The Unwanted Gains

by Maroof Ahmed (Pakistan)

I didn't expect to find Pakistan

Shares

In a narrow street, under twinkling stars, no one behind, no one in front, dark low light Street made me think whether I would get to her or keep looking for her like I had been doing for five hours. It was eight o’clock when I put my tie on, soon after, I heard mickey barking outside the door it was him who arose my sympathy when I had eyed him near a nullah, under raindrops, on the broken pavements of Pakistan’s. I made him busy in having his dinner and closed the door kicking it back. My arms kept moving their bones back and forth till my eyes had the taste of seeing clean glassy windows of Pearl Continental hotel. I had not even stepped inside when my eyes eyed her eyes through the glass-like gate of the hotel, for five seconds the north, the south, and people in front and beside, went black and white, up until my ears heard “Hey man! can’t you see an old handsome man waiting to enter behind you” I backed my back, said sorry then again desiring to see her, saw through the glass, but all I saw was the colorful south, north and people wearing tied-clipped-suits. I listened the touch of suited men’s glasses full of wine, heard the chatter, looked here and there, my eyelashes kept closing and opening but they could not find the eyebrows they had targeted. Eventually I went outside through the back entrance where I carried on finding the lips worn red lipstick, the bangles as shiny as stars, clematis-hair, blue eyes, white-worn-cloak & twinkling earrings up to the time when my toes stopped amidst this narrow street. I thought continuously what dim-lights to follow the ones in front or the ones at the back when suddenly I noticed someone coming from far, it did not seem like a human being, my heart started beating faster when it came a bit closer. I realized it was my puppy mickey; after all he followed me after he had had his dinner. I patted him on the head. Now I was left all alone in the ill-lit street, under shining stars showing me my way back home. We carried on going, when suddenly on our way back home Mickey began to woof. Woof! Woof! “Hey! Chill buddy” I said. Woof! Woof! “Hey these are just laborers emptying the tractor-tailor by putting down the crashed stones” I said once again. He kept woofing until they emptied the tractor-tailor and put down all the crashed stones beside the shutter of a shop. “Oh Mickey at last we reached home” I said. Woof! Woof! He exclaimed “Mickey! That’s your penthouse go and start dreaming” I said. He went and lied down seeing me going through casing of the door. I untied my tie, took off my shoes, coat and the white dress having black buttons, wearing sleepwear, immediately after I lied down on bed hugging the pillow tightly along with her thoughts in mind. When finally my eyelashes hugged each other and the nerves of my brain sent me to a dream where her milky-white anklet-worn feet, red polished nails of her chalky-white hands and feet, angelic face, beautiful pinky cheeks, ears worn golden-earrings, and lips worn red lipstick asked me How are you Sajad ? “Oh my gosh! “ I exclaimed My jaw dropped. I saw her for twenty seconds when suddenly she snapped her fingers to draw my attention “I am fine” I replied “Who are you having the voice of nightingale & the beauty of Helen?” I asked. “My name is Rose. I am a fairy and I belong to paradise my long hair touching the ground, is made up of peacock’s hair that walks in the garden of paradise. I wished to have a visit in Pakistan but alas! when I set my foot on the land all I found was garbage across the country, crashed stones on the roads and massacre among the people, therefore I got back to paradise immediately after checking the last place on my list called Pearl Continental Hotel” the fairy said. Sajad had never expected to find a fairy who taught him the best lesson.