Just for nothing

(fahad ijaz)

They were mysteriously queer and unexpressive; mysterious like secret agents , queer like clown's red cheery type nose and unexpressive like a father 's love! During my whole stay at uet,lahore I tried my best to understand those two brothers; I found something odd in them ; I kept on observing their conduct with people ; the meta physical and abstract aspects of their personality dawned upon me ; yet again I couldn't understand them! They can be observed and narrated easily, I realized later, but hard to describe them in words. They were photocopiers, ever engaged rather engrossed photocopiers of uet and were running a stationary shop there. All manuals, notes and recommended text books were officially kept there from all departments; and there was always a flowing mob of students at shop and I hardly found the shop vacant in university timings except in the evening Whenever ,in evening, I had to buy something from shopping centre or whenever I had to go out of university, through the way on which shop situated, I always found the younger brother engrossed in his job. And sometimes watching that person ,so much buried in his job and quite immune from surroundings, was strangely eye catching that I couldnt help having stay there for a while to have a glance to know what and

how he was working. Every time it was very informative and sensitizing for me. The more the evening prevailed , the more he got secluded from real world. He had untied the parts of his machines, which due to excessive work all the day long, got lot of wounds, cuts and bruises and he ,like an affectionate and kind hearted doctor ,was putting balm on their wounds. His machines were suspiring sadly and complaining him about Poet of East, Iqbal ," here, we too , likewise a labourer, has to toil from morning to dusk. Our working time is also very tough like a labourer! Some time we get so much exhausted that we decide to have breakdown to have a breath but ,with the fear that you will throw us away , we keep on lagging and mending your hand". And he replied to all one by one and consoled them that he wouldnt through them away even if they broke down someday. And his words worked more than any balm, any salve and any unguent and machines got ready to have one more day to grind! Whenever I visited shop, I always enjoyed a lot to observe his motions and emotions. He was always very generous in his dealings. I'm dead sure that every student, who have visited shop even for a single time, would must have experienced this thing that you ask him about 3rd manual and he not only provides you 3rd manual but also considers it mandatory to inform you that 4th manual is also available now- "have you bought mechanics' exercise notes?"--"give me these copies for a minute so that I may staple them"--"no problem dear, do pay someday anytime"--"just get the copy of 1st two chapters instead of buying book; it's more economical" Now if you are visiting the shop for the first time, you are just mouth opened and stunned and , in deep thinking , give an air of suspicion. And in the answers to above mentioned questions, you cant speak and just nod your head . And a sole question is emerging in your mind that why he is having headache about this?? But having visited shop next time and then again next time and also having realized the answers to the questions that why a diligent teacher is worried about whether his

student has comprehended and prepared course or not? Why an honest post man , in scorching sun, delivers you letters and documents? Why a loyal soldier keep his eyes open in trench and wireless each and every minute to his battalion? You get your answer! I can remember one of my fairy tales that my Mom used to tell me on my query, "Mom, this star which is shinning so brightly, why it is shinning so beautifully?" my Mom used to reply me that , after death, virtuous and pious people dwell upon stars and people ,among those pious people, who are more prayerful and sacred, they domicile in that glittering ,twinkling shinning stars. I dont care at all what religious sycophants would say about him. They would check his long catalogue of prayers . They would observe his long beard touching his belly and then would award him ticket to paradise. But to me ,be ever ready for the benefit of mankind, to facilitate people without any personal gain and be oafishly simple and unostentatious is far more than long catalogue of prayers and long beard. So I get the wind of the mystery and realize the fact that why this 10x15 feet piece of land is called "Star Photoshop"