Rinki

On a bright sunny afternoon, Jeevan happened to retire to a power nap along with his cat Rinki. The streaks of sunlight sneaked through the crevices of the room window and scoured the floor. The illuminated floor projected the silhouette of the window grills. Three blades of the fan went on a rotation spree to desperately erase the sweat beads that formed on Jeevan's countenance. The waves of silence swept across the room to ensure no noise disrupted the peace of the sleeping heroes. As the evening ascended its throne, gradually the intensity of the sunrays diminished. Rinki jolted herself off the sleeping realm placed her four legs on the chest of Jeevan and started singing, "Meow! Meow!"

Jeevan who was in the midst of a scary dream got perturbed. He quickly opened his eyes only to see the cute face of his cat that demanded food. He picked up the cat gently and placed it on the bed before leaving the room. Jeevan picked some biscuits and strode back into the room. Rinki munched on the biscuits rendering a silent gratitude to her boss.

Jeevan and Rinki had developed a deep bond since both of them rarely interacted with others. Some of the guests appeared in the house and went on a talking spree with Jeevan's mother. 

"Why your son is so silent? He should speak up. If not, he may find it difficult to live among people. I have never seen someone like your son. If you speak, it reflects your maturity. If you don't speak, you only become dumb, and nobody will respect you. Society demands you to talk," the arrived guest stirred Jeevan's mother's attention who acknowledged her words by nodding her head.

Jeevan who listened to the words frowned.

"Oh, my God! Why do these people hate silence so much? If they can't remain silent and private, why do they expect others to be like them? Why can't they expect everybody for who they are?" he silently muttered.

The cat licked his feet as if it acknowledged his words. 

"If there is one person in the world who truly understands and values me it is Rinki," he picked up the cat and planted a sweet kiss and saw a coy smile emanating from its face.

"Jeevan! Please come and talk to the guests," his mother issued an order.

Jeevan let out a deep breath and stifled his anger before bounding down the stairs to see the guests.

"Hi, Jeevan! Why are you so quiet? You need to speak up and show some maturity. Look at our children, they are so gregarious and smart unlike you. You need to learn from them."

Two of the so-called smart children too joined their parents in doling out advice on how to become talkative.

"I have tasted the nectar of silence and there is no problem in being silent rather than gossiping about everyone to prove that one is talkative," these words spiralled around his mind, but he didn't give them the license to puke out from his mouth. 

Jeevan refrained from countering their advice and rather showed respect which was a hallmark of his personality. After some time, the guests who never knew how to be silent even for a minute left the house but continued to fill the air with words. They are not ready to venture into a silent landscape but want others to follow their words.

"Did you hear them? Silence is boring and it sucks, my dear son. We got to be gregarious to live in this world," his mother too joined the party.

"Silence is my strength, not weakness. It's okay to be silent and speak only if it is necessary rather than creating noise pollution every time," Jeevan said cuddling his cat.

"You have just become like this boring cat. I can't preach or teach you any further," she walked up the stairs.

Accompanied by his cat, Jeevan went out for an evening walk to quaff the elixir of nature. His head went for a spin in the aftermath of that conversation with the guests. He wanted to silence the running thoughts in his head by infusing a dose of peace offered by nature. The arid desert formed in his mind quickly became fertile ground as he enjoyed the view of lush greenery encompassed around. Rinki looked to sniff at something as if she had started an investigation to unravel the mystery of the park. Jeevan was not happy with most of the people who were only interested in gossip, wealth and other material things. He often found solace in his solitude and enjoyed the company of his cat who never cared about how he loved his life. "I wish I could change the mindset of this society that is pivoted around materialism and loose talks. I wish I could ingrain silence into the society that allows everyone to observe and understand other's perspectives thereby respecting other's views of life."

 He scribbled a poem on a sheet of paper to let his emotions flow freely.

Silence is a laughing stock for those Who don't understand its essence

Silence doesn't make sense

For those who don't care about its invaluable price

Silence is not the absence of a voice

It is an art to establish an inner voice

It teaches you to remain calm under turbulence

It replenishes you with copious patience

It helps you relish the paradise of solitude 

But people misunderstand that as a place of attitude

Silence is not a desolate shore

It is a wisdom store

Silence is an embodiment of creativity

It fosters a sense of clarity 

Drenched in the rain of silence

I learnt to live in peace

 Jeevan inadvertently glanced at a young lady who appeared to be applying some medicine on an injured animal. She cared for the animal as if it were her child and ensured the animal did not suffer further. One old lady was struggling to walk, and this young woman assisted her out of the park and also ferried her into an auto. This young woman seemed to be a blessed soul. Jeevan thought in this modern world, he could only encounter ladies who were into parties and pubs. He never expected someone to think on humanitarian grounds. 

"I had never seen a woman like her my entire life. I had always asked God either to bless me with a blessed partner or to keep me alone forever. How do I even speak with her?" 

Rinki seemed to have understood his feelings and quickly ran towards the young woman beckoning her owner in the process. The young woman quickly picked up the cat and stroked it gently. and Jeevan had to overcome his inhibitions to strike up a conversation with the compassionate woman. Before he could regret having averted the conversation, he decided to take the plunge. Hold on! A young guy comes out of nowhere.

"Let's go, dear!" he said.

The young woman held his hand they both disappeared out of the park. The cat sauntered its way back to its owner who looked to be stunned by what he just witnessed. The onus now fell on the cat to get his owner back to reality and it wallowed on his feet. 

"I thought the woman was a perfect match for me but looks like God has already found a partner for her. Did he come from the astral plane?" he murmured.

The sun descended allowing the night to take control over. Stars peppered on the sky and flaunted their gorgeous beauty while the moon seemed to have woken up from its slumber. The sky orchestrated a delightful feast for the eyes of the folks who invested their time in its festivity. Jeevan complied with the rules of the time and strolled back to his home along with his pet. He had a premonition of his cat getting injured which sent chills down his spine. He laid Rinki next to him and planted a kiss. Circumstances churned out by the day fried in his mind before losing their steam and allowing him to take a rest.

The day did not start well for Jeevan as his favourite coffee mug fell on the floor to shatter into pieces. His groggy eyes strained themselves as he collected the pieces and tossed them into a dustbin. He couldn't see his beloved pet at home which raised his eyebrows. He called the cat by its name but there was no response. What he saw next shattered his heart into countless pieces. The impending doom had arrived claiming his cat. One of the dogs had chased and killed his cat. His heart throbbed unable to digest the pain while he had a dizzy feeling. Tears incessantly propelled out of his eyes depicting how badly he wanted the cat to be alive. Words did not stream out of his lips but the painful groan shivered him. Rinki was privy to most of his life secrets. When he couldn't share his emotions with others, Rinki was always there for him. When the society vehemently rejected his silence, Rinki accepted him with grace. Rinki slept there motionless with its soul already departed far away into oblivion. Jeevan held his palm onto his mouth and sobbed with anguish. He felt as if his world had crashed down upon him. How could he grapple with this terrible pain that had secretly sneaked into his life? He felt like being lost on a desolated shore which manufactured agonizing silence. The reality was the cat would never come back no matter how much wealth you spent. He performed the last rights of Rinki with tear-laden eyes. The memories of his beloved pet got stamped on his mind forever. His mother comprehended the beautiful bond he shared with his cat. She hugged him as the mournful winds whispered the tale of Rinki. The beautiful portrait of Rinki found a place on the wall of his house.