The howling noises kept up the entire night screeching through the roof, pounding the walls. Sometimes even the bed would begin to shake because of the shrill. I am not sure if it was me shaking or the bed. I couldn't make out the difference. The pain in my ears was just too unbearable. Often I wondered why my parents couldn't realize why I woke up so often in the night. May be it was because they could't hear me or at least that is what I could make out of all this.
The doctors told me that I was born mute but miraculously my hearing was proper. Usually they go together- hearing and speech. Mysterious acts of nature. I am six years old and I live in a beautiful neighborhood in South Bombay with my parents. They say that till a few years back, Bombay used to have a different name and they changed it for some reason I never understood. I love my parents very much and they take real good care of me. I am usually the earliest to rise in the morning because the noises outside would make me extremely restless. Pa would wake up next and then we go for our morning walks. Pa would choose a different route every day so that my sense of direction improves and I can compensate for my disability.
After we come back, Ma would prepare scrumptious breakfast for me. Ma gives it to me on my special plate and only I get to eat from it. My parents have always tried to make me feel special and hence they take real good care of me. In spite of my disability Ma and Pa have always been supportive to my needs and desires.
Because of the constant sounds in my ears, Ma and Pa have shown me to doctors to find a cure to the problem. However all the medical progress falls flat in from of nature's designs. A few times the clamor in the night would get so sever that I get bizarre dreams. One time, I saw tine white living things the size of cup cakes come out of my body and they were attached to my insides with noodle like appendages. The fear was intense that I had to literally bite off the noodle shaped wires to get the living things detached from my body.
Ma and Pa have tried may times to make me feel normal. They have made me meet many kids with similar disabilities so that I can get more used to the world outside. Some of these kids are even more crazier that I am. Few of them get so mad they came to bite my face. Ma and Pa had to literally pick me to get the freak kid off me. But then there were others who were much more gentle and nice.
The noises went berserk on a Saturday afternoon. My withdrawal was quite obvious to my parents. They tried really hard to cheer me up. We went to the golf club near by in the evening. We walked along the concrete jogging track which ran parallel to the beach. The breeze was the only savior from all the mad noises around. It was like a civil war going on in my head. There would be grenades exploding and machine guns firing. A few rockets could be heard in the range going to mach speeds. The thought process broke when Ma & Pa decided to take a tour of the palm groves. The band of sun rays alternated withe the shadow of the palm trees like the keys of a piano. We kept pressing each key and there burst another grenade in my head at every note.After sitting on our favorite bench and listening to strange bird sounds, we came back in our jet black sedan. These days the cars are note very friendly especially the larger ones and the public buses. The come like a dinosaur on a preying spree, I am scared of buses.
We reached back by sun down. The sounds were hurting my hears in a very bad way now. I thought I would lose my mind if I didn't do something. I decided to get some fresh air. I strolled out side on the car parking looking at all the cars waiting for their masters to drive them. The guard at the gate seemed to recognize me and smiled. After saying hello to him I went in the opposite direction of the sounds. After a few minutes, I found myself facing a red wall- it was probably a dead end. I thought it would be a good idea to head back as it fast approaching dinner time and Ma and Pa are very particular that I eat my food on time. I turned left at the first corner which was where my house was.The guard was missing and another person was sitting inside lighting a candle. I went to the door and tried to open it. The door won't budge. I tried to shout and make whatever sounds I could make. The doors opened but it was not Ma and Pa on the other side. It was strangers. Did I reach the wrong house. How could that be. I begged for the people to help me. They probably didn't understand and the lade inside came out with a stick and tried to beat me. I didn't understand why. The guard came rushing with his torch and tried to shoo me away. I was losing my mind.
I ran away and hid inside a large cement pipe which was the only safe place I could find at that moment. There in the darkness, I saw other disabled children spending the night and looking strangely at me. Even their mother seemed disabled and weak. They showed pity on me and let me stay with them. I realized that people with disabilities are not welcome anywhere and that's why my parents tried so hard to make me feel normal. Never did I realize the extent of the cruelty the world would be willing to apply and without any remorse. In the midst of all the chaos, I forgot about the noises, my mind had cleared now. I felt like a new person. The sound of the explosions soon faded and my head ache had gone.
After what seems like a few hours, I could hear Ma and Pa shouting from far " Natasha". I rushed towards them. The joy of seeing your parents after you lost them, after feeling helplessness, is something one can understand from experience. The sheer happiness made me swag my tail vigorously and involuntarily . Ma and Pa picked me up with tears in their eyes. I knew the concern they went through. Ma started caressing her gentle hands over my white furry body.
