A Forgotten World

By
SAMURA

His tired eyes and paining body didnt show up the excitement he had inside. His
hands were shivering and tempting. He never missed it so long. The bus was moving
inch by inch due to heavy traffic outside. The extra half hour gave him a feeling of
passing days together in the bus. Rushed into his house as soon as he got down. He
went into his room and locked. Opened his Almira and took it in his hands. Closed his
eyes and felt it by pressing. Breathed in and out loudly once. Connected it and started
running mentally. It was temple run on his monitor and he was moving his game
controller.
He was desperately waiting for his exams to get over. His mother had locked it in
the Almira. She had promised to open it when the exams get over. He buried himself.
Someone knocked his door. So soon. Who could be this? paused and opened the
door. It was already dark outside and he did not realize it with his rooms closed window
inside.
Vinay, what doing inside?
Mom, play station
How did you do your exams?
Have done it very well half closed the door.
Let us have dinner. You have whole summer vacation to play. Come out now
Half-heartedly, closed his laptop and came out of the room.
*

Working parents Rakshita and Pavan had planned to visit a different place for
summer vacation this year.
Really? Are we going to Dads village? Vinay asked again for confirmation.
Yes. Your grandpa is not feeling well and Dad wants to be there for a week
Rakshita replied
No mom. How can we be there for a week? asked out of frustration.
It is just a week. It would fly off
WiFi?
WiFi wont be there. But, we can carry play station tried to convince him
hmmm OK
The day arrived. All packed and ready to go.
Vinay, have you taken care of everything
Yes mom. Importantly packed my Play station along with Adaptor
Oh! I forgot my mobile charger Pavan realized and rushed inside his room.
Ting! Message alert from Pavans mobile App. Your cab has arrived
Vinays Mobile occupied him with Temple run. He realized train started moving
when he was in tenth round. He looked below from the upper berth and saw his parents
getting settled. Pavan called his mother and informed Train started. We will be there 9
O clock in the morning

Dont spoil your eyes. Switch off and sleep, Vinay Rakshita shouted from the lower
berth.
Train arrived at the destination which is close to their village. An hour drive to reach the
village Pavan responded to Vinay.
Oh god! Cellphone signal gone disappointed Rakshita turned to Pavan while the tax
entered their village.
Manjula came rushing outside on hearing the taxi sound. She greeted them and
welcomed them into the house. Vinay did not respond to Manjula. His mind was
preoccupied with something else. On sensing this, Pavan asked Vinay. Are you looking
for rest room?
No dad. Plug-point to charge my mobile
Vinay. It is there inside the room. Please go inside Manjula responded.
They all freshened up and had their breakfast. Food is very delicious, what is the
specialty Grandma Vinay acknowledged. Nothing special. It is all due to local fresh
vegetables modestly responded.
Rakshita shouted from the Kitchen Vinay! Please reduce the play station volume and
continued her conversation with Manjula while preparing lunch.
Manjulamma! Manjulamma someone calling at the entrance. Who are you? Vinay
came out after pausing the game.
I am vegetable vendor. Tell Manjulamma that I have come to deliver the vegetables his
shoulders and hands are filled with vegetables.

Oh! ABC grocery delivery ah!

Vegetable vendor did not understand, scratched his head.
Around Noon, Vinay screamed Ahhhaa
Rakshita rushed in Vinay?
Vinay had kept his head on the table and hitting it with closed fist.
What happened?
I was about to complete the round and power got cut. Dont we have Inverter here?
No. Relax. Take some rest and you can play after lunch
Power will come back evening 6 PM only. I will take him outside in the afternoon
Manjula from the kitchen.
*
On the way to the temple, Vinay saw village kids throwing something at the stone. ???
Mom, what are they doing?
This is called Satoliya and will be played with flat stones. You will need to hit it with a
cloth ball from far distance and make it fall
Oh. It is similar to Angry Bird game ???
While returning from the temple, they saw kids playing another game. On seeing Vinay
stopped walking, Rakshita It is Kith Kith game. They would draw rectangles on the
ground and you will need to hop and jump to move forward to play the game

Oh. Is it similar to Temple Run game?

