Walking

Written a long time ago, the following piece gives an indication of the kind of things that interested me. Possibly a liking for observation and a vivid imagination helped. I loved spending time and finding things of interest, or idiosyncrasies of people. The writing itself is weak but I like to think that it is a work in progress and a medium like Medium, helps me to put it in my body of work. Thank you for your support.

In the crowded city of Calcutta where there is a lack of adequate space, not to speak of the increasing number of potholes where you cannot even ride a bicycle without bumping in and out of one, I would request the people to walk to their daily places of work at least once a week . It is a heavenly experience. But of course I’m only requesting the fit and adventurous to the undertake the journey. For the willing listener, I am giving my own experience.

A kid I used to walk quite a lot and I would not feel the strain of it. With that in mind, I took it upon myself to go to office, walking. If I thought it would be easy going , I was sadly mistaken. Starting from my heels, ankles and heels and those parts that I did not know played a part, all protested. I consulted books and found out they advised to start with shorter distance and then extend it slowly. Anyways, six months later, I could do the six kilometers at a comfortable pace.

Now it seemed a great decision. Walking amidst the madding crowd and the unending flow of traffic, I feel detached from it all. For once, I do not need buses, trams, minibuses or a taxi. A sense of satisfaction is derived from turning down lifts from friends and strangers alike. I reply, loftily, to their offers with a “No, thanks. I am walking my way to health.” Cruising taxis and rickshaws slow down and honk hopefully as they near me. The drivers gaze at me intently. I feel like someone who is receiving a guard of honor.

The number of people asking me for my time is limitless. One of my regulars is an eight year old who sits at the corner of a crowded crossing. The little bundle in front of her is a baby, who she is in charge of, as he mother darts in and out of traffic, begging for a few coins. “Why do you need the time? Do you need to go somewhere” I enquire. “No, babuji, I need to set my watch right”, she replies , breaking into a naughty grin. She proceeds to roll up the tattered sleeve and winds up the immovable knob of her toy watch on her tiny wrists.

I sometime meet a character who remarked, “There you are, doing your daily constitutional, I suppose.” I fumble for an appropriate reply “Er.. I suppose you could call it that” and hurried on. He seemed one of those who did not have a positive bone in his body and probable calls a rainbow –an arch of prismatic colors. Constitutional, indeed!

94 of 366