SHORT STORY

A HAPPENING SUNDAY

My alarm bell rang at 5:00 in the morning. Even though it was Sunday, I got up and after taking a glass of warm water for myself and my better half. After freshen up, we both laced up our shoes and ready to go for morning walk. Without disturbing our kids and parents & without making any noise, I opened the gate and walking swiftly, we reached the park area for jogging.

We were surprised that most of the members of our locality were present in the park. All the people were collecting the garbage scattered all over the park area and putting it in the Dustbins situated. Sunil, my neighbour called me to accompany him. Feeling amused and surprised we also joined them and by sometime the park was clean as before. Till then Malis reached there and as advised earlier they started planting saplings where the plants were dried down or destroyed.

While returning to home, we were also surprised to see the Municipal officials cleaning up the filth and garbage scattered in and around the common Dustbin and loading the same in their vehicle.

When we reached home, my father told me that the Welfare Committee of our Society has called an emergency meeting at 10:00 a.m. and I have also to be present there. After taking bath and having breakfast quickly, I alongwith my father headed towards meeting venue which was near a Temple situated in our Society. I was again surprised to see such a huge number of people of our locality came for a meeting of common cause. Anyways, Chairman of our Welfare Committee started addressing the gathering.

The Chairman while welcoming the members of the society started speaking. He said: Friends, as you all know that there is no playground for our kids nearby and in this regard we have been meeting since long with our Revenue Minister to allow us in developing a playground on a piece of abandoned State Land near our society. He announced that the Revenue Department has given the approval for the same and also sanctioned some grant for developing the playground in that piece of State land.

The Chairman requested all the society members to be generous and support in developing the playground for our children with cash, kind and physical efforts.  We came back home with the promise to help in every possible aspect for development of playground for our children. I was very happy indeed because I was thinking about developing that State Land into playground for children from last many years and have submitted many request letters individually and through our Welfare Committee to the Revenue authorities but nothing was done.

After returning to home, I helped my son in solving mathematical problems and corrected the mistakes in his home work. After that I was watching news on T.V. and I was again very happy over the news item running on the TV Channel which showed the Govt. officials made a major crackdown on the businessmen selling polythene bags and they also raided the industries manufacturing polythene bags and sealed large quantity of Polythene bags and raw material & moreover cancelled their licenses. Main reason for my happiness was that although there is a complete ban of polythene bags in our State from the last many years still with the help of corrupt Govt. functionaries polythene bags are being used and causing hazards for society.

I was astonished with things happening around me. Everyone was understanding his/her duties and responsibilities without any effort. I came out of my thoughts with the ring of my phone. My friend was calling me to visit his place as he had some urgent work. I had my lunch and left my house to visit my friend.

In the way to the house of my friend, one has to cross the canal which is sometimes choked with polythene bags thrown by public in the canal. But today things were happening differently, as I saw a group of people collecting the polythene bags out of the canal which were thrown by public into the canal stopping the flow of the canal and also polluting it.

After watching all this happening I screamed loudly, it can’t be true, it can’t be true and people around me hold me and asked what happened, and I opened my eyes as my wife while holding me was asking what happened, what happened? Why were you screaming in your sleep?

I woke up and said oh! Was that all my dream? Nothing has changed???.... My dream was still haunting me... but nothing has changed...........

-  SD BOGAL