Isko Paagal Mat Kehna

Insane people near my close vicinity has been a close phenomenon…may be law of attraction! Since child hood we have changed house location 6 times from government quaters to Private houses to retired employees flats and independent floor but if not a close neighbour then a bus stop visitors…mentally medicaly declared deranged individuals were always a constant cause of fear ,anxiety, curiosity and even contemplation ! Myself and those not medicaly declared mad ofcourse have been indispensable part of this journey called Zindagi! On one such occasion when we used to live in Lajpat nagar in South Delhi on rent in a Sindhi colony mostly inhabited by refugees of Pakistan india division of 1947 who made it big now to be land lords with their hard-work and fighter spirit, bang opposite our house used to live ” Shokee” now i realise he must be Ashok who s ever old mother *( whom i saw as ice haired ,hunch backed with one artificial eye always wearing white punjabi suits and holding a walking stick) must have called him lovingly! For a mother even a physically or mentally challenged child is also a very precious treasure ,so the old lady used to take care of some 40 year old Shoki like a little toddler! Shoki was well built may be 5ft 8 inches in hight ,not as fair but with amber skin and with ever red eyes and salt and pepper hair ,he used to wear Formal sky blue or striped shirts with white pajamas and Hawai rubber slippers and in my 8 years which i spent bang opposite his house i never heard if utter a word or smile! Neighbours used to warn us kids who often played in a open space under a peepal tree ,not to tease Shokee or call him “PAGAL”or he gets violent which we all followed like meek lamb! On my 11th b.day my fathers cousins who were just 3 and 5 years elder to me had come to our house to celebrate aswell enjoy tasty treat….That day was the first mindful word ussage lesson i think Swamiji had sent me a signal to learn, but i was too ignorant…so i told the two brothers Shani and Mani while playing hide and seek in our house” Ise PAGAL mat bolna warna ye pathar marega” pointing at Silently standing Shoki opposite our house ,before i could stop saying both crazy ,foolish and unkind boys ,took out their faces from our first floor window and screamed “Pagal,Pagal” oh God ,i felt as if my heart will come in my mouth and hid myself inside a curtain closing my eyes ,my heart racing like Ussain bolt! Shoki came with a lightening speed at end of our stairs with 2 big bricks of a near by construction sight in his hand and blood red eyes! The boys were still peeping out of window and fearless….seeing Shoki in rage under our house made their hearts to skip a beat..
We had informed nothing to our elders till then but as night was approaching and next day was working Shani Mani and their mom had to go back to their house to Shahdra by bus for which they had ti get down….where Shoki was waiting! Think what would have happened..
And i lll tell u surely by tomorrow!