13,GLASSGLOW

8/9/2019 13,GLASSGLOW

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UBJS LAST STORY

UBJS LAST STORY

13,GLASSGLOW STREET,SOUTHERN AVENUE

--------------------------------------uddalak banerjee(UBJ)

Once upon a time in Kolkata there lived a boy named uddalak.He was an orphan and used to stay with

his uncle Avinash.He was lean and orexic ,13 years old.Since the day when the news broke out of his

mother and fathers demise he had always stayed a recluse.He used to dream of fairies

,dwarfs,dolphins,whales and talking parrots .They had a house near the South Western part of Kolkata

near FALTA ,Raichak which was far less crowded and had a lot of space for the otherwise burdened

nature.There was a boulevard of pine trees which decorated the hallaway where once in a blue moon

people used to pass off in taxis and private buses for picnic.The place was quite far off from locality so

usually people used to settle for the other part of Raichak which has numerous transport conveniences

and buses every fifteen minutes.They had a small river named ruprekha flowing near their house.Unlike

other children uddalak never went to school ,he spent his time idling in the woods taking stock of the

numerious fruits growing in the boulevard and taking stack of the hedgehog that lived there.His uncle

was a woodcutter who used to take the wood to the FALTA Woodstock factory and earn their living .At

night his uncle used to tell him stories of BENGALI FOLK TAILES ,stories of prince and princess who used

to beautiful as GODs AND GODDESSES like the GOD panchanans mandir which was there in the woods

near in house and closely associated with.

His uncle AVINASHs stories often used to take UBJ (as his uncle used to call him when he used to

ponder on his big name) into dreams all day long he used to pick up tree branches and rehearse all these

scenes time and again.One day his uncle came to know that in a neighbouring village a CIRCUS party has

come which is known as DINESHS WORLDFAMOUS CIRCUS.The cost of ticket was Rs 100(last row),Rs

500,Rs 1000(first row) for adults and RS 50(last row),Rs 300,Rs 500(first row) for children.AVINASH

wanted to take little uddalak to the circus .Infact he was planning for it for some time now as uddalak

used to be ill for most part of the year owing to common cold which he used to have because of roaming

all day long in the Sun and consuming water just after returning and also partly due to the muddy roofs

and walls of their house.He thought taking him to the circus would freshen him up and would open up

the closed world for him which starts and ends in their house and with not many relatives keeping their

relation with this poor family plagued by regular wants it would also be a enjoying experience for the

maverick child something different from the stories he was tired to repeatedly recite.

Finally on SUNDAY the 13th

they went to the CIRCUS .The circus was held inside a big tent surrounded on

all sides by tight security and an oval covering which shielded anyone from viewing from outside.From

the morning only uddalak was very excited for the circus ,he had heard from his uncle about the clowns

and the lions and tigers which prowl in there .It was quite an experience for little UBJ which truly

fascinated him and he was so enthusiastic that he woke up early at 4 am and began impatiently moving

around and pushing his uncle time again to wake .Anyways finally at 9 am they started for CIRCUS and

took the RS 100 AND RS 50 tickets from the counter and sat at the last row .The Circus was badly

constructed and from the last row it was barely visible and one had to stand up to have a glance on the

proscenium.The events for the day were to begin with THE CLOWNS gimmicks with the cycle with balls

on his hands and then follow it up with stunts like motorcycle race in a closed vessel,jimnastic by Sandra


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bullock,bear cycling races and finally the ringmaster act with 7 lions and 3 tigers on stage.The stage was

set and the enthusiasm in the weather was palpable.But alas the were further pushed back towards the

exit by a gang of syberites who simply pushed them away backwards as there was quite a crowd

accumulated .His uncle did not complain and being a peace loving person silently rose and moved

towards the toilet entrance and took little UBJ on his arms to have him a glimpse of the rostrum.

BUT ALAS! The stage was till not properly visible and only the first row was properly visible.After

sometime of hussle restive little UBJS eyes fell on a girl of about his age.She was dressed in a golden top

and had a tinge of kajal on her eyes but not much make up otherwise ,yet she was the most beautiful

woman by far in the circus . Even the light of the circus was following her.She was the most beautiful

woman uddalak had ever seen.At first it seemed to him as she was part of the circus party as she was

constantly focused on by the lights and was all smiles constantly motioning towards the clowns and

explaining to her friend how she enjoyed the clowns last antics.As she spoke her hair was constantly

falling back and again on her face and with his tender fingers she pulled them back time and again

making a nice panache.A golden chain adorned her neck which often pandomised with slight movement

