Mysterious Old Man

It was Wednesday evening of autumn when I first saw him in a garden near Preetvihar metro station. He was sitting at a bench and watching people around him. He wore ocean blue Kurta with a grey waistcoat and he was looking nimble. He was an old man who was in his early 70’s. I used to go garden in the evening daily after my shift to get unruffled. I saw him the first time on that day. As it was a new face for me, I observed his activities and he was looked very talkative. The next day, as a routine I visited again. He was sitting in the same place. As he was having a glowing face, magnetic and charismatic personality. I turned towards him and wave my hand, he replied in the same manner. This continuation repeats for 7 days and on the 8th day he called me. I went and he offers me to sit. He asked some general questions about me and my family. He was amiable and well-mannered person. The Indian attire he wore was phenomenal and the color combination was superb. He was looking financially sound too. In our small pillow talk I came to know that he was a retired professor and he dwells behind the garden in a society flat. He said in order to deflect his mind he started visiting the garden. After completing my shifts, I visit daily to garden and he became my good friend within very little time. He was having to delve knowledge of each and every topic.

Moreover, he was ingenious and inventive. He shares, it was challenging for him to spent time at home, so I advised him to give lectures to students at home, he replied his son did not allow, he asked him to relish his retirement period. I said then why don’t you allocate your time on social media, in a slow tone he said, it was not my cup of tea but I am inquisitive to learn if you instruct me and I immediately agreed for the same. In a very short span he was fully competent. He was fit as a fiddle and a foodie person too. After being skilled in social media, he used to post stuff regularly and loves to burnt-out his time on the same. On the contrary, he gradually became my stress booster, he always disentangles my problems in a smooth way. His life experience was thoroughly utilized by me to handling my issues and everything goes creamy, suddenly once a day he did not turn up and I was astonished because it could not be happened till now. I waited for 20-25 minutes but he could not appear even he did not come to light for a week. I was curious to know about the reason, so I decided to enquire about him and went into his society flats. After searching for 40 minutes, finally, I got his house number. I knocked on the door and it was opened by an old lady who was his wife. I investigated him. She said he was no more. I was astonished to hear that and stunned. My ears were couldn’t believe her. He did not have any physical illness and not even any financial crises. I asked what happened to him she replied he was devoured poison and broke down into tears. I was standing over there bewildered. Nobody was knowing the reason for his step. I came home disheartened and desolate. His death was a mystery until now.