The Bond

A Short Story by G.S.Vasukumar

The lightening which had struck somewhere nearby woke him up with a sudden jerk. It was followed by a big thud, as if some huge tree had been uprooted and fallen. He had a glance outside his window, and it was raining

He took the umbrella and walked into the backyard of his house and opened the back door.

“Oh, God!” He cried in grief and shock, bringing down the umbrella, as he saw that the mango tree had been uprooted and fallen down. The umbrella slipped from his hand and fell down in a puddle of rain water.

He fell down on his knees, with tears welling in his eyes. The rain drops mixed with his tears.

Someone placed a hand on his right shoulder and gently pressed it. He turned his face and looked at his daughter-in-law, Neelima’s face which was filled with sympathy; she was holding the umbrella which had fallen in the puddle of rain water.

Neelima knew how much the mango tree meant to him even though there were many other plants and trees in the back yard of their house. It was one single mango tree which stood behind the tall back compound wall of the house, just nearby the old well.

“Papa, come, lets go inside…please..” Neelima said.

He kept looking back at the fallen tree while they went back inside.

“Neelu, you know, my grandfather had planted that mango sapling?” He told her, wiping his face with the towel. “My entire life…almost all my memories are woven with that mango tree in the back drop.”

“I know, papa” She said, sadly, “Now, please go back to sleep.”

Rajesh tried to close his eyes and fall asleep, but the memories of the mango tree kept coming back to his mind. When he was a kid, his grandfather used to sit under this very mango tree and tell him many interesting stories, while his mother used to feed him under this tree.

During summer holidays, his friends and class mates visited his house to have some ripe mangoes. He remembered how he used to climb that tree and sit upon one of its branches and view the splendid sunset in the evenings. How he and his friends used to play hide and seek near this very tree…those were the wonderful days of his life…

“Son, try to be as selfless like this mango tree!” his grandpa told him once, while they both were seated under it.

“Selfless, grandpa?” Rajesh asked, with a frown of confusion on his face.

“Yes, my child,” he said, patting gently on his back, “You know, trees give us so much selflessly…they give us fruits, shade from the sun, wood for our furniture, even those papers which you use for writing…they give us so much and in return what do we give them? Nothing…just nothing…we cut them down mercilessly.”

“Well, to plant a mango sapling and allowing it to grow so big takes so many years…but to bring it down just a few moments… be selfless like this mango tree…as the joy of giving is greater than the joy of receiving.”

“You are right, grandpa” Rajesh said, “I will try to be so.…also I will never let this tree come down.”

His grand father smiled and hugged him in joy.

Rajesh remembered how he had made a swing from one of its branches to his small daughter, Nirmala. She used to spend most of her time on the swing from that day onwards.

“Papa, there are so many little things that gives one greater joys in life.” Nirmala said, one day seated on that swing, while he was pushing the swing forward, standing behind.

“Like?” he asked.

“Like this very swing of this mango tree.” She said, smiling.

“Yes, my dear.” he said.

Some days went by; He felt like someone very close to him had departed from him forever…he believed that every living thing had a soul like a human being, and when they died they too go to the other world. Perhaps, the soul of this mango tree would have united with his grandfather somewhere…in the so called, the other world. This thought gave him some solace…

He couldn't see the empty piece of land on which the beloved mango tree had stood until sometime back. He decided not to go into the backyard again...

He took out the old family photo albums and started going through it. Most of the pictures were taken with the mango tree in the back ground. It was like the family tree, which had stood for many years…he had a drop of tear in his eye…it fell down on one of the pictures of the album.

“Please…don’t!” Neelima said, closing the album, handing him a cup of coffee. “It is better the things of the past are left behind. If not, they will start hurting us.”

“It is things of the past moments which sum up life, my dear.” Rajesh said, taking his cup of coffee and smiling at her.

“Now, I understand the bond between you and that mango tree…it is same as the bond between you and your grandfather.” She said.

“Yes, you are right…When my grandfather had passed away, that was the first time I had seen someone die and I didn’t know the meaning of it. I was too young to understand death then…so felt strange to see people crying…”

“He might have passed away to the other world, but he remained with me in form of that mango tree, which he loved so much. It was the gift from him to me...It was the bond.” Rajesh said.

“That day, I had cried when the mango tree had been uprooted and fallen…it was as if my grandfather had really passed away…now, I understood the death better and the pain it leaves behind in one’s heart. Lucky are those who go away, for they don’t carry their hearts with them.” He concluded.

“You’re right!” Neelima said, picking up the empty cup.

Nirmala had come with her daughter, Priyanka to spend a few days in her father’s place. She too felt very sad knowing what had happened to the mango tree, which was so close to her family.

Priyanka couldn't see her grand father being sad and down in his life after losing the mango tree.So she decided to do something....something which would make him happy and normal again. She got an idea and she told her mother and aunt. Together; they convinced her uncle, Suresh to get a mango sapling secretly.

He got one secretly into the backyard. He and Priyanka planted the mango sapling; while Neelima and Nirmala kept guard. They also made a small fence around the mango sapling, so that goats or cows shouldn't feed on it.

Next morning, Priyanka asked her grandpa to play the game of "hide and seek" with her. She made her grand father to wear a blind fold then she ran shouting into the backyard of the house. He followed her voice and went behind her. She reached the spot where they had planted the mango sapling, and waited for him to come.

He kept walking, until his right foot hit something and his hands felt something sharp. He immediately removed his blind fold, and found himself standing before a mango sapling; which was protected by a fence. It was exactly in the same place where the old mango tree had once stood.

He had tears of joy in his eyes..he went down on his knees and spread his arms, smiling at his grand daughter, Priyanka. She rushed towards him and hugged him in joy.He kissed on her forehead, while patting on her shoulder.

The End