A Wanderer’s Tale

A Wanderer’s Tale

I was a wanderer all my life. As a child I used to wander away from school, running wild in open meadows for no reason, climbing mountains to catch the sun rise and decent,   going by the river to see the night reflections on calm waters, wandering away wherever whenever I could from people , don’t know why. But wanderers have no successful life they said and taught us. There was no documented story of any wandered who has earned great riches and had been successful in the race of life. Or may be no wanderer has chosen to tell their story of success to the world, as they knew the idea of their happiness this world couldn’t contemplate. I could never explain to any friend or my parents, my thirst to keep walking as far as I could go without any intention or planned destination. And I myself didn’t know why, but it made me feel happy to wander as that. They called me crazy, dumb and what not, but nothing affected my silliness.

I grew up to continue with my trend, being rebel, banishing traditions, refusing predictable routine. I wandered around from villages to towns, from deserts towards oceans, wandered as far as I could go. I made my living in many ways, sometimes just being a laborer, a guard keeper, but most times by selling common things of one town, uncommon and rare in other. I traveled in trains, in ships, on horses and camels. What materialistic wealth I gained was minimal, but knowledge I gained was worth that bargain. Knowledge of cultures, of food, of places, of skills, of seasons, of soil, of sea, of birds, of people was worth every penny which I had failed to earn. Strangers who heard my tale were astonished, they questioned how was it more fascinating to have a life without owning anything and just keep moving around. How satisfying it could be with no human bonding.

Materialistic gains never altered my interests, maybe I was a savage soul of some native human race. Human bonding, I had few one with my parents and friends with whom I spent my childhood, but my thirst to explore new places was far stronger than those attachments. Yes and then it was her. Her town which was famous for making brass bells, where I spent substantial time of my wandering life, until my ship longed to again set on sail. She was among the many girls who carved on those brass bells, her delicate hands crafted the most intrinsic designs. I was amazed by one such design and was curious to know who the creator was, that’s how I met her. I wanted to learn the skill, and started spending hours with her. Her kohl eyes, mischievous smile, her smartness slowly started engraving my heart. She was wise. She knew I was a wanderer, who couldn’t be tamed down with chains of  customs and rituals. She never asked for any promises, but instead she let her heart follow my wilderness. She understood me more than myself, I wanted to stay with her, and she didn’t want to leave the town. So I stayed for a while, until she realized I was no more me. As my brass bell designs turned obscure, she said it was time for me to leave. She loved me and I loved her, but we parted, may be that was the best ending we could have.

I made more money in different towns from the brass bells I made. And then I squandered it on wine, to lose my senses, so I could feel her sitting beside me. But the thirst for exploring places, undiscovered, kept me moving, helping me to forget the only pain which this journey had in me nailed. I learned more in my journey, new languages, and different techniques to make the same things, slowly people started treating me as a Sage. A Sage with knowledge, immense wisdom, and they believe I have sacrificed the clutches of desire to live such a carefree life.Today many wish to be me.and I don’t bother to change their belief , so let that be.

Now I am old and I wander not often , I just make brass bells and engrave words, images on it which I have learned from my retrospect.

108 Prince Street

108 Prince Street.

     It was his first day. This new job, his new ladder, his step forward, to conquer and to shine in the cooperate world. It was one of Soham’s dreams come true. He always dreamt, working for this prestigious law firm. Whenever his university had speakers, successful lawyers, from Ryan & Ann firm, Soham made sure he put aside all his pre scheduled activities , pick up the front seat and listen to them ,attentively, in awe, in admiration and a dream to be there colleague, to earn the prestige ,and to stand where they stood. .

Dressed in his finest suit Soham boarded the bus destined to 108 Prince Street. Prince Street, the business hub, the posh buildings, the well groomed streets and the flamboyant crowd. Soham in his sleek suit equally well suited in that place. His broad shoulders, tall stature, tanned skin hue, well-trimmed dark brown hair which flirtatiously fell on his forehead and his confidence, made him a perfect fit for 108 Prince Street.