of her glistened face.Although she was wholly unaware of his very existence his silent eyes stood riveted

on her.Her devine smile as if stole the very purpose of his coming to circus.For any slight movement

ahead of him he soon readjusted his vision expediently to refocus on her.She to him seemed to him an

opera by herself .Her smallest small movements ..her leaning on her friends shoulders ,her adorable

cute face and whole kaleidoscope of emotions started a dream within him he felt asif she was the

princess for whom he stood searcing with the twigs of the jungle, she was the princess for whom he had

made small boats and floated them in the river waiting if they ever come back with someone.When ever

sun set in the valleys and sun peeped into the waters he used to rest his boat and dream of the faces

which he had never seen perhaps dreamt to see ,meet ,chat.HOW ARE U UDDALAK ?WHERE DO YOUSTAY? they often said in dreams.

As the CIRCUS neared its end,in the last show the ringmaster came out and signaled at her and bowed

infront of her.At first uddalak felt perhaps the ringmaster too had fallen in love with this devine sprite

and when she waved in return ,perhaps somewhere deep within he felt an insatiable lust to have her

attension too and stop his rival from winning the game with such a boisterous ease. Anyways after a few

great stunts the circus closed for the day.And uddalak and his uncle both came back home.When at

home his uncle asked ,How was the circus ?Saw the great panther? O! my God ! it was so Big !I have

been to CIRCUS BEFORE but never before I saw such a big circus.Next time whenever they would come

next year we would go again.,uddalak replied uninterestingly ,nice.His uncle was expecting a more

energetic response and a whole barrage of descriptions but that did not come .He then asked,U did not

like it ? .Uddalak replied ,yes i did.His uncle thought uddalak must be tired and hence doesnot want

to speak much.poor child !,he thought,ok we will talk tomorrow morning.

That night his uncle slept but Uddalak did not,all night long he was in him mind seeing her again and

again .He wanted to capture this moments .He wanted to distill this picture for time indefinite.He

wanted to hold her back .He felt as if the banyon tree in the courtyard of their house is saying ,Go to


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her .She is the princess who is your goal.She is the one whom you love .So what are you waiting for? You

have grown up.Every individual is born for some purpose when the darkness of night will dispel and

there will be a new morning where she will be waiting for you near the river.And then you too will ride

in the boat as the clouds will reek the sunlight and the water will touch the boat as you too will share

each others experience and laugh at them forever..Then he felt a voice within him say,I am not born

to be here ! I will try my best to reach out to her .I will try try and try to go beyond the world I know In

search of her.He went outside at night and sketched her face in a palimset and made a boat with paper

from his uncles diary and placed the palimset in it and made to handles and set it float in the river.

Next day,when his uncle was going to work he went out and started to assay his way by traveling along

the lines of the river and constantly noticing if the paper boat was moving somewhere near the

shore.That day at the evening when his uncle came back he was very unhappy and apoplectic at his

employers .The very moment he entered the room he said,I know these people they are always behind

money they donot have heart.I donot know where they will keep all this cash .. I have been thrown out

of job..anyways donot worry we will go to our village and there we would make for something

anyways I think I would make more than this scoundrels ever gave me...Uddalak did not know what

to say he mused on it and then said ,ok.In his heart within hearts he could not forsake the fear of

losing his princess.He wanted to go and tell this to his princess transported by air to kingdom of dreams

7 seas and 7 lands away to enter which u need mercury on your shoes and a beautiful heart(his uncle

once told this at night when he was crying for his mother).BUT ALAS! That was not possible so he was

at war with himself for he knew that if he went to the village yonder then he may not see his princess

again.

NEXT DAY 15TH

morning they arrived at the station.Uddalak was very much in a trance ,he knew not what

he wanted to do on one hand he had the the loving hand of his avuncular uncle and on the other he

had the face which he saw all night yesterday .The face which joined the polestar with the sagitarius ,the

face which resembled of the face of that girl in circus who is anonymous, whose antecedents he knows

nothing of ,he does not even know he would ever see her again or not.With tufts of cloud as her black

eyelashes and half moon as her lips he could see her hair flowing with an earning eyes looking at her

always ,staring at him imploring him to come to her rising out of the fairy book of her dreams.The sight

was indeed impelling ..the sound of the train reaching and station had somehow been drowned in the

dream itself.He has grown up he thought ,prince of persia did not run away like this ! .When his uncle

dragged him over into the crowded local train he could not react much.But in his eyes the image

ruled.NO !no more !he cannot do this! The birds the squirrels the trees that he is living behind is

begging him !they are saying no this cannot be a friend.. you are not a turncoat why are u going

away? .Tears came down on his cheeks..NO I wont ,he decided and came down from the running

train .His old uncle did not know what to do .He was awestruck .There was no chain and he could not

come down he called behind him come back !come back!Train is leaving !Train is leaving ! cannot you

hear?.uddalak did run the race of his life.He ran and weaved through the mob and reached outside the

station.He then realized where would he go now? He began to cry.He did not know who else he had in

this world apart from his uncle.He felt destitute and lonely in this great world.As porters and familys


