Let’s walk

The moon is the sun’s mind

In perpetual separation

Causing death,

Is one interpretation;

The moon is the sun’s presence

In inseparable union of light

Breeding life is another;

In this world of light, the sun and the moon

Have transformed, merged as one.

The mind is here with me

Of readers who’d pass by this text

It will also be

They’d separate as parts

Like our companion stars.

A recount of an ordinary walk

On a Sunday afternoon

Of a mother and a child;

Wait I would also be a reader

In a while

In the mind of the text

I have my role everywhere

In union, in separation

Of thoughts nestling, nursing

Since a long time

As an extra-ordinary state

Has suddenly become so real

So wonderfully trivial

Like our coveted ordinary lives

My mind, your mind, our mind

Let’s walk...

Scene: The capital of a country in Africa

Mom: Taxi!

Driver: Good afternoon Madam. (Looking at the child)... good afternoon sweetheart... (Ushers them in)

Mom and Child: Good afternoon Sir!

Driver: Where to Madam

Mom: The Museum

Driver: Very well... here we go.

The taxi sails through the road. On one side is the vast orchard of fruits hanging on the nourished trees, and on the other an endless paddy field; long far-reaching grasses smiling away. The sky on top is blue, relaxed.

Child: (smiling)... Thank you Mom...it’s going to help me for my project work.

Mom smiles

Driver: Here we are Madam. Here sweetheart...a mango for you.

Mom: Thank you Sir. (pays and alights. The child smiles.)

Mom: Come... (takes the child and goes to the counter. Two options: Hunter and War. Mom takes both)

The place is not so crowded...it’s just an ordinary museum.

Mom: Do you know we have this kind of museum in the capital city of every country?

Child: Yes, teacher told us.

Mom: Come let’s go to the Hunter section first.

The section hosts animals that were hunted the most, viz. tigers, lions, leopards, wild boars, snakes, and so on. It also has names of hunters.

Child: Mom, I think people were sick in those days. Imagine killing animals for a living! And to think that hunting was a profession back in those days! I think the world should name this a hunter zoo or a war zoo or something?

Mom: Yes hunting was a profession once upon a time. But don’t say people were sick in those days, no unkind words please... it is best to be known as a museum, the concept of zoo is unkind too, don’t you think? They were also good people, very well-meaning people, but their mind was elsewhere and they were insecure. That’s all. Besides, it is the same Intelligence, the same Leaders, and the same Peoples that have made this world also possible. Let’s go the War section now.

The child walks through the rooms and sees weapons, weapons, and more of weapons all over the place. He was reading from the friendly fonts in red that in those days humans would kill humans with the weapons displayed now with a ‘do not touch’ tag. They were invented by very intelligent and well-meaning people, when countries would flaunt weapons to belittle or scare other countries... he was reading... about the waste of money, wealth... these weapons were invented, created and marketed, weapons for mass destruction, but they were not used... his mind did not understand the purpose behind inventing something that couldn’t be used! But the intention was noble... these weapons were invented for self-defense. When he shared his thoughts with his Mom, she said it was easy for him to think this way, but there was a time when children would shoot children too. That now, it’s become so easy and mundane and ordinary not to use weapons, to function without the use of a single weapon now. Even earlier, when people would hunt animals, hunters were really sought after... no one could even think of doing without them, but it happened. In the War section, there’s an Army section too.

He goes and learns that there were people who were trained only to kill other human beings. They were dedicated people, but their sole purpose was to kill, the objective was very noble...they would kill to protect. But these Army guys are now called Nature guys...equally trained and built to fight calamities and force majeure... he knows it because that’s his dream to be a Nature guy. There was also another section called account section... the whole room was full of figures from 0 to 9... the child got lost in the losses the world went through.

It’s almost evening. The sun is becoming milder. Sky is sleepy. He’s out of the section now. Disturbed; like those children who visited the concentration camp in Germany, who were trained for years not to repeat that ever again. The child thinks... human beings would kill animals, and human beings... enemies...and what is that...and why...how...it’s good that he’s out of the section, but Mom told that people were good and very well-meaning in those days too, it’s just that their mind was not with them. Good that my mind is with me. But I have a question. Wait I am going to ask this to Mom, who is looking tense now. First let’s have something to eat, he thought.

They are out in the cafeteria. Mom bites a sandwich and asks the child.

Mom: So...how was it?

Child: Good, but I have a question.

Mom: Just one?

Child: Or maybe more (laughs)

Mom: Tell me

Child: how did it stop?

Mom: What? Hunting?

Child: All... hunting, war, weapons, army...how did this stop Mom

Mom: Nobody knows how...some say it’s because of the leaders who were tired of their respective insecurities; some say it’s because of the people who were tired of looking at each other’s reflections as enemies.

Child: But whatever it is...good riddance...but I have another question.

Mom: Tell me...

Child: What’s for supper?

Mom: Let’s get home first... we have to ask the grand kid too...

Child: You bet! Or he could also be making us a grand supper.

Mom: Sure. Taxi!

The taxi walks through the streets, taking the two passengers, who are now pensive and looking out of the window, what is the mother thinking... that mothers of the world would never have to give birth to a child who’d cause terror or be terrorised... she did not reveal one vital discovery that the whole world has made while doing away with weapons...that toy-weapons far outnumber real guns... she would bring her child again to reveal the secret because she knows that secrets create insecurities...what is the child thinking... of the weapons...of the army... or to fulfil the dreams of being a nature guy... they’re perhaps throwing many questions at the sky, still golden... to be silver in a while.

Dedicated to the mothers of all the 233 beautiful countries of the world.