Kind of. This is a traditional Indian game
Turned to Manjula These generation kids are so addicted to computer games. It is so
sad that they dont get to play these games
*
On feeling something in his eye, Vinay opened it. Sun light was landing on his face
through the open window. He murmured blaming sun and went closed to window to
close the screen. Some stunning outside visual caught his attention. His hand stopped
halfway while closing the screen. A sparrow was drenching its body in a stream. It was
in a repeat mode. It flew away far and got Vinays attention till it disappeared.
His eyes were into a search mode. Outside was colorful with green, blue and brown
combination. Bunch of chicks grabbed his attention. They all were just following the
mother hen. While doing so, they were fighting each other playfully. He was
mesmerized. He saw a totally different life outside for the first time.
He pulled a chair and opened the screen fully. Finally, he spotted some people.
Few farmers were going along with bulls towards the field. He saw bunch of birds were
flying on the sky, starting their day. Couple of hours had passed without him realizing.
Rakshita reminded Vinay Have breakfast and start with Play station. Only 2 hours for
the power cut.
Thats Ok, Mom. This seems to be interesting spent the day till lunch near the window.

They were resting under the tree. Shadow and breeze gave them a soothing time. A boy
smiled from the opposite house. Who is he, Manjulamma?
He is Raju. School teacher Kumars son. Come. Let me introduce him. Raju took
Vinay and introduced Vinay to his friends Gopi, Raja and Puneet played Satoliya, Kith
Kith and glass ball games. Vinay got tired with these physical games. He was an expert
with video games and these games were new to him. His new friends taught him the
games. He returned home in the evening.
They all went to the evening event of the nearby temple. It was crowded and did not find
a seat to sit. His game friends waved their hands at Vinay. They shared their seat with
him for the whole event.
*
A week passed. Play station finally found its owner. Vinay packed his stuff and ready to
leave. He went to the window for one last view and sunset nearing. It was saying good
bye to him. They all got into the taxi and signaled bye to Manjula. She had her eyes
filled. Vinay asked to switch off the AC and opened the window. He smelled the fresh air
and enjoying the Breeze. Vinay sat in the window seat and looked outside. His memory
was still filled with chicks and flying birds.
*
My parents hurryingly left to office after a weeklong vacation. Village sceneries still
occupied my eyes. I dearly missed them. I slept for two days. My Play station kept
seeking my attention. On Wednesday, I started my play. My playing friend henry was
online. Somehow pushed the three days.

I asked my Dad on Saturday morning

Dad, Can you please introduce some kids in this apartment to play? I am bored of
playing video games
Why, your friend henry is not coming online?
He is coming. But I want to play some outdoor games like village
Come on Vinay. It is city and we dont have place to play outdoor games. It is difficult to
find playing friends here
Dad! You have many friends in your Facebook and WhatsApp, No one is having my
age old kid and staying nearby
I dont know much about them. I generally chat with them when I find time. Thats all
Sir, Sir someone was calling with a loud voice.
Pavan opened the door and it was home delivery from online grocery shop.
Rakshita came from the washing machine.
Here you keep things showing her hand towards the store room.
Uncle, what is your name?
Suman replied, clearing his forehead sweat
Uncle, do you need water?
No, Thanks went out.
Rakshita shouted at me I have told you many times. Dont speak to strangers?

I didnt understand it and left to my room.

