keep walking

(a true story)


the sun was yet to rise
it was still pitch dark
and damn cold outside
when i got into my car
turned on the ignition
to drive 120km thru snaky mountain roads
all the way to chandigarh
from shimla
to attend a meeting.
--
i love such journeys
when the entire world outside is sleeping
and i am alone
among the ever-awake
mountains and valleys
echoing with pin-drop latenight silence
giving me an excellent opportunity
to talk to myself!
--
i had barely come out of shimla
and reached shoghi
when i noticed
a medium height
dark shadow
walking some 200meters ahead of me
in the middle of the road!
--
i was jolted out of my thoughts...
i slowed down the car
checked the locks
said my prayer
and focused on the approaching creature
looking like a human!
--
as i neared further
it appeared like a woman
walking with a stick
double her height
with feet as big as those of a hulk!
--
i was petrified.
i never believed in ghosts or spirits
but a doubt always remains!
--
i silently shifted the gear
and got ready to flee at top speed
in case my doubts were to be confirmed!
--
i must have been within a few meters from her
when i saw what i had not seen before!
--
it was a 50plus lady
with dark complexion
in tatters
walking like a dead-woman
holding a 10 foot high stick
(which seemed to be a broken branch of a tree).
--
she never bothered to turn her head
and look at the slow car by her side!
--
who was she
where was she going
at that unearthy hour?
--
and then
i looked at her feet....
--
my eyes went wide open
at what i saw....
--
she was not wearing shoes!
and her jumbo feet
were nothing
but
dozens of
polythene bags
wrapped one over the other
on each foot
to protect them!
--
she was a human!
--
i stopped the car
looked at her
without any fear!
--
she was surely
a mentally challenged
middle aged lady
walking to
unknown destination
back from shimla
which must have failed
to shelter her!!!
--
but where would she go?
every other city she goes to
would just be the same shimla
with another name!
--
i had no answer
i felt helpless
and
decided to move on
with a heavy heart!
--
this entire incidence
got me late by around half an hour!
--
i drove a bit fast
to cover up
for the meeting at chandigarh.
--
all thru the meeting
i couldn't forget her face
the stick she was carrying
and her feet!!!
--
after the meeting
i went to sector 17
to buy a new pair of shoes!
--
i saw several brands
including the ones that said
"impossible is nothing"
"just do it"
"i am what i am"
--
but everytime i asked the price
i was reminded of the lady's feet
wrapped in the polythene layers!
--
i dropped the idea to shop
and started my 120km return journey
into the mountains.
--
it was 7pm
and i expected to reach shimla
before midnight.
--
by now i had forgotten the lady.
--
i turned on the music on the stereo
and kept gliding uphill
when i was again jolted
out of my thoughts
when i saw the same lady
walking downhill
with stick in her hand!
--
the place was jabli
and the lady had covered
over 80 kms
since morning
on foot
on the layers of polythene!
--
i felt a lump in my throat!
--
my head echoed

"impossible is nothing"
"just do it"
"i am what i am"