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began to pass him he realized that he must now go back to the circus.He walked to the hut of theirs

.From their he did not know the road .He asked someone in the road and then mapped his way to the

circus.15th

was the last day and the last show was going on.Preparations were on for the shifting of

elephants ,tigers and deers.He went there and looked around .He did not have money he gave his

slippers to the gate keeper and entered the Circus campus .He was barefooted and the evening lights

had started to fade.He was stranded ..knew not which way to go.Soon the ringmaster was seen alighting

from the lions cage moving slowly towards the backdoor followed by his trainer.Uddalak made a

dash.He reached up to him and said ,do you know where that girl l ives???.Ringmaster negligently

said,who are you??.Uddalak said,that princess this much tall,golden shirt,with a ring in her neck..i

had come her two days back to see the circus.Ringmaster replied with all irritation ,who????????i did

not know anybody with your description.uddalaks eyes dropped ..for one moment he had all the

energy and hope against hope but now he was all lost .Perhaps now his uncle would come and take him

away and then beat him for his utter negligence and disobedience.The ringmaster took one more step

then stepped back and artfully said,O ya I know someone ..but what do you have to do with her

?.The vulpine face did strike terror in uddalaks heart.He said timidly she is my princess,I like her ,I

want to know about her.ha ha ha ..,ringmaster broke down in laughter.The trainer standing alongside

him grinned and said see these boys barely 13to 15 years of age and ..see how they ...The ringmaster

then said ,No stop(towards the trainer)you said that u donot have anybody else but your uncle isint it

? ok ! listen I can tell you about her but u have to be patient since you have come that far off to just

know of her ..so I think you are patient unlike your ageand I will tell you one thing about your princess

each year on your birthday but you have to work for free all these days .uptil the day when I finally tell

you her address..The trainer said what !!!are you out of your senses ..you barely know him ..we donot

know his antecedents and you are keeping him in the circus as employee?.The ringmaster was shrewd

he understood his simplicity visible in uddalaks eyes.He said I am a business-man too .I know how to

chooseMy father have been a gold miner for years ..I know better...Then he turned to Uddalak and

asked then? What did you decide?. Uddalak was speechless ,he did not want to go back.He had no

other choice.SO he nodded.

From then onwards each year he worked day in and day out.There was no vacation and he often had to

hear all the abusives of his high demanding masters.His uncle came to the circus too to search for him

later but he could find him because the circus party had moved from Kolkata to Jharkhand and then

from there they went to Trivandrumand so on.Uddalak even in such a tight schedule never lost hope

.He knew all his life that although his uncle never gave him any work but when need will come he will

arise and will work and work better than the rest.And now when like his uncles stories he is made to

work like the prince of Ametheus who worked day in day out and finally one day God came and released

his servitude and gifted him a magic sword using which he finaly made his dream come true and find

the princess Diana to get a glimpse of whom he used to work day and night at CEBELY.He was happy and

hopeful.As years flashed by ,Uddalak emerged as one of the old members of the circus troupe .He was

given food and clothing but no salary as such.In the first year ,the ringmaster said She has a closely knit

family and she likes roses.From that day onwards he started to accumulate rose sticks and used to

work meticulously at night and made embroidery on them.Added paper petals.Then next year in his

birthday the ringmaster said ,SHe is known as EJ among her friends and family members. Uddalak


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inscribed the name EJ in the petal pots and then made the embroidery again.In this way year after year

passed .After twelve long years,when his birthday came ..the ringmaster was ill.He finally said that he

was impressed by his servitude and peonage and that his days are numbered and he wanted to say him

something .He told him to come close and in his ears the ringmaster

whispered,13,GlassGlowStreet,SouthAvenue.Go fulfill your dream...Uddalak was happy all this while

even as year after year in abject servitude passed by.He knew someday he would meet EJ.Someday their

story would be reach its completion.But as the Ringmaster finally said the address..tears fell from his

eyes.He took a loan from his fellow circus college who voluntarily gave it without any repayment

condition.He took the train and reached Kolkata and took took a bus to the South Avenue.There once

alighting from the bus he asked a fellow pedestrian where 13,GlassGlow Street was.The pedestrian who

was an old man pointed towards the norther direction.It was the month of May and in Kolkata it does

rain during this time yet the atmosphere was cloudy.Uddalak felt within his heart that it would be a

historic day when he would meet his EJ and the entire world will celebrate it with monsoons.Twelve

long years have made his feelings even stronger.Today he had grown a lot more confident and silent .

