4. A Lonely Boy

Khizr lived in a big
house
with lots of rooms, a
big verandah and a
courtyard
but he was always alone
and lonely
He played with his toys
and tricycle all day
long
while his dad went to
work
to teach in a college
and his mom
kept herself busy
washing and cleaning
and cooking
He missed his aunts and
uncles and
grandparents
who lived far far away
He could hear children
playing in the street
but he was not allowed
to play with them
his mom was worried
they might teach him
bad words and bad
habits
Since they had
migrated
from a big city of
Punjab
to a tribal territory in
the North
where people spoke
Pushto not Punjabi
and walked around
carrying guns
she was worried
they might kidnap her
son
He used to sit in the
courtyard
looking at the big door
with a big iron rod
too high for him to
open
waiting all day long
for his dad to come
home
and take him out
for a ride on his
bicycle
and buy chocolates and
sweets and toys
He was happy when he
was outdoors
but when he was at
home
he did not feel at
home
rather felt he was in a
big jail
and his mom was a jail
guard
His parents
who had an arranged
marriage
because they were
from Kashmiri families
had nothing to talk to
each other
as they had nothing in
common
his dad read books
as he loved science and
philosophy and
literature
and his mom
cleaned the house again
and again
although nobody came
to visit them
and Khizr had no
friends to play with
His parents lived in the
same house
but in different worlds
and he lived in his own
world
playing with his toys on
his own
and going to sleep
crying
dreaming to be
with his aunts and
uncles and
grandparents
who showered him with
love and affection
but lived far far
away.