The Persistent Shadow

 

The Persistent Shadow

When a student reaches class 10 in Imphal, there is a mad rush for private tuitions. There seems to be no exam bigger than the Matric exam. Everyone in the whole state knows who tops the Matric exams every year but no one is that bothered about who has cleared the NEET or JEE or the various competitive exams conducted by the UPSC. So, my point is Matric exam is like the queen of all exams.

So, the daughter of a friend of mine is in class 10 now. So, private tuitions start at 4 A.M. in the morning and ends by 6 P.M. These extra coaching classes are before and after the regular school classes.

For the 4 A.M. tuition, one must get up at 3 A.M. and start the mad rush. The father and daughter drove as fast as they could and reached the tuition centre, but, no one was there as if it was a holiday. They were surprised and checked their phones for messages and found the teacher’s message regarding his inability to take the class that day.

So, they proceeded for the next tuition which was for a different subject at another part of the city. There, they were a little early and so the father let her daughter sleep for some time inside the car and he set out for a morning walk till it was time for the next tuition. As soon as he set out, a stray dog accosted him and he managed to chase it away with a small stick lying nearby. Though slightly ruffled, he continued with his walk. It was not yet fully bright and in the misty morning light it seemed like he was the solitary jogger.

The cool fresh air of the morning drove away all remnants of stupor from his mind and he was fully awake and started enjoying the lively sounds of morning. The chirping of the early birds, the dew drops falling from the leaves, the cool breeze rustling through the leaves, and then the flip-flop of footfalls. Eh…footfalls! He looked around for fellow joggers…but there was no one around. He looked to his right, to his left, to his front and behind but there was indeed no one.

Feeling a little weird, he hastened his steps. The same pace was maintained by the ambient footfalls. If he walked slowly, someone seemed to be following him slowly. If he walked faster, that same someone seemed to be walking faster. Myriad thoughts passed through his mind. His daughter was sleeping in the car oblivious of her surroundings. He was all alone on the street and there seemed to be an invisible stalker following him. Was he about to be mugged? What will happen to his daughter?

He turned back and proceeded towards his car where his daughter was sleeping. The same footsteps followed him again. By now, it was becoming a little spooky and he dared not look around. An invisible but persistent shadow seemed to be stuck to him. In his haste, he almost fell forward and he could not lift his feet properly.

Some mysteries get solved in the most mysterious ways. He bent to look at his feet and the absurdity of the situation almost made him laugh out aloud. The soles of his sneakers were falling apart and all the while the flip-flop sound was the sound made by the loyal accessories trying hard not to become unstuck. The goosebumps and chill that had been running up and down his spine were replaced by the tremor of suppressed laughter!

By now, it was time for his daughter’s next tuition. He woke her up and sent her to class. Meanwhile, he sat down in his car and listened to the radio waiting for his daughter’s class to get over as he could not continue with his walk due to the condition of his shoes!

Shadows are unremovable but some shadows can be shaken off with the right tactic!

Memchoubi Phanjoubam