Oblivious Engineer

Holding a bag in his right hand and an umbrella in the left, Mr. Ryan an engineer cum professor was striding on the footpath as if he was going somewhere very urgently. It was around 10 “o” clock in the morning, and there was usual hustle-bustle on the road. Weather was balmy; adding more joyous in the day!

         “Where are you heading Engineer Saab? Come with me I’ll take you on the ride”, an auto driver passing beside him jested.  “This voice sounds known to me”, Mr. Ryan ruminated. “Who are you, do I know you?” he skeptically asked him. Oops!! Engineer Saab!! I am your neighbor, you forgot me! “Oh yeah I remember! You are Arjun”, he replied. “No Engineer Saab I am Lokun “the Rickshaw puller” the one who used to take your children to the school daily”, now I have purchased auto”, he boasted. “Okay, take me to the workshop, hurry up I am getting late”, Ryan said. “Oh saab! It is Sunday today, you might be going to the market”, auto driver reminded him. “ket… ket …coat  Oh shit!! I must be going to the market to purchase coat”, he irked. Take me to the shop please; having said he quickly hopped into the auto.

One Day Later

It was raining cats and dogs; Mr. Ryan was fully drenched in the rain. He hastily came to the front door of his home and knocked. “Open the door soon my dear, I am getting wet”.

              His wife opened the door, “Why are you wet at all”, she murmured in surprise. “Can’t you see that it’s raining”, Mr. Ryan replied. “Where is your umbrella”, his wife yelled at him. Oh!! Shit!! I forgot that in the market. He was about to go back but no sooner did he turn back, than his wife held umbrella he was still holding in his left hand.

          “What is this? She twisted her eyes, and did you go to the market? I told you to bring Kate”. Yes I brought the “coat”, here it is! He put forth the cover of the newly purchased coat that was still lying in his bag since yesterday.

Oh god! His wife sighed, “Kate is our little daughter who is in school now; you went to receive her”. Oops! Ryan stood quiet for a moment, “I forgot”, he helplessly shrugged his shoulder, “but I told Lokun to take him from school; he might be coming with her”, he said again. Uh-Oh! She beat her head in irritation, “he is not lokun, it’s Mamun who carries our daughter every day to and from school and he is on leave nowadays.”

       “But lokun told me, it is Sunday today, the school should be off”, he exclaimed. Ooouhhh! Rasping! She started tearing her hair out, “It’s not Mamun, it’s lokun who you met yesterday, and it was Sunday yesterday, and after Sunday, Monday comes, and it is Monday today!”, she was yelling at him while moving back inside the home. Oh no!! Sorry! Sorry! Actually, there is intense heat out there, so I have become forgetful”, wiping out water droplets from his forehead, he panted. Oye Guru G!!!!!! , she folded both of her hand now “please forgive me, it is still raining out there and I am very thankful to God you still remember that it is your home, I am your wife, and we have a daughter…”