Page 205 - Musings 2020

After about an hour, Benjamin headed home. He was crying. Apparently, they had lost. I
definitely would not survive another day like that. He then almost slashed me from the shirt
while taking it off, crumpled the shirt, and threw it in a corner of the room. The little
scoundrel’s act crushed me in between my brethren and hurt my head as if I was smashed
against the wall. Upside down in the corner, I watched his mother’s feet entangled in a
rubber-based and plastic stripped strange thing like half of a rubber shoe, approaching me.
She picked up the shirt and hooked the collar into a plastic made curved hanger fixed behind
the door and scolded Benjamin for his untidiness and carelessness. Then she looked at him
again and noticed the dried-up tears on his cheeks. She caressed him and asked him what the
matter was. He truthfully narrated the whole story. She then asked him to look at the brighter
side of the day and cherish his playing experience rather than the thought of losing. She
added, “Life will always be what you want it to be”. I was disappointed because I wanted him
to be punished for the ill-treatment he did to me. I wanted to forget this nightmare as soon as
possible but felt helpless.

It was sheer stupidity to think that I would be fortunate enough to elope from this place. The
threads held me tightly and did not allow me to move an inch. It seemed like a punishment to
some sin was being given every day. Benjamin wore this shirt to school at least 5 times a
week and stained me with filth every time. My life became miserable.

One day, during the after-school hours, an unfamiliar figure approached Benjamin. It was a
slender white boy wearing a pearlescent shirt. He had untidy hair and an exceptionally sharp
nose. He said,” Oi plantation scum. Get out of the ground. I and Malcolm want to practice for
the upcoming trials”. I had no idea who Malcolm was, neither did Benjamin. He (Benjamin)
politely refused and said,” We came here first. We won’t take more than half an hour to
complete our game”. “Your game is worthless. Go and play in the kindergarten area”.
Benjamin’s heartbeat rose to this remark, and he angrily replied “I don’t think you turtle
paced scums have the slightest chance of making it to the team”. The razor nosed boy didn’t
appreciate his remark. Suddenly there was a fist flying towards me. Amidst this fight, I saw a
silver lining, an opportunity to escape! I tilted myself towards the wind and got myself stuck
between the white fingers. As he pulled his fist back, each thread was ripped apart and I got
plucked out of the azure shirt I was stuck in. I rolled around in the mud, desperately trying to
get as far away from Benjamin as possible.

I hid beneath a withered autumn leaf. I was completely lying in the mud, with ants and grass
flies around. This however didn’t matter to me now, for I was free. I saw the white child
running away from the fight as Benjamin muttered a few words to him and started walking
home. After a few hours, the sky went vermillion and then proceeded to darken. At night, the
silver light of the moon caressed and comforted me. The melody of crickets was pleasing to
hear. Maybe this was the perfect environment for me. I finally had found a good place to live
and finally some good sleep.

I had a really comforting nap without nightmares. A rooster woke me up early. It was really
interesting to watch the ants go through my body. I was dirty, but at peace. However, this
‘peace’ didn’t last even one day as a street cat began to scratch me and toss me around. It
may have been a playful experience for her, but it was surely not the case for me. I consoled
myself thinking this was still better than the life I had at the Smiths’ residence.

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