In the world of postal services, receiving mail every other day was a common occurrence. Occasionally, it would raise eyebrows when someone suggested reading and responding to every piece of mail that came our way. The mailbox would be void of any clues regarding the sender or the content. But this was no ordinary situation; it was a matter of inconvenience and concern when an official document from the ABC Corporation arrived, sealed with great care.
The package in my hands seemed ordinary, as it always did. Yet, this time, there was more at stake than just the potential financial loss. It was the anxiety that arose from the thought of documents not reaching their intended destination on time.
Without delay, I reached out to the principal, who happened to be a close friend of my neighbor, responsible for handling document deliveries. The response was not reassuring: “This won’t happen again in the future.”
Little did I know that this assurance would soon be put to the test.
Days turned into weeks, and still, no trace of my mail. A sense of hopelessness crept in. Could it be that a thief had gotten their hands on it?
With a sly smile, my neighbor remarked, “Indeed, catching a book thief is quite easy. Not everyone is an avid reader. In my entire college, there was only one student who excelled in the First-Year English course. He used to help me with various odd jobs and was passionate about reading. If anyone were to steal books, it would be him. But don’t worry; I’ve spoken to him, and he won’t do it again.”
Now, when a sealed package goes missing without a trace, it’s natural to feel disappointed. I wished someone would pilfer it and read its contents.
My neighbor’s abandoned library still stood, collecting dust. Those books yearned to be read, but no one was left to turn their pages. They sat there, like ancient relics, waiting for a pair of hands to breathe life into them.
Two creatures, though, never ceased to amaze me throughout my life – a jaybird named Jagnu and a bookworm. Surprisingly, not one page of my rare “Red Book” mentioned their extraordinary existence.
I make countless efforts to put an end to the darkness, but Jagnu remains elusive, while somewhere, the moon is half-lit.