The Wrinkles of Old age

The Wrinkles Of Old-age


















 






It was 6 in the evening yet loud and clear, the sky was. No symptoms of an unfortunate wind or shower.
A car rushed its way through the lanes of the silent village. Herriot could hear it approaching the fields two kilometers distant from him- that   silent the village was.
Within no time, the car engine's sound was increasing and getting louder and louder until it finally culminated with a braking noise that made few birds, merely perched in a nearby tree, shiver and they finally flew away.
Justin was finely asleep. Dick carried his sleeping son into the lonely hall. The house was abandoned, unmanned and dead silent. Placing Justin in a screeching pine chair by the window, Dick called out, "Dad? ... Dad?"
No reply.
Searching all over the house he finally heard some movements in the backyard, a soft mumble of water flowing.
As he found his way through the beautiful stretches of neatly aligned garden, he found his father calmly watering the flowers with an expression like he was the only person on the whole Earth.
"Justin's here, Dad. He's sleeping.... I have to go now... Please make him feel home. Bye, Dad."
No reply.
Dick headed towards the hall to leave. Thinking of something unfinished, he again turned towards his Dad. "I am sorry, Dad...for everything" he murmured. Knowing he will not get any recognition to his apology, he turned away.
The car soon sped its way across the fields and out of the village.
Herriot heaved a sigh of utter disapproval.
"Why did papa ask sorry to you?", a low whisper was heard. Herriot turned to face the speaker. It was Justin with half waken tired eyes.
'Just as cunning as your father!" Herriot told with complete disappointment." I am Justin and you are Herriot, right? My grand-dad?", Justin started playing in the lawn unmindful of Herriot's piling up nerves.
"Don't call me that, you... And get off my lawn", Herriot shot back childishly.
Justin shot both his hands up and replied, "Alright, alright". And then he sat himself on a nearby stair and then again started shooting questions, "So you will be my friend if not my grand-dad?" he asked mimicking the "grand-dad" in a military-general like tone.
"Never"
"Why?"
No reply.
Herriot, not knowing how to avoid any further conversation with the little fellow, went in as he plunk the tube as such.
Justin followed him unknowing that he was being avoided. Poor fellow!  "I guess you didn't hear me there. I asked if you could be my friend if not for a grandpa. ", Justin repeated.
Finally, Herriot found a reason to speak out.
He turned to face the ten year old. "I heard you crystal clear. Now, sit here and never try to talk!", Herriot went into the study. Justin was a bit affected by the sudden scowl but soon recovered and started touring the house.
By the time Herriot came out of his study, it was ticking towards ten. The sky was ready to unburden its moisture. Herriot saw no signs of Justin until he saw him neatly tugged in a rug in his bed sleeping unaware of the oddness of reality.
Not knowing if Justin had had his dinner yet, Herriot sat beside Justin, confused whether to wake him up or not.
"Well, I didn't have my dinner yet", a low whisper came from inside the rug. Justin slowly removed the rug off his face showing off a wolfish smile.
"You haven't slept yet?", Herriot asked and then cursed himself for starting a conversation.
"No. It is a new place", Justin said as he got himself standing on the not-so-fluffy bed and danced to the rhythm of his own tone.
Herriot didn't budge to reply. He left the room and returned after a few moments with a cup of juice.
"Oh, so you are planning to go without food tonight? Well up to you", Justin said as he snatched the cup from Herriot and drank every drop of it. Herriot watched it all totally unsatisfied.
"Okay! I know you are hungry", he stood there and thought for a while and suddenly brightened up. "Here is the MAGIC!! Look out! Abracadabra!!!  He closed the mouth of the cup with his tiny hand which refused to cover it up completely.
"Here you go!! Have juice, Herri", he stretched out the cup. Herriot looked into it and found half the glass with juice. A smile peeped out of his lips that were strictly replaced with glum. But he did want to appreciate his 'magic', though.
When Herriot entered the bedroom once again Justin stood with a pillow and his rug which he struggled to hold together.
