Chapter 9 - Lost

Maan stood there by the gate, trying to discern figures in the twilight. The streetlights were still yawning, shaken up from sleep by those timely, efficient people that nobody has seen. As Maan looked around, the security guard came from behind him, trying to find out what he was looking for. Maan saw him and smiled. The guard chewed at the betel nuts in his mouth, cogitated a while and was about to speak, when Maan walked away from him. It was evening time, and it seemed like everybody had come outside to breathe in some sea breeze. Walking right in front of Maan was an old man with a lunchbox in his hand. Strangely, he reminded Maan of a balance as it seemed as though his shoulders had tipped over to one side with the weight of the lunchbox. People went past him, no one noticed him, nor did he notice anybody. A little later, tired of walking he stood by a lamppost, to hold it for a while and look at the dying sun. It is then that he suddenly noticed Maan.

He turned around and said, “What do you want?”
“Nothing”, said Maan.
“Hmmm”, he said, and began to walk faster, conscious that Maan was following him. He turned sharply at a corner, hoping he would lose Maan. But Maan followed him like a shadow. He stopped abruptly and said, “Really, what is it that you want?”
“Where are you going?” asked Maan.
“I am going home”, he said, and began to walk again. This time he tried to cross the street but was almost hit by a car. Maan quickly held him back. The car came to a screeching halt a few paces in front of them and the driver shouted, “Are you blind?” Maan looked at the car and wondered if he had seen it before or had heard the voice somewhere. The old man shook himself off Maan and looked at him, squinting his eyes.
“Do I know you?”
“You should be more careful”, said Maan.
The old man looked at him and smiled. Some of his teeth were missing and something about his smile was very childlike and simple.
“But where are you going?” asked Maan.
“I have lost my way”, he simply said.

They stood there for a while. In front of them sprung up an old mansion. A flight of stairs appeared from nowhere. And for a while it seemed as though nobody was around. Maan held the old man by his hand and made him sit on the stairs.
“When did you leave home?”
“I don’t know. I haven’t been home for days”, he said blankly. “I remember leaving home one morning. I haven’t slept in a long time.”
“What is your name?” asked Maan.
“I don’t know”, and he looked into the infinite blankness in front of him.
“What is that?” Maan pointed at the tiffin box.
“My daughter packed me some lunch. It’s empty now.”
A little boy walked by with a teapot in his hand shouting “Chai”. Maan called him, took from him a cup of tea and gave it to the old man. He accepted it without a word.
“Don’t worry, we’ll find your home”, said Maan. The old man looked at him with tears in his eyes. Maan noticed something papery peeping out of the old man’s pocket. He put his hand in the old man’s pocket and found scraps of paper and some money. He studied them for a while. Then he looked up suddenly and said, “I think I know where you stay. " He stood up and gave the old man his hand and said, "Come on, let me help you up”.
Maan hailed a taxi. As they were about to get in he felt a tug on his trouser. It was a little girl from the streets of Mumbai. Her face was covered in dirt, but she had sparkling eyes. When Maan looked at her, she placed something in Maan’s hand and quickly ran away. Maan watched her run away and then looked at the object in his hand. He couldn’t quite understand what it was. It looked like a pen, but it wasn't one. The taxi driver said, “Where do you want to go?”
Maan helped the old man into the taxi, got in himself and unmindfully transferred the object from his hand to his pocket.

“Why have we stopped here Meenakshi?” said Vijay. “And what are you looking at? There is no one there on the staircase.”
“It looked like Maan. I am positive, it was him.”
“What would he be doing here sitting with an old man? Oh come on, we are getting late”
Meenakshi looked at him and at the impatience on his face. It had been a long day. Ever since that little encounter with Mrs. Krishnan in office, she had been running behind black and white people all over Mumbai doing interviews. She remembered with a tinge of pain, that it was in one of these interviews that she had met Maan. "Oh, my mind is so muddled. What's the use of thinking about all this", she said to herself. Now she had to go back to work and type out an exhaustive report. Then there would be a long trainride back home. Hopefully she would get some sleep at night.

Meenakshi walked back slowly to the car, her mind somewhere else.
“Madam, where are you lost?” asked Vijay.
She looked at Vijay and attempted to smile. Then she looked at the sea and lost herself in waves of thought. But who was that old man? I hope he isn’t hurt. Why is Maan with him? Hope Maan is all right. May be I should ask Abhijit.

Vijay lit a cigarette and smoke filled the inside of the car. Meenakshi looked on at the curls of smoke from the cigarette. "Was it really Maan?", she thought.