An Evening Stroll

Tia and grandfather set out for an evening stroll, the sky clear with cumulous white clouds the light breeze touching their faces. Both were chatting and laughing discussing their lives. They crossed one lane after another, Tia was mesmerized to see the vastness of greenery all around, small houses with beautiful kitchen gardens, beautiful rangolis drawn in the front yards. Kids playing in the streets unlike the city kids glued to television or mobile phones. People from every walk of life greeting grandfather and exchanging views and ideas.

Tia saw a pond where teenager's were catching fish in their small fishing nets, wading through the water, moving around water hyacinths. She saw the village grocery store from where the villagers did their purchasing and carried them in jute bags in their hands. Tia noticed how people were untouched to an extent to urban problems. How the villagers grew their food and consumed them fresh. How they walked miles with belongings instead of driving. It was pure serendipity for her.

Walking on a regular lane, she saw the village headmaster's house which was locked. Grandfather knew her curiousness and told her the family had gone to visit their son. Tia's eyes caught something through the kitchen glass window panes. The gleam of her face was marred by a sudden thunder shock. It was a cat inside the locked house. She immediately drew grandfather's attention towards the cat's plight.

Grandfather was in a fix how to rescue the poor cat. It was no use calling the family who were miles away. After contemplating for a while walked towards the house. He took a brick from the front hedge and broke the window pane, then took his cotton towel off his shoulder and rolled it over his right palm. He slowly put his hand inside and unfastened the bolt with his fingers letting the window open. The frightened cat sitting on the kitchen counter jumped through the window and ran for its life. Grandfather said it was Tia's serendipity that saved the poor cat.

They saw the house owner's neighbor coming towards them perhaps he had heard the breaking sounds of the glass pane and narrated him the whole incident. The neighbor assured them to keep an eye on the house and also to inform the owner. Grandfather paid the neighbor some money to get the window repaired as they continued on their stroll. Tia hoped to always remember this evening stroll.