Absences | Flash Post 467

I miss Dost.

I understand, Button. All of us do. Even Messi! Have you seen him spend long hours sitting on the railway chair as well as the sofa in the garden outside—both of which Dost used to sit on—and gaze inside our bedroom through the glass door as if waiting for Dost to walk out! Dost and Messi spoke a language only they understood! Dost—as was his nature—teased Messi a lot, gently tugged his tail once in a while to get his attention and would periodically drop in at the pet shop round the corner to buy him his favourite treat so Messi would warm up to him. Sadly, Messi showed complete nonchalance for whatever reason and continued to stay aloof! But, despite everything, they were buddies!

And Mojo?

Mojo was one of his special girls. It bothered him a lot that he couldn’t assist us in taking care of her after she became paralysed because he was also unwell.

Where do we all go when we pass away?

As kids we believed in the concept of heaven and hell. We were told to be good people because, only then, would we be allowed through the gates of heaven which was somewhere up in the skies. It was supposed to be bright and sunny, full of exotic trees and plants and birdcall and only the good were allowed to enter. And, if we were bad, we’d go to hell which was supposed to be dark, dingy and devoid of trees, plants and birdcall and located somewhere down below!

Where do you think Dost is?

I’d like to believe he’s in heaven!

What do you think he’s up to?

Hobnobbing with friends he’s already made. Chatting. Telling stories. Singing Sachin Dev Burman numbers like “Mon dilo na bondhu,Mon nilo je shudhu, Aami ki niye thaki, Mon dilo na bondhu…” and “Banshi shune aar kaj nai, shey je dackatiya banshi, shey je din dupure churi kore, rattireto katha nai, dakatiya banshi…” and dancing. He loved to dance but it was a unique sort of dance choreographed by him each time!

What do the songs mean?

The first song describes the composer and singer’s state of mind as he grappled with loneliness and the desire to be loved. The second talks about the futility of listening to a simple musical instrument like the flute because of his concern about how complicated, greedy and corrupt the human race was becoming.

But why “dakatiya banshi?”

I think what the composer meant was that even the lilting sound of a simple flute was being corrupted by exploitative humans!

I miss Dost a lot.

So do I, Button.

How does one deal with absences?

You can’t. Gradually, you learn to live with them.