Let me explain what happened and where I am. When a ship sails at sea, the position of the ship has to be informed from time to time. I am now a cockleboat floating in a sea called uncertainty. But just as there is joy in unhappiness, there is also certainty in uncertainty.
I was put in a windowless room. Looks like a warehouse. Piles of empty cartons piled up in one corner. Written on the carton: Expo Euro.
Picture of a mug next to it. Large tin cans on the other side. Those are may be color paint boxes. I can see a cot of an ancient period. Has been left open.
Leaning on a pile of cartons, a person is sitting with his knees bent. His condition is serious. Hands and feet are all tied. The forehead is cracked. Blood was dripping. Now the blood is clotted.
A bunch of mosquitoes are buzzing near the mouth of the man. I am not understanding the nature of mosquitoes. Blood is completely sticking on forehead, chin and body. Mosquitoes can drink blood from there if they want. Instead, mosquitoes are biting him.
The place where the man is sitting is wet. There is a virulent smell coming from there.
I said, "Did the honorable brother pee here?
The man stared in surprise. As if he had never been asked such a strange question in his life.
I said, "We're stuck together, let's talk. My name is Himu. What's your name?"
The man said in a hoarse voice, "They will kill me. Will Kill tonight!"
" You (apni) haven't mentioned your name yet?"
"Sadeq."
"Which Sadeq? Chicken Sadeq?"
"Hmmm."
"Hey bro, you (apni) are that famous man! You are in the top ten. It also has bounty in your name. How did you get caught?"
"Bad luck, that's why I got caught."
"It's not just that you've been caught. You've weakened the condition of the house by urinating."
Chicken Sadeq is looking at me with a frown. I don't think he likes my conversation at all. No one can take a joke in the face of death. Same goes for Chicken Sadek. He is unable to take the humor.
He said in a hushed voice, "You (apni/high respect) haven’t revealed your identity yet."
I said, "I told you once. My name is Himu."
"Just Himu?"
"You can call me Coffee Himu. I sell coffee."
"Why did you get caught?"
"Caught for coffee selling. Crime's not serious, but it looks like there are provisions for crossfire in very minor crimes."
"They won't kill you."
I was surprised and said, "How do you know they won't kill?"
Chicken Sadeq said, "There is no shadow of death on your face. The shadow of death falls on the faces of those who die. I know."
I said, "You should know. You killed a lot of people."
Chicken Sadeq remained silent.
I said, "How many people have you killed? If you want to say, then say it. If you don't want to say, then don't. Speaking of crime cuts off sin."
"Who said that?"
"Whoever said that, it’s true. Tell me how many people have you killed?"
Chicken Sadeq muttered to himself, "I haven't killed much with my own hands. There will be like four or five."
"More in the hands of others?"
"Hmmm."
"Brother, you are a master. Did you kill any kids?"
Chicken Sadeq muttered something in Sadeq's muffled throat. I could not hear. I said, "Bro, I can't hear what you are saying."
Chicken Sadeq said, "I have seen the angel of death, Azrael."
I said with interest, "You have seen Azrael?"
"Hmmm."
"What does it look like?"
The Chicken Sadeq muttered, "I haven't seen the face. The face is covered with a veil."
"Too tall?"
"Size short. The hands are also tiny. The fingers are huge."
"Have you seen Azrael once?"
"Seen twice."
"I think you will see today. Step by step three steps.[TL: Referring to something similar to dice piece moves or chess piece moves/steps] Will you be killed tonight?"
" I think so."
" Scared?"
"No."
"Want to eat something before you die?"
"And where can I get it even if I want? Will you bring me?"
"I can try. Tell me what you want to eat?"
Chicken Sadeq laughed. My body trembled. I have never seen such an ugly laugh in my life.
"Listen, Himu. You (apni) have done a lot of toying with me. I'm Chicken Sadeq. Toying does not work with me. Now turn off."
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)
Comments (0)
See all