The bus braked, at the prestigious street and Soham stepped out, he was one of the youngest lad in the crowd, good looking as he was, smart enough to acquire a position at such a young age. Very few in their late 20’s could achieve success, and establish themselves so well in career as Soham had. Along with the crowd he walked down towards the crossing junction, passing by the high end cafes trendy restaurants, well-manicured footpaths and the huge advertise hoardings that hung along both sides of the road.

Soham stood, on the crossing junction, waiting for the signal, opposite to the Ryan & Ann tall glass building, watching the luxury cars pass by, one of his other dreams to own one, someday soon. As he was waiting to cross, surrounded by top notch architecture, fast branded cars and humans like perfect alive mannequins, the music of hundreds of wind chime, drifted away his focus. He looked in the direction where he thought the music originated. On his left, behind was the ultra-modern café and besides it, stood an old but beautiful little house a total misfit in the street.

The house was a typical little English style house, painted completely in white, with white terracotta roof tiles, with the edges of slanted roofs colored in brown. It was difficult to make out whether it was red or brown, as most of the paint had bubbled and scrapped out. The house had huge glass windows, and Soham could see that part of the living room was converted into shop, selling wind chimes .Every time the main tinted glass door which was shaped in round arch at the top, opened, the breeze gushed in, teased the hundreds of hanging wind chimes, which in turn smiled and giggled, creating the beautiful music. The soft cheerful, soulful, music was quite a contrast to the artificial layered lawn and cold steel frame buildings of 108 Prince Street.

The signal flashed and Soham along with the crowd, crossed and changed ways to stride towards the magnificent Ryan and Ann tower. The reception interiors, the lounge, the stairways, the office layout, everything boasted out the success, the status, the power of the firm. The smart young new employee was welcomed with smiles, cheekiness and loads of friendly gestures. Today again Soham was as intrigued by everything as he was, when he first had visited this place for his interview, but heaps more confident, more keener and much more excited about this new journey. Curious as he was always, he asked many questions about policies, people, prospective projects on and of course the surroundings. The day was passing fast, filled with new information every single moment, so was Soham getting acquainted with people, with systems, with the different logins and there jumbled password for each.

As the culture was, Soham’s new team mates had arranged a team lunch, outside the building premises, a causal way to get along and to help him to know them and build the bond. That’s what the HR intended, but for most it was just an officially approved escape from there busy schedules, have a free drink and enjoy a scrumptious free lunch. The team headed towards “Tantalize” café, just opposite to Ryan & Ann, which thrall besides the old house. The café had a lovely rustic architecture, with wooden ceilings, pine timber floorboards and raw unpolished wood furniture. It was adorned with modern element for interiors, with Italian cutlery sets, fancy pendant lights equidistant on the ceilings, modern art spread across the walls, a café which blended well with the 108 Prince Street setting.

The team was busy chatting, discussing, sipping wine, nibbling on the platters, it was a beautiful day, so they preferred sitting outside on the deck and enjoy the pleasant breeze and lovely sunshine. Amidst the loud laughter, jokes, discussion, Soham senses enjoyed the soft music of the wind chimes. Not long enough, Soham couldn’t help but peep inside the tinted door of the old house, right next to the café. The house inside was filled with different kinds of wind chimes , bells , tubes ,rods, suspended in different sizes and shapes, made of wood, steel, bronze, colors of red, gold ,silver and many more , that tinkled , jingled , and created different melodious notes of music .Perfect music , that made the simple house look much more beautiful ,serene , warm than the ravishing “Tantalize” café on 108 Prince street.

His manager noticed Soham’s delightful glimpses at the heritage house.

”You see the house there Soham, old deteriorated that can break down on the rumpling sound of the wind chimes, that’s Ryan and Ann’s great win for this month. The house owned by an old couple , struggling and surviving on mere business by selling wind chimes, Ryan and Ann settled the deal for the house last week and soon it will be vacant , demolished ready for a state of art sky scrapper, a new lovely addition to the renowned 108 Prince street.”

Soham smiled nothing much to say ,had the last sip of wine, enjoyed melody of the chimes which had a sense of freedom, carefree spirit and then he headed back to the tower to be tied back to dreams of success, power , richness, fame, to be a trade mark of 108 Prince Street.