He said, "Himu. He has been caught in your hands? Himalayas?"
"I don't know if it’s Himalayas or not, he's telling us his name is Himu."
"Yellow Panjabi clothed in his body?"
"Hm."
"Bare feet?"
"Yes, bare feet."
"There is no point in holding him, sir. Let him go. Foul thing."
"What do you (apni/superior you) mean by foul thing?"
"He'll make your (apni) head go "ye" by talking rubbish."
[ "Ye" is a gibberish word. People often use this here to describe something that they are unable to describe. Or they may have forgotten the word and will use "ye" instead.]
"What does it mean to "ya" head?"
"Will mess your head up by talking rubbish"
"There is nothing in Bangladesh that can mess the head of the RAB."
"Of course sir. Of course."
"Is there any record in his name in the police station?"
"He has been arrested many times. But there is no case or lawsuit in his name. No GD entry either."
"If there is nothing against him, why has he been brought to the police station?"
"We have caught him for the same reason that you have caught him."
"How do you know why we caught? Don't talk in stupid terms."
"Sorry sir. It was a slip of the tongue."
The OC of Dhanmondi police station could not be found even after many attempts. However, the OC of Mahammadpur police station was found.
The OC said, "Sir, release him after some scolding."
Middle-gem said, "Why? Why do we must release him?"
Mr. OC said, "What is the benefit of keeping a madman?"
Sweaty fox asked, "He is insane?"
Mr. OC said, "Not exactly. A little ye."
Pox boy said, "what is this ye?"
"Nothing, sir, I just said it for no reason. But ..."
"but what?"
"Let me think a little before I say, sir?"
"How long will it take for you to think?"
"Let’s say for half an hour."
Middle-gem said, "I give you an hour. I want a full report about him in an hour."
"Yes, sir."
"Exactly an hour on the clock."
The telephone episode is over. Middle-gem looked at me and said, "You (apni/superior you) heard all the telephone conversations. Now tell me if you (apni) have anything to say about yourself."
I felt a little delight. Till now, "tumi" has been used for so long. Now tumi has been promoted to apni.
[Tumi = standard you. Apni = superior you. Used to show respect to strangers, guests and seniors]
The gesture is a hope-provoking type. Maybe the handcuffs will be untied. The blood circulation is gathering to stop.
"Why are you silent? Tell us if you have anything to say about yourself."
"I have nothing to say about myself, sir. But if you want I can say a rhyme."
"Say rhyme?" Pox boy roared.
"Let him say." Medium cold mushy throat of middle-gem.
I said the rhyme quite tactfully - "my name is Himu. Now I will say a rhyme.
The name of the rhyme is RAB.
The boy slept, the neighborhood mitigated,
RAB came to the realm.
Bullies and politician nobles have eaten all the rice,
what will I pay the rent with?"
[This is a parody of one of our famous rhymes.]
"What does the rhyme mean?"
"This is, Sir, Nonsense Rhyme. Nonsense rhyme does not mean anything. What is the meaning of Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall? "
Sweaty fox said, "You (tumi) can't get through the hand of RAB by talking rubbish, Know that?"
I said, "I know sir. Above is Rabb and below is Rab." [Rabb/Rawb is an Arabic word for God]
So much so that Pox boy has finally lost his patience. He almost got up with a flash of lightning and went to knock me down with the mightiest slap.
He was not successful. He slipped and fell on the floor. The sound of the fall shook the house. He was supposed to scream in excruciating pain. He did nothing of that. Pin drop silence in the room. A calm quietness briefly overpowered the atmosphere.
Breaking the silence, Middle-gem said in a worried voice, "What's the matter?"
I said, "He had a stroke. This has been done due to extra excitement. Take him to the hospital. He is in a coma."
Middle-gem said, "You (tumi) don't have to give advice. You will be punished soon. Wait."
The scuffle has started with Pox boy. In a small interval, the middle-gem said to someone (pointing to me), "Trap this scoundrel."
I said, "Sir, will dinner be served at night? Rabb arranges dinner. Won't the RAB do the same?"
The middle-gem looked in a way that meant: Wait and see.
The ambulance has arrived. Pox boy is being lifted on a stretcher.
It's good to see the excitement and panic of others. I'm actually feeling good to see that. It's enjoyable.
Himu wears a yellow panjabi that does not have a pocket and lives a mostly nomadic life. He walks barefoot on the streets of Dhaka without a certain destination. Himu walks around with not much to do, barefoot, in a city that actively despises people like him. Never being able to hold down a job in his life, Himu does not quite fit into this city that celebrates obedience.
He does not have a job and, therefore, no source of income. He prefers the life of a beggar than that of a hard worker, often praising begging. However, Himu walks endlessly–using no form of transportation. The wanderer is decidedly eccentric and unorthodox in outlook.
He has a cult following for his spiritual power of predicting future events of anyone, including those of police officer, beggar, neighbor, relatives and tea stall proprietor. Most of the time he indifferently speaks unpleasant truth about the person with whom he talks.
Author: Humayun Ahmed (c)
Translator: Fenir Roy (Roy Nishan) (c)
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