Herriot passed a questioning glance at him. "Oh, yeah! I missed it! I know you are afraid of thunder. Hmmn... It seems it is going to rain. Let's  see...okay fine, I will sleep with you, don't worry.", Justin delivered the speech showing off his generosity.
Herriot couldn't control it and smiled a small smile at his innocent but rather cunning Justin.
Herriot's smile was more than enough for Justin to settle down.
"Yeah... c'mon... it's time already", he said and lay himself.
The night was a loud, noisy and thunderous one. Justin was shaking severely every time thunder struck. Herriot was sorry for the poor child.
 He enclosed him in his arms as tightly, as closely and as securing as possible. Justin murmured, "Thank you, grandpa" and soon fell asleep undisturbed by any thunder, safe and sound inside the protecting arms of his GRANDPA. Herriot was relieved that Justin finally slept into the noisy night and he soon settled down with comfortable thoughts bringing smile to his lips and sleep to his eyes.
The next day dawned just like the previous one-full of bird songs, full of dew, and full of freshness, full of nature but one was different- Herriot was with Justin not alone. Herriot had gotten up with the sun, watered his garden and put hay to his cows. Few times he even checked if Justin was still sleeping, still alright without his 'Mama" and his "Papa".
Then he went with the newspaper into his study. A few minutes passed by. He heard someone outside his study.
"Justin?", he called out but surely knew it was Justin.
"It's me", the little boy called out half swallowing his words. He came into the study with a brush in hand and a mouth fully covered with tooth paste.
"What's it?"
"Can you help me brush my teeth? Your paste tastes bad and its smell is not good either...Yuk!", he said showing off his paste coated teeth.
"I can't. you do your stuff yourself"
"You are my friend! C'mon Herri... it's ok if your paste is smelling and tasting bad... help me", and pilled Herriot out of the study.
Knowing there was no power in the tongue of a man to defeat his grandchild, he relented. Even while brushing Justin's teeth, he had an expression of unwillingness worn all over his face but his eyes spoke volumes of his happiness to be with his grandchild, finally.
'Okay... so you have helped me brush my teeth. Now I must reciprocate, right?" he said putting his finger thoughtfully on his lips as if in deep thought.
"IDEA!" his eyes gleamed. "You go on with your newspaper thingy. I will get you a surprise... go", Justin screamed in excitement.
Not anxious about the surprise but about what Justin had in stock for him occupied the time within which Justin entered the study with eyes shining and a cup of coffee.
"Tantara!! Now, have your coffee, specially made by me"
Not speaking a word, Herriot took a sip of the cold under-done coffee.
At once, his eyes widened, he shut his mouth with his hand and ran to the basin. Justin followed him laughing out aloud not wanting to hide his excitement. Herriot came in after rinsing his mouth for the hundredth time.
"How was it?"
"What was IT?"
"I asked you first!"
"Untouchable... untasteable!"
"Great! It is coffee minus sugar plus peppermints!!"
"Peppermints?"
"Yup... saw it in the kitchen and came up with this unique coffee!!
Herriot looked at Justin for a long moment. Justin gave back the same stare, the same way. Finally, Herriot smiled and gestured Justin to come near. 'Come here, dear!" he said softly. Justin slowly paced towards his grandpa.
Each step he took, the smile on his face became wider and wider. When at last he was close enough to Herriot, he hugged him as tightly, as closely and as secure as possible-just like the hug he received from Herriot the previous night.
"I am sorry, dear... but don't think I hate you...", Herriot whispered.
Justin saw Herriot into his eyes. "I know, Herri... and I like you very much", he told as he wiped the tears off Herriot's happy face.
In the evening when everything was cold except their hearts, Herriot decided to take Justin out for a walk.
"Wow, Herri... you live in a beautiful place. I love it"
"Yeah, it is always green, lush and moist here"
"Fine... and.. why did Papa ask sorry to you?"
Herriot stopped. Justin feared if he had put forth a wrong question in the wrong time.
"Your Papa is nothing like you... forget it"
"No... please tell me... see, I am old enough to know it", saying Justin stood on his toes trying to lengthen himself. Herriot smiled.
