His Highness

Today was the big day of the procession.

It was notified that His Highness and his procession would pass through this alley. The pathway was decked with flowers and other decorations. The firecrackers were bought already and were ready to be ignited.
I stood there, among the crowd, bearing the smell of their sweat and the humidity in the air. With hope.

There were many questions to be asked, and many answers to be found.

I thought of that morning. She was unaware of the turmoil in my mind. My two young daughters had waved me good bye and urged me to bring sweets on return . I did say yes, but wondered how. They had obviously thought I went to earn money.

The hours went by. The procession started off finally with a big delay. And then came near me.

The atmosphere changed. The sounds went up high. The firecrackers burst. I clenched at the pistol hidden inside my shirt, prepared for everything.

Then I saw him.
My first vision of my father.

I looked straight into his eye. I thought he looked at me back.
Yes, he did look at me earnestly. A fleeting glance.

And I found nothing. I searched him all over to analyse the persona before me. The questions I had completely vanished in that fraction of a second. I loosened my grip on pistol and gave a hearty laugh.

As the elephant moved away with his owner seated atop him, I slowly pushed blindly to get out of it all..

Disposing the pistol, I walked to the nearest sweets shop, with the few annas I had.