The letter riverside...

A nostalgic breeze kept playing with my mind  as I sat on the banks of the river. The dusk had silenced the water currents. The birds’ chirping filled the sky, blaming the twilight for ending their day's play. A couple sat across the river whose love for each other blended perfectly with the ambience. I had just relocated to the town and the evening was an ideal welcome. My college days were gone and a new phase of my life had begun. I sat there savoring the emptiness of my mind when an elderly woman came and sat beside me. There was a pleasant glow on her face. She was quite relieved to find me. She acknowledged it with a soothing smile. She seemed to be looking for help restlessly. She carried a small bag which was very neatly maintained. It was easy to guess that it had her most valuable belongings. She took out a pen and a sheet from her bag and waited till she got my complete attention. She cleared her throat and began to speak as I wore an inquisitive face. She requested me to write a letter to her daughter for she didn’t know how to read or write. Her daughter studied in a college far from town. Her obsession for her daughter was second to none. She immediately showed her snap to let me appreciate her feelings for the beloved. Her daughter was very beautiful indeed. Her words of praise never stopped until I reminded her of the letter.

 

Finally she began dictating the content. Her voice was intimate enough to make anyone feel that I was her daughter and that she never felt the distance. I was touched by her ingenuous words. Once I finished, the glow on her face grew brighter. She lightly touched my head to express her gratitude and left with a hope of seeing me again. The whole evening left me feeling good about myself and for the woman who was gratified. The following week kept me busy in adapting to the new place. After the hectic week, my pursuance of solitude took me to the river again.

 

The place had to offer a different meaning and beauty this time, adding to the perception I carried previously. The pensive mood was about to capture me when I was interrupted by the same woman. She bore the persistent smile and carried the same bag. Surprisingly she didn’t recognize me. Neither did I mind nor did I try to remind her. She requested me to pen a letter to her daughter again. I silently agreed. She began to dictate the content and to my surprise, she had exactly the same message to convey. I couldn’t contain my curiosity and reminded her that she had already met me the previous week to get the same letter written. Her face turned pale and she seemed terrified. She grabbed the letter and disappeared before I could ask anything. I was completely clueless as an onlooker shouted “Don’t mind. Her daughter passed away in an accident few years ago. She has lost her mind since and troubled the visitors here”.