Parijatha

I remember when that boy put his hand out to me. All I had to do was cross the street but it seemed impossible. I grabbed his hand when I felt it on mine and immediately felt embarrassed at showing my helplessness. Abhi led me to the little temple where I said an impromptu prayer. I think I said it for his benefit, lest he wonder why I went to a temple and didn't pray. I regretted, for a long time, not giving him those five rupees when I went in. I thought the little waif would wait for me but when I came out he was not there. I didn't really need his help but I just liked holding his young hand.

When I went into that yellow house that day I faced one of the worst crises of my life. My brother had sent me to meet the Major. He said the Major had a job for me. I really needed to be on my own feet; I hate depending on anyone else, but I've never trusted my brother and I wasn't sure of what the Major was going to offer me. I remember walking in that gate expecting a dog to pounce on me, a very large one at that. I always thought army officers liked that, power and representatives of power. The Major, however, was a big surprise.

I heard a door open somewhere in front of me and a quiet voice invited me in. I was glad someone opened the door and invited me in because I had had no idea how I'd get in. There wasn't even the customary guard at the gate. I simply walked in the direction of the voice.

My apprehensions that day were allayed when the Major introduced me to his daughter. Sumitra must be a beautiful child. In my mind she is.

"Parijatha, this is my daughter Sumitra. She is six," he said.

"Hello," she squeaked. I was thrilled by the sound of her voice.

"Sumitra," the Major said, "Parijatha will be your teacher. She is like you."

"Are you blind too?" she asked me quickly.

The very thought that we hadn't realized this about each other filled me with a melancholic wonder.

"Yes," I said, "but I think your father means to say we're special." I imagined the Major smiling at that. I said it as much for his benefit as I did for her.

"She's blind from birth," the Major said, "and I thought you might be able to help her better."

"There are good schools for this," I told him. The Major didn't respond. Somehow he came across as a private man in his silence.

I taught Sumitra for a few years after that. By that time I'd piqued her curiosity enough for her to want to see more of the world. I know that sounds weird, her wanting to see, but she is special. She saw more than most people with sight probably do. Sometimes I think as much is hidden by light as is by darkness. Sumitra grew to be a child who saw through all that. She always had a question to ask and an answer to find.