As Ma went in carrying me, Pa switched off the tube lights outside letting the LED lights in different colors glow and said "HAPPY DIWALI"
The doctors told me that I was born mute but miraculously my hearing was proper. Usually they go together- hearing and speech. Mysterious acts of nature. I am six years old and I live in a beautiful neighborhood in South Bombay with my parents. They say that till a few years back, Bombay used to have a different name and they changed it for some reason I never understood. I love my parents very much and they take real good care of me. I am usually the earliest to rise in the morning because the noises outside would make me extremely restless. Pa would wake up next and then we go for our morning walks. Pa would choose a different route every day so that my sense of direction improves and I can compensate for my disability.
After we come back, Ma would prepare scrumptious breakfast for me. Ma gives it to me on my special plate and only I get to eat from it. My parents have always tried to make me feel special and hence they take real good care of me. In spite of my disability Ma and Pa have always been supportive to my needs and desires.
Because of the constant sounds in my ears, Ma and Pa have shown me to doctors to find a cure to the problem. However all the medical progress falls flat in from of nature's designs. A few times the clamor in the night would get so sever that I get bizarre dreams. One time, I saw tine white living things the size of cup cakes come out of my body and they were attached to my insides with noodle like appendages. The fear was intense that I had to literally bite off the noodle shaped wires to get the living things detached from my body.
Ma and Pa have tried may times to make me feel normal. They have made me meet many kids with similar disabilities so that I can get more used to the world outside. Some of these kids are even more crazier that I am. Few of them get so mad they came to bite my face. Ma and Pa had to literally pick me to get the freak kid off me. But then there were others who were much more gentle and nice.
The noises went berserk on a Saturday afternoon. My withdrawal was quite obvious to my parents. They tried really hard to cheer me up. We went to the golf club near by in the evening. We walked along the concrete jogging track which ran parallel to the beach. The breeze was the only savior from all the mad noises around. It was like a civil war going on in my head. There would be grenades exploding and machine guns firing. A few rockets could be heard in the range going to mach speeds. The thought process broke when Ma & Pa decided to take a tour of the palm groves. The band of sun rays alternated withe the shadow of the palm trees like the keys of a piano. We kept pressing each key and there burst another grenade in my head at every note.After sitting on our favorite bench and listening to strange bird sounds, we came back in our jet black sedan. These days the cars are note very friendly especially the larger ones and the public buses. The come like a dinosaur on a preying spree, I am scared of buses.
We reached back by sun down. The sounds were hurting my hears in a very bad way now. I thought I would lose my mind if I didn't do something. I decided to get some fresh air. I strolled out side on the car parking looking at all the cars waiting for their masters to drive them. The guard at the gate seemed to recognize me and smiled. After saying hello to him I went in the opposite direction of the sounds. After a few minutes, I found myself facing a red wall- it was probably a dead end. I thought it would be a good idea to head back as it fast approaching dinner time and Ma and Pa are very particular that I eat my food on time. I turned left at the first corner which was where my house was.The guard was missing and another person was sitting inside lighting a candle. I went to the door and tried to open it. The door won't budge. I tried to shout and make whatever sounds I could make. The doors opened but it was not Ma and Pa on the other side. It was strangers. Did I reach the wrong house. How could that be. I begged for the people to help me. They probably didn't understand and the lade inside came out with a stick and tried to beat me. I didn't understand why. The guard came rushing with his torch and tried to shoo me away. I was losing my mind.
I ran away and hid inside a large cement pipe which was the only safe place I could find at that moment. There in the darkness, I saw other disabled children spending the night and looking strangely at me. Even their mother seemed disabled and weak. They showed pity on me and let me stay with them. I realized that people with disabilities are not welcome anywhere and that's why my parents tried so hard to make me feel normal. Never did I realize the extent of the cruelty the world would be willing to apply and without any remorse. In the midst of all the chaos, I forgot about the noises, my mind had cleared now. I felt like a new person. The sound of the explosions soon faded and my head ache had gone.
After what seems like a few hours, I could hear Ma and Pa shouting from far " Natasha". I rushed towards them. The joy of seeing your parents after you lost them, after feeling helplessness, is something one can understand from experience. The sheer happiness made me swag my tail vigorously and involuntarily . Ma and Pa picked me up with tears in their eyes. I knew the concern they went through. Ma started caressing her gentle hands over my white furry body.
As Ma went in carrying me, Pa switched off the tube lights outside letting the LED lights in different colors glow and said "HAPPY DIWALI"
