The Obituary

It was a Thursday and I was ready to remove the shackles of boredom. It was all for the weekend. We, IT Engineers, live from weekend to weekend, bearing in mind that all the disconsolateness of the week can be drowned in movies, afternoon slumbers or still better, a mug of beer. On my way to home, I received a tiny message from a colleague – “Alan Rickman is dead.” Who is this man? Do I know him? Being the typical IT engineer that I am, I expected him to be someone with whom I have worked at some point of time.

Oblivious of the fact that who this man is, I went home and was preparing myself to ask my evermore ludicrous question – “Who is he?” I had my dinner, laid on my bed and switched on the laptop. Now started my “Me-time” (if you know what I mean). Microsoft Edge showed me the latest news – Alan Rickman is dead. Okkk…So, he is a celebrity. Let me check this man’s image.

Oh my God! Professor Snape is no more (that’s what my mind cried out. I will refrain from using the word heart as I do not think that the heart is the one who controls our emotions). The next moment I was blank. In a couple of seconds, the logical bit of me said that he’s only an actor who portrayed the character of Professor Snape in the movie. Why should I be so dumb to think of him as one of my favourite people on this planet?

Alas! The logical part of me only stays awake while I am in front of the black screen. I had switched it off before returning back to home. Tears gushed out of my eyes. I was not sorry because Alan Rickman died. I was devastated because the bravest man of my make believe world was no more. I felt, with him, I had forever lost a part of my childhood.

Whenever I read the Harry Potter series again, I will be reminded of the fact that a part of me is forever lost. People all over the world are mourning the death of a fine actor. I mourn the death of a utopia – my very own make believe world, where I did not allow anyone ever. No one would know that I was grieved so much that I sobbed till I slept. And as people say, he will “Always” be there in the Hogwarts of my imagination.