Monday morning arrived. Loneliness pushed me to start with play station.
My PC got stuck and not opening. I had to reboot my PC. It got stuck few minutes in the
start screen and it said Opening Windows
That reminded me my extra-large open windows. That brought me angry chicken and
bathing bird.
I spotted my rooms unused window on my right side of the table.
I tried to open it. It got stuck due to last month rains. I managed to open it myself.
It was totally different scene from village. Here I saw mainly other apartment buildings
and our front road. 2nd floor gave me a good aerial view.
Not much movement and I waited for an hour.
Finally saw a crow drinking water from a water tank taps leakage. I saw it flying to a
nearby coconut tree and fed it to its small birds. It came for couple of more rounds and
carried water in its beak.
In the afternoon, he saw a boy watching outside from the opposite apartment. I waved
my hand towards him. The boy closed his screen and disappeared. Probably he would
have got scared that someone was responding to him for the first time.
I did not see the crow and it became dark. The water was still leaking and no one was
there to stop it. Being a small boy, I was scared to go to upstairs alone.

Next day, again I spotted the crow stealing the water. My opposite apartment boy came
online again and I could see him in his window. This time, he also waved his hand and
responded to me. I asked him What is your name?
Manoj. What is yours? sharp reply
Vinay
Which school?
Tagore Matriculation
Me too. Going 6th standard
I am going to 5th standard
Shall we play?
Where?
I will come to your house
Ok. Come to C block 25
I locked my apartment and went near the life. After recollecting Ammas voice Dont go
alone in the lift, climbed down to A block ground floor.
While crossing to C block, I saw an old man trying hard to push a cart. He was holding a
plastic chair in one hand.
Uncle, Shall I help you?
Oh. Lovely boy. Please hold this chair till I move my cart to the other side

He moved it and took the chair from me.

Good boy. Are you residing in this apartment?
Yes, Uncle. In A block Pointing his fingers towards his apartment above his head.
He looked above Oh. That apartment. I havent seen you. Thanks for your help
Ok. Uncle. I am leaving
Wait. Have it Offered me a banana from his fruit basket.
I was hesitantly looked at him Dont eat anything from strangers ammas voice inside
me. He kept it in my hand.
Hanumanthappa, Give me kg good tomato turned towards the voice direction and
saw my neighbor aunty.
He turned and started taking tomatoes for aunty.
After hearing aunty calling him with his name, I didnt feel him as a stranger and had the
banana.
I knocked C25 and Manojs father opened.
Uncle, I have come to play with Manoj
Come inside. Which apartment are you from?
A23 Uncle
What is your fathers name and what does he do?

My father is Pavan Ragupathi and he works as a manager in the IT Company near the
T junction
Oh. Are you pavan ragupathis Son? I am also working in the same company in
Support team. Your father is my Facebook friend. But, never knew that he stays in the
same apartment. Good to know it now
I thought myself Dad talks to someone in far country but still he does not know friends
stay close by
This became his routine and stared seeing a totally different world and experience.
I waved my hand to Hanumanthappa through the window and happy to see the
response from the uncle. Uncle inquired me if I had breakfast using his hands. I shook
my head.
I saw my father forwarding a post for save water campaign in Facebook. Next day, I
went to the water tank and closed the tap properly and the leakage stopped. I opened
the tap in the morning as soon as my parents leave for office for the crow to drink and
close it afterwards to save water.
I thoroughly enjoyed my summer vacation with my new Windows.
*
On first day of the school, new teacher asked the students
What do you want to become?
Students stood up Alphabetical order and responded.

Software Engineer, Teacher, Pilot, Cricket player were some of the answers.
I want to become Bill Gates I responded
Very good. Listen Boys and girls. Hear out what Vinay said.
After a pause. She continued
Tell me why do you want to become Bill Gates?
I liked his vision of bringing Windows PC in every home
What would you like to do?
I want to bring Windows You See in every home
Teacher paused for few seconds.
What? with puzzled face
Nowadays people are very much busy with their mobile phone and laptop. They spend
most of their time with far, unreal and unknown things or people. I want them to spend
time with their house windows. That is where you see near, real and knownYou will
see things and people around you
I dont know why my teacher was speechless and not paying attention to her WhatsApp
Alert.
*