THE FLOATING DIARY (Short Story Journal – 24): LOAD SHEDDING

What is more important? Is it the presence of light or its absence? The answer to this question is really fascinating! Yesterday I had a unique experience! Even though the incident might seem trivial, its significance means a lot to me. On Aunt Padma’s request I paid a casual visit to uncle Tom. To be more specific, uncle Tammaghna Kumaraswami, our distant relative who was once a valiant sailor, is popularly known as uncle Tom! After his retirement, he had chosen to live a calm and quiet life in his ancestral house in Little Colaba.

Uncle Tom had heard about my impending amnesia and has presently expressed his desire to see me. Thus, yesterday evening, I went to meet him at his home. There are many fond moments that I had spent with uncle Tom, many of which I have forgotten, but many I still remember. Drawn by a wild attraction towards the enigmatic personality of uncle Tom, I thus went to meet him with a heart full of excitement.

Uncle Tom’s ancestral house is perhaps over a hundred years’ old with wide walls, high ceilings and wide thick pillars. The septuagenarian, uncle Tom, occupies three rooms on the ground-floor and had rented out the entire first-floor to tenants. He lives alone in this house, after his wife passed away a few years ago.

After the initial meet and greet, uncle Tom and I sat together in his living room and chatted casually. I told uncle Tom everything about my amnesia and my endeavor to write a journal to capture my most precious memories. I felt a melancholy about how fruitful my efforts would be and shared my concern with him. He had always been like a friend to me. Even though we had not met for quite some time, I always appreciate the teachings he had given me ever since my childhood.

“I had been writing this diary for so many days. However, I don’t know how useful it would be. At times, I feel worried about whether it will be helpful at all or not!”, I said.

“Would you like to have some tea?” asked uncle Tom. I nodded in agreement and uncle Tom replied, “Good. Wait a while and I will make your favorite lemon tea for both of us.”

Uncle Tom went away to the kitchen for preparing the tea and I sat and looked around the living room. The large and spacious room had an abundance of vintage furniture comprising of a large mahogany writing desk, chairs, a large sofa, a tea-table, tripods with flower vases and five large cupboards stacked with books! Perhaps, the mini library contained books on every possible topic on earth! Uncle Tom is indeed a well-read man.

Presently, uncle Tom came back with two cups of hot lemon tea and both of us savored its intricate taste while sitting on the sofa.

“This is an exceptional flavor that I have specially bought from Assam!” said uncle Tom. “You know, there are a few rare manuscripts on the Himalayas that I have procured recently. Take a look at them. They are on the third rack of the second cabinet”, pointed out uncle Tom.

I felt excited and walked up to the cupboard. Just as I was about to take out one of the manuscripts, the lights went off! It was a power cut. The entire room got engulfed inside a thick blanket of darkness.

“For the last few years, load-shedding has been quite rare in these quarters!” said uncle Tom, “Maybe some problem has occurred. Come back and have a seat. Unfortunately, I don’t have a candle, so we have to wait in this darkness!”

I tried to find my way back to the sofa, but stumbled upon a chair and then bumped into the writing table. I winced in pain as my knee got hurt against the hard wood.

Uncle Tom said loudly, “Wait Pravin. Don’t move. If you move in this darkness, you would get more hurt. Stand quietly and then visualize the room, as you had seen it. Try to visualize the outlay of the furniture, and then maneuver your way back to the sofa!”

I stood still, closed my eyes and tried to visualize the layout of the room. Slowly, the image of the furniture and their positions flashed across my eyes and I gently maneuvered my way. Carefully, I walked past the chairs and the tripods and finally reached the sofa. Specs of sweat crowded on my forehead as I sat down and I wiped them off with my handkerchief. As the pupils of my eyes dilated a bit, I could see the outline of uncle Tom, sitting across on a chair. The entire locality was still shrouded in a veil of darkness.

“So, Pravin. What did you learn from today’s experience?” asked uncle Tom.

I didn’t know what to answer. Understanding my silence, uncle Tom continued, “Is the presence of light more important or its absence?”

“I don’t understand what you are asking?” I replied.

Uncle Tom said in a calm and composed voice, “When the lights went off, there was complete darkness and you stumbled upon the furniture. However, when you focused your energies and recalled the layout of the room, you were able to come and sit on the sofa! Isn’t that fantastic! It really brings out an important fact.”

I tried to grasp the significance of whatever uncle Tom was saying while he continued, “Pravin, life is like LIGHT, but its absence brings out two equally important factors… they are KNOWLEDGE and WILL POWER!”

I couldn’t see uncle Tom’s face but kept listening to his discourse, “Only during the absence of light, we are able to explore our inner knowledge and use it with our will-power! The absence of light is not just darkness; it is a rich shelter of our experience that guides us through all difficulties with the strength of will-power!”

“Your present life is like the blessing of light! Your impending amnesia is the LOAD-SHEDDING, the power cut that will bring in a prevalent darkness. Yet, your knowledge is within your journal, the recollection of your experiences that will navigate you to lead a happy life with your will-power!” added uncle Tom.

As uncle Tom finished his words, the electric power got restored and the room again became illuminated. “So what is more important? The presence or absence of light?” I asked with a smile.

Uncle Tom stretched his arms and said, “Both are equally important. They complement each other. You too must cherish your present and past life as well as the future! Your journal, your diary is a special knowledge that you are building and I am sure it will augment your personality at the right time!”

I got up with a happy heart and returned. Indeed, the load-shedding taught me a trivial yet important lesson. I have learnt to appreciate the presence of light as well as its absence, in a manner that I had never done before. I note this experience here in my diary today and I know that I will always cherish it.