Little Rusty Robot: September 2009

I takes me a while to write that story. I have to admit my English was never as good I would like to be but anyway here is the first part of little rusty robot. I hope that you will like it.
Tata

When I was 16 years old, I dreamt of becoming a choreographer* so I wrote that composition about a Robot and named it as – ‘little rusty robot’. I don't like that story so much anymore it is too sad. But I guess that is a good start before we will write new story. So it goes like that

Little Rusty Robot

Angel city is a small dark area in the city, which is placed amidst beautiful buildings and tall skyscrapers. It comprises of dark allies, and broken down dilapidated houses, where simple people spend their lives unnoticed. They do not dream about being rich or famous some day. They just want to lead a secure life, devoid of the fear that one day, whatever little earnings they have remaining with them, will be gone. They work hard everyday, to provide their families with food and roof over their heads. Angel city is a cold city, as cold as the diamonds that privileged people wear. Here, no one cares about the poor homeless people, who have lost everything they had, till they have nothing else left to lose. It is a beautiful city, if you look at its richness and luxury. Outwardly, it appears sweet, but when you actually walk the streets, you will find that it is scary and unpredictable. Here, you can find anything that you may have ever dreamt of, but more than often, you will loose everything that you love.

In Angel city, there is a small store on the narrow street, where you can buy toys. This shop is mostly visited by the people, who live there, and who cannot afford to buy anything new. Every evening, around 6:30 p.m, Mr. David Peterson, back on his way from work, would stop by the toy store and stare intently at the little rusty robot, displayed in the shop’s display window. His face would suddenly turn very sad. His son, Nik, loves the toy but David cannot afford to buy it for him.

David does not have a great paying job. Although he works for long hours, yet he makes very little money, which is hardly sufficient to support his basic needs. He does not have too many ambitions in life, but he does have a great dream – one day, he will walk inside his home with the little rusty robot and give it to his son and he will be a hero in his son’s eyes. Indeed, it was a beautiful dream!

As Christmas was approaching, David grew sadder and sadder, for he knew that this year also, he would be unable to gift the toy to his dear son. David has a great wife who loved him, and missed him, when he was away at work and even more, while he was at home – because he was no longer the same happy and considerate David that he used to be when she first met him. David never had a lot in common with his wife – not because he did not love her, but because he was too sad himself, to make anyone else around him happy. Nothing ever happened in his life that would make him happy. His struggles continued for very long and eventually, as he continued to struggle and stay detached and unhappy, he forgot what ‘happiness’ really meant.

April/23/2035

Just like any other day during the past few years, David woke up, took his shower, and looked at his beautiful son and sleeping wife before he left for work. As always, he reached for the door and the whole world outside his door seemed to be dark and depressing. Although he had been living in the same neighborhood for as long as he could remember, there was nothing familiar about those streets, buildings or the people passing by. The streets did not change, nor did those building, but it was he, who grew unhappier with each passing day. He had lost all hope and felt directionless in life. Mr. Peterson got on the hover-train. He always liked to sit by the side window and stare outside, to catch a glimpse of the passing buildings. Sometimes, he would see a family at the breakfast table, or the neighbors arguing, and at other times, he would see a lonely old man staring at the television screen. It was almost as if the window of the passing train was a portal to the lives of thousands of people – many of which were not always better than his own life, but neither less intriguing.

A few years back, he saw something that stuck in his memory. During the ride to work, just at sunrise, the sky was beautiful scarlet-red, blue and purple. There was a couple sitting on the balcony. The women had a baby in her arms and her hand was resting on a man’s shoulder. Both of them had closed eyes. They all appeared to be sleeping. He always wondered if they got up to watch the rising sun together, or fell to sleep during sunset. Sometimes, he would stare at the people travelling along with him on the hover-train and try to guess how happy they were in real life; where were they going or where were they coming from? Passing the city outside the window would provide a realistic background for everything that was going on inside the train. People chatting, quiet music and monitors hanging all over the walls, trying to convince you to bye their product, which guarantees happiness.

There was a man in the third row of the wagon, who always intrigued David. He kept seeing the same man on the train for months, but it seemed to David as if each time that he saw the man, he grew even more confident – almost arrogant. His dressing improved and each time that David saw him, the man wore clothes that are even more expensive. He even started carrying more expensive gadget and accessories each time that he appeared in the train. David wanted himself to be in that man’s shoes. He felt that if his life could also change for the better, then he would be much happier, for he would then be able to afford a much more descent life for himself and his family.

So, he decided to approach that man and ask him where from he derived so much of confidence. Although David wanted to approach the man long back, he never had the guts to do so. It took him very long to gather some courage and finally, that night, David wanted to confront the man with his question. He felt hopeful, excited, and a little intimidated as the man approached him. David greeted the man – “How are you doing tonight? I hope that life is treating you well…” and struggled to ask the question in his mind. Finally, he summoned up some courage and asked the man –“You have been traveling on the same train as me for months, and I could not help notice some subtle changes in your appearance and self-confidence. Is there any secret to this change…?” The man was a little hesitant at first and acted surprised to hear the blunt question from David. He hesitated for a second, trying to decide whether or not he should engage in a conversation with David.

Seeing this, David felt a little embarrassed. He dropped his hand down and said – “I am sorry for interrupting you” and was ready to turn around and go back to his seat when the man suddenly spoke up – “What is your name? My name is Josh.” Hearing him speak, David turned around and replied – “My name is David Peterson” and reached out to shake hands with the stranger. The stranger reached out to shake David’s hand. David was a little shocked - Josh’s arm was a
prosthetic! At least, it appeared so… David was startled and did not know how to react. Should he ask the man?

* A choreographer is one who creates sequences of dance steps or movements, often to music