"Yeah, you are"
"Then tell, please"
"He... doesn't want you, Jane, your mother... all he wants is just money... forget this again"
"Done ! But you know, Herri... no one back home will hug me when I shiver at night... mom doesn't care anymore if I ate, or even if I am home... she went away with Jane. Still I miss them...Do you find anything annoying in me?"
"No! don't worry... I am here and will be here with you..."
"You will?", he asked placing his finger on his throat.
"I sure will", Herriot gestured back.
They walked for a while and then returned home to catch up with Justin's favorite cartoon on T.V,
"You are going to have that magic juice today?", Justin asked following Herriot into the kitchen.
Herriot lifted him up and placed him on the kitchen slab and started preparing dinner. A soup, a jelly and some veggies-dinner was done. Herriot fed Justin as tears rolled all over his face.
Before going to bed, Herriot took Justin into a room which had a single photograph of an old woman smiling back at them.
He made Justin stretch his hand and wore a wrist watch around his thin hand.
"Have this with you... Annie gave this to me... it is all I can give you"
"Granny gave this to you?"
Herriot nodded.
"Why is this broken in the dial?"
A long silence followed.
"It broke in the accident that ate Annie up", he said finally finding voice out of his somber.
Justin didn't reply. His tiny arms enclosed Herriot's thighs tightly as he stood hugging him. Herriot lifted Justin up and carried him to the bed. He told him all about his childhood and soon made him sleep in comfort and he soon slept.
Two months passed by. Each day was a new experience, a new journey. Herriot and Justin loved the bond between them.
It was a Sunday morning. Herriot was at the garden watering the flowers and humming a tone. Suddenly, he heard Justin scream in pain and terror.
"Justin? What is it?", Herriot ran into the bedroom terrified. Justin was sweating all over, his hands on his head and eyes profusely letting out tears.
"My head... it is blasting, Herri...it is like someone's drilling...my head..." Justin couldn't talk.
"No..you are alright...Nothing's wrong child..." Herriot stammered.
"No more peppermint coffee, no more magic juices, you needn't even brush my teeth...I promise...But get me out of this..please, Herri..."
"I will, child...Don't worry...Am here.."
He immediately took out his car and pulled off its engine with Justin in the rear seat screaming in pain. Herriot couldn't concentrate on anything but him. He drove to a nearby town hospital.
Justin was admitted.
"Doctor, is he alright?"
"Nothing yet... please wait"
An hour elapsed. Herriot was tired of worrying and crying.
"Did you know anything of him ... He is suffocated with a tumor block in his brain... advanced and not even the slimmest hope of survival. I am sorry"
Herriot couldn't see his Justin in pain nor could he see him dying.
He took Justin out of the hospital silently and brought him home. He took out a flask of peppermint coffee and then took him to the lake, their favorite to spend evenings together.
One hand held the flask and the watch, the other had Justin tightly held to Herriot' chest. Justin was almost unconscious with pain. Herriot gave him the peppermint coffee.
"Will this kill all my pain, Herri?" Justin asked half consciously.
"It will kill it all, dear...will kill everything hindering the peace of my Justin...now sleep..." saying Herriot patted Justin softly on his shoulder.
The mild breeze blew over the area. There was no one nearby-just Justin and Herriot. Herriot drank it too. Then slightly displacing Justin he went nearby the lake and drew a deep breath and threw the flask and the watch into the lake; sat on the nearby stone bench with Justin on his lap almost sleeping. He hugged him with all his might seemed to. Herriot didn't want it to end.
"I told you I will be with you forever.... That definitely includes death, dear Justin."
"I know, Herri...I love you..." saying he planted a kiss on his cheek.
Herriot bent down and kissed Justin on his forehead. "Now sleep peacefully ,Justin. Nothing will harm you..."
He hugged him for what seemed for a life time and slept with him, his Justin , forever.
It was peppermint coffee minus sugar plus some fifty sleeping tablets that saved Justin off his pain and Herriot off his too.
 
                     THE END