fire.

Another person, who was not in the class of village idiot related his personal experience. He had once got trapped in a trap meant for a leopard. Only in the morning villagers had freed him. All had a hearty laugh at his expense.

The village head told his own story of foolishness when he walked into a pond of water in the darkness.

The village blacksmith said, “Once I met a ghost while walking back to village. As all the direct buses to village had left by the time I finished my work, I had to walk back last two miles.”

This was interesting. Everyone had heard tales about ghosts, but no one had seen a ghost.

Everyone spoke simultaneously, “What happened then?”

The blacksmith knew that he held the interest of villagers. “Actually, I thought it was a ghost. When I came nearer, I saw it was he (pointing towards village idiot) in white dress. He was quite unsteady on his feet.”

Everyone laughed. For once, the village idiot was embarrassed.

As the fog started descending on the village, it was time to go home. Soon, the village shed was bereft of its occupants. All had left for their respective homes.

The fire had all but extinguished.