I felt the cold and soon started shivering. The air-conditioner was on and its funny sound turned more absurd to my ear. Is there somebody to switch it off? How could there be anyone except myself? I have to get up from the bed, take three steps to the switchboard, raise my left or right hand…it wasn’t a big deal. But getting up from the bed didn’t seem that simple. My body wasn’t moving an inch. The arms, legs, the head, the torso, the entire body lay still, ignoring my command.
I didn’t panic, but got furious, furious against my body for
its seemingly intentional lethargy that went in conflict with my needs. It was
time to use the solid and singular force from within, to give a powerful push
to my limps, to make them shed their inertia and act to my will.
The inner strength rose from deep within and it ballooned
out. Was I thinking of those carnival nights dotted with colourful balloons? As
a child I had watched with awe at the gypsy who went on pumping air into the
thin rubber, which I thought would burst any moment.
Thud. I lay on the floor fully awake and felt totally
stupid. Sunlight was peeping in from beneath the door and I had fallen from my
bed in sleep on a fine morning. What were those dreams that preceded the falls
I had in my childhood nights? Could recall nothing. But it was completely
ludicrous to have fallen at this age when one shouldn’t have false dreams.
Then I saw it…in the semidarkness that lit the room. It
stood there ominously - the lucky bamboo, which was sprouting leaves from a
vase kept at the corner of the room. “This will bring you luck,” the friend who
kept it there last evening had said. The luck couldn’t wait for another night
and I was so close to breaking my neck.
“Are you hurt?” There was some concern in his voice. “No.”
“See, you are lucky.” Was there a naughty smile his eyes
when he said it?
The lucky bamboo had just begun bringing me good luck…
