42 B

It is not the size of an woman's under garment.This is also not a number to me.To me it is a bus number.It is the key to some memories.The delay of that bus to reach the Golpark bus stop used to mean both good or bad times to me depending upon the circumstances.The significance of the bus was that it was the only bus to have the distance from Golpark to Navina included in its bus route.Which in turn used to fulfill both the requirements of mine and a friend of mine.Although there were many buses to go my distance,but in order to go with her i had to wait for the bus.And that i did braving the hot sun or the cold rain.Most of the times it was the cold rain,as our tuition was from the evening and started from November.After a few months she left the coaching leaving me with more bus options.Of the few months we waited together some were in the November rains.Once when we finally decided that 42b wont come today we walked all the way.She got a blister in her leg,but i got so many dreams that i stayed awake that night. If someday we decided to stay a bit long gossiping and was late for home,we blamed the bus when asked about the delay at home.

Those are memories now.After she left the coaching i was provided with many buses and slowly forgot all those days.Until today a friend asked for a route and i said:"..you should take 42b",then subconsciously added "its the only bus in that route."With that,the memories came back.The bitter memories.I then quickly gave another alternate route to her and persuaded her to take the other choice.Or else i would have to wait again with her (this time under the hot sun) for the 42b.Maybe because i did not wanted to keep forgetting life, i persuaded her the other route.

Many buses change their routes.But this bus is still running on that same route!Maybe i would not have even thought about the bus if not asked today.The studies,exams everything got suppressed by the bus number.Today the present called upon the past through that bus route.Probably i wont stand anymore in that bus stop in rain waiting for that bus,as also i wont be able to see the world as other people do.

Time

"Time is the heartbeat of the universe"
-- Terry Pratchet

That summer afternoon i was only a kid,who just finished eating his share of watermelon,standing in the varandah of his maternal uncle's house watching the trains pass by. I was about to throw away the watermelon when my brother came and said that its next to impossible to hit a crow by throwing something.I aimed and threw the piece and to our astonishment it did hit a crow!After that we uncovered a secret: if you want to hit a crow use watermelons!That was just another realization among the others like finding out that the guards of the goods-trains wave back when you do so, the house shakes when the trains pass by etc..

On my recent visit i suddenly found these memories still preserved there.Maybe this particular visit was also on a similar summer afternoon that made me remember the memories.I have went there many a times but never felt like these.There used to be another building which was for rent.It was along the wall which separated the house from the adjoining rail lines.That building was taken down many a years ago.The jungle there is dominated by banana trees.Which as is said started with someone accidentally planting a banana tree.Its like a very small Macondo banana factory gone wrong like in the book:"One Hundred Years Of Solitude".Due to many reasons many family members have left the house.Its quite hard to say how many will remember the name of the house:"SARALA BHAVAN", if asked now.

I tried to understand what it was.Memories?Emotions?Or just the passing of time?It was the whimsical time which decided to help me remember my childhood siestas,the warmth of the room, the smell of the old building,the passing of trains etc.It was all there.The amazement that i got in that afternoon was returned to me, but in disguise.Mixed with my new experiences which i gathered while growing up.Its the time who decided when to remind what.Things probably are forbidden to leave the prison of time unless the time is right.And the memories,emotions and everything will have to go by that routine too.They just cannot spill out.