Monday, October 24, 2011

Remembering the hero...



When we hear the word ‘super heroes’, the first picture that floats our imagination is of lean, muscular humans with weird yet surprisingly acceptable dress codes and an appearance which both compliments and enhances their brave character.

As a kid I , like many other kids used to worship this special gene of men and paid my allegiance by collecting comic books, which entailed stories of their heroic deeds, their larger than life, superhuman abilities which no law of physics could restrict.

Collecting theses Religious texts and scriptures was no child’s play, often the journey of dreaming to own one and making this dream a reality involved the process of completing, what my parents referred to, as daily chores, and responsibilities and the less painful and yet highly rewarding blackmail at the supper table.
After the scriptures were read from page to page, and repeated over innumerable times, the act of embodying the lead character by stuffing cushions and pillows into the shirt which almost every time made up for the lack of muscles in my lean and lanky frame, and trying to dress weird enough to pose like a superhuman was a ritual. Though I must admit that matching the dress code was a skill I still had to master.

A strange incident once happened that left imprints on my early age mind which propelled the process of maturity many a folds, or perhaps I should say that It left me careful and feared for good.
And now when I look back I find that there is a fine line that distinguishes the maturity that comes out of experience and fear that roots itself deep inside the human heart.

Monsoons were over in Kerala, the lagoon overlooking the cross gabled house hosting the 4th generation of childhood was full of pure musical water which sparkled and reflected the dancing rays as they fell on it.

I had just finished reading the series 7 of the dark night for the n+1 no. of time and the 2 cushions which my grandfather used to rest his hands on the easy chair had already made their way into my shirt, adding bulk and weight to the biceps which according to my mother had suddenly overgrown after the glass of milk which I was made to drink, to buy some time to play outside.

Wearing the attitude and the face which injected shiver and fear into the bad men, accompanied by the stray puppy as my sidekick who had recently become a family member after the approval of my grandfather, a process which involved a long yet, rewarding session of begging and crying on my part, I stepped out of the house.

My grandfather, who was shuffling pages on the Malayalam newspaper sitting under the porch, was instructed by my grandmother to supervise and to restrict my movements, if needed.

My eyes rolled in the sockets, analyzing and searching for opportunities to kill evil and to help the needy, but with my grandfather surveying the scene, making use of the power that was stuffed in the sleeves of my shirt was no easy task, especially with his eyes peeping from the top of the thick reading glasses which rested on his wrinkled nose.

Yet, I almost helped an ant carry a leaf. Which was when kept on the ground, ran in the opposite direction. I reassured myself saying that perhaps it was an evil ant trying to steal off the small ants which were gathering for winters.

The puppy was busy sniffing leaves and tiny wild flowers which grew making way off the cracks and creek in the stones which probably had never changed positions in their entire life.
Disgusted and bored I looked around, and found that grandfather had disappeared from the scene, probably called in by grandmother for help.

My eyes took me to the puppy, which was still busy sniffing grass and pebbles. Something evil came in my mind, and with a flash my mind had made arrangements to make the ongoing play more exciting.

In quick steps I walked towards the puppy and picked it up.  The poor, innocent creature which trusted me, came in my hands lovingly licking my fingers and making the same soft growling sound which had melted my grandfather, completely unaware of what was coming next.

It was happening so fast, that I do not even remember walking towards the shore of the lagoon, with all the strength in my evil arms stealth in my eyes I tossed it in the flowing water.

A splash was seen and just like that, I had made someone miserable for some pity fun and excitement.
Completely dumb struck, and trying to figure out what I had just done I stood there, helpless and guilt ridden while the poor creature was struggling to keep itself above water, panting and trying his best to move the water which had already started eating him alive, the calm of the place had disappeared, giving way to howling, while I was still unsure of what I had just done.

I closed my eyes, and covered my ears with my palms; I was totally unable to witness the torture in which I had put the poor, innocent puppy.

It was then, that my grandfather appeared out of thin air, I felt his mundu  brush my shirt, never had I seen him in such quick pace. 

He ran into the water, and held the puppy.

Within seconds the accident was averted.

I was in tears.

Holding the puppy in his arms he came to me and assured me that everything was alright.
The sun behind him, filled his aura, and I had just realized how big he was, while he stood in front of me.

He bend down, looked into my eyes and smiled, and perhaps it was the first time, I had seen a super hero who did not need a dress code or bulky muscular arms to supplement his bravery.


He gave the puppy into my arms, which was still scared, unsure and digesting the evil in me. I looked at him and then at the puppy which was shaking and trembling with fear and cold. I ran to my room and wraped it in a towel.

Few days later, unable to keep it any longer on my chest, I told him the whole story and wept, he held me in my arms and asked me to promise him to not to hurt any animal on purpose.

Its impossible to say no to your hero, cause they rarely ask for anything, and when they do, they are too tough to refuse.

The puppy stayed with my grandfather at his place, as a sidekick, as a friend, as someone whom I would remember, coz it introduced my super hero for me.