The serpentine lanes ultimately brought him to a big bunglow there was high security outside.There wasa big plate outside in golden color-13,GlassGlow Street.He asked permission from the guards who

instantly refused.He then seeing no other alternative jumped up the walls using his circus experience

standing on the 12 feet wall he jumped onto the middle of the 4 by 4 muddy patch created to cultivate

flowers.Thus making no noise.He then pressed the bell from the vestibule.Two boys came out running I

will open the door Ronnie .. I will .. .no rajiv I am your elder brother I will .One was eight years old

Ronnie and other was 7 years old Rajiv.They asked ,Yes mr what do you want ?.Before he could get

over the hysteria of this 12 year long wait and say something.Ronnie said are you the plumber Mom

called ?.wait I would call Mom.As rajiv stood looking at him trying to figure out whether he had a

chocolate for him or not Ronnie went into the washing room to call his mother.Moments later a lady

most probably 25 years old but having a face of a 30 yearold came out.Her wizened face has lost its gloss

but still is beautiful.The old penache is of hairs falling with the wind on the face is still there.Only thing

that perhaps has changed is that she now was a touch portly and have grown fat around her

stomach.Her tenubruous eyes though is still so catchy with a shade of blue on the rims.yes what do you

want ?.Uddalak knew not what to say.All his dreams all those hopes ..all those years of desire

accumulated in the pipeline seemed to create a strange sphere around him shielding him from reality

which has assumed crude proportions.He began to feel this as untrue and all that he had thought in

dreams to be true..he forced himself into the fantasy as tears started to fall in his eyes.Dark cloud in the

atmosphere slowly found a origin in his eyes.He saw darkness all around him.His breath was panting and

he fell like running out to the wild ,somewhere serene and ask to mankinds mother was this necessary?

Why me ?.EJ said Yes ?hello ?.Uddalak said with a heavy voice as if 10000tonnes weight has been put

on it ,sorry,I have made a mistake (voice loss)..I have lost my path..I .Ej said ,Who are u ?how

did you get into my house ? Guards!Guards!.Guards came rushing in and took him away out into the

streets.Ej turned towards Rajiv and said ,how many times did I tell you not to open the door to

strangers?What would have happened if .As tears came out from Ejs eyes Uddalak felt that someone

relieved all his pain as with a blow all his pain became numb.He lay unconscious on the street and his

bag full of presents for Ej blew in air and flew around.The rose he had made with extreme precision lay


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close to the drain crying for attention.The guards picked up a few of them and took them to gift their

wives and happy that they taught the fool a lesson returned to the bunglow reporting.

After an hour when Uddalak found consciousness ,he knew not where to go .He remembered of the

time when he left his uncles hand and reached the circus.It was still so distinct.He stood up and started

to scramble to his hut wondering whether it was still there or not.He moved a step or two and the raincame falling down.One Two three all the drops started to rub the dust of his clothes..and he sat down to

take rest.Just when the rain had thinned out a little he moved out towards his hut.Now Kolkata had

changed a lot .Even at Raichak there are houses with large drains flooding streets in rains.Just when he

was about to enter his locality he found a paper chip making a lot of noise in the mouth of a drain.Just

as he turned to see what was it he found that it was that same palimset he had written in the memory

of EJ once.The diagram made of pencil has indeed faded but the borders are still there.The pattern he

made on the boat is still there although it s borders have been eroded.As he touched it he felt as if the

entire universe and the skys came falling down,and all his inner world was torn into pieces.A big cross

blurred the fairies and tiny elves of his dreams ,their images lost their faces .He sat down on his feet and

felt the rain .As far away down the street at the corner of the factory created over the boulevard heheard a voice of his uncle.He walked towards him following the straight road passing his house which

was no more.The road took him to the wood factory where his uncle used to work.He enquired there of

his uncle .The man sitting at the chair said he died when he followed you and tried to alight from the

train..following you anyways you can work here.On hearing this all uddalak closed his eyes and

became silent.The glitter of the mans eyes resembled that of the ring master.Uddalak asked,where

are the marked trees ?give me the axe and my uncles trolley.

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13,GLASSGLOW

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