If destined, you will get delicious lunch

The experience of a man down with a hunger for food, who was forced to roam around in a remote village. Did he get at least water or food or both? read through.

 

 

A middle-aged man, named Mid45, feeling hungry was walking slowly in a remote village, on a sunny morning. Mid45 was carrying a shoulder bag, to shoulder, and had money but did not have anything to eat. He looked everywhere around but could not find any hotels or eateries, big, small, or little.  He was returning from a town after attending his friend's marriage and was traveling in a bus to his home that was still 100 KM away from this village. 

 

In the early hours of the morning, he suddenly woke up from his half-sleep. The bus was parked for a few minutes for a restroom break. Mid45, in his dizziness, inadvertently got down at that place, thinking he reached his hometown. Before he realized his mistake, the bus took off. The time was around 8 AM. He learned from one of the locals that the last and only bus to his hometown, passing through the village, would come at about 6.30 PM in the evening.

He saw hardly 40 to 50 hutments around. There was no shop of any kind in the vicinity, although one or two thatched roof canopies, which looked like shops, seemed closed down. He felt embarrassed to go and seek food from the village inmates. Due to osteoarthritis, he was having pain in the knee joints and found it difficult to walk farther. In the meantime, his hunger was growing. Being a diabetic he needed to have meals on time.

 

A few villagers noticed Mid45, walking and pacing aimlessly but paid no attention. It was very hot and he was feeling thirsty and badly needed some water. Fortunately, he spotted a small water pond. Without considering and testing whether it was potable, or clean, he drew water from the pond with bare hands and quenched his thirst, and washed his face. But in no time he was feeling hungry again terribly. Finding no strength to walk aimlessly further, he found shelter under a shady banyan tree. He put down his back bag, lay down, and tried to close his eyes and rest. But the dancing of pangs in his small intestine made it impossible for him to relax. 

He felt “I wish I were Mid-20 now". Patience was running out of Mid45. He started feeling miserable due to hunger. With all these upsets, he somehow had intermittent naps which were filled with dreams of delicious food items. When he was about to taste some of the dishes, he woke up to utter disappointment. It was 2 PM he felt fully exhausted and was about to become unconscious. He wondered “will I die now?  He knew he would faint soon.

 

At this point in time, he noticed a group of four men approaching him. With much difficulty, Mid45 managed to rise and sit. One of the men in a polite voice told him “Sir, you look so exhausted and tired. We want to give you a small feast of lunch ". Mid45, for a moment, doubted whether it was real or a dream. To verify and confirm that it was real, he pinched the other person, thinking he was pinching himself. The other person cried softly "oh, no, what is this gesture?” Mid45 requested him to forgive him for his foolish act. Another person told him “Sir, please do come to my house and partake in lunch with my family. You will be doing a great favor. “One more villager too made a similar request and cajoled him to come to his house for lunch. Mid45, rather than walking by himself, was gently dragged by the four men towards the huts. 

He could not hide his eagerness for the invitation to lunch. He shouted “Whomsoever’s hut comes first, I will enter.” The eldest of the four slowly ushered him inside the hut. To his warm astonishment and joy, he was offered a vegetarian feast on a plantain leaf. Three varieties of sweets were served and Mid45 got them served three times. He did not even think faintly he was a diabetic. Later, he was advised to take some rest in the host’s house. He thanked everyone in the family, without anyone being introduced to him. First of all, no one knew who Mid45 was. It was at that point in time, Mid45 came to know about the yearly ritual performed that day in that village. The host in his Mid50s explained Mid45 " Today we worship nature in all the forms, Sun, mountain, water, land, of course the invisible air"." Mid45 was visibly moved at this. The man in Mid50s continued " We keep away from our regular routine. No one in the village even moves out of their house. Nobody would open their shops, absolutely no outside activity except worshiping inside the house. You would have not found even cattle movement. The village becomes a desert outside but a dessert inside." Mid45, then, laughed loudly with his increased energy and sugar levels.

 

By 5 PM, Mid45 was offered hot tea. Later he was handed a pack of eatables. When he politely enquired ' Does this pack contain sweets too?' he was given two more small packs of sweets, both to his embarrassment and contentment. Luckily the bus to his destination did turn up around 6.45 PM, right in front of his host's house. He felt grateful and thanked the host and his family wholeheartedly. On boarding the bus he promised he would visit them again, soon, not even knowing the name of that village.  He handed a few hundred rupee notes to one of the younger persons in the house saying "please don't refuse. This is my gift to your lovely village."

 

If lucky one would feast on delicious fine food  

If not even money cannot fetch water for thirst