Green Fingers and unwanted doubts?

Concerned about pollutants and obnoxious chemical substances getting into human guts, Imaginch wanted to do something about it. Not unduly worried about being selfish, he decided to take action, for the sake of his family, without joining any bandwagon. 

Luckily for him, his forefathers had left a house surrounded by a bit of vacant land on all sides. Till this time, the land was lying fallow, happily accommodating the growth of weeds. The weeds, becoming prolific, started to threaten to invade into the house itself. This brought pressure on Imaginch to swing into action. Every year, in the month of May, coinciding with the annual school holidays, the inhabitants celebrated a harvest festival of a different kind. Willing children, armed with garden tools, lent their hands to battle with overgrown weeds. It worked well for everyone involved. For that year, they have slayed the demon called weed, and children earned a little pocket money. Fed up with this annual ritual, he decided on a permanent solution - to try and raise a vegetable garden.

With the weeds out of the way, he set his sight on the next steps that have to follow. The priority was to nourish the fallow land and restore its productive health. Visiting nearby farming communities he got in touch with local sources for supply of natural compost. The housewives, who knew more about raising and sustaining a family garden, chipped in with practical tips. 

He found the task, of selecting seeds and seedlings, daunting. To start with, the homemakers willingly offered to spare seeds and seedlings from their stock. In the end, he had the feeling that with so much information shared with him, he could easily write a book on the subject.

Seizing this opportunity, his children came out with aces; they brought their friends to help out in preparing the plots for raising vegetable plants. He didn't ask what lures they had dangled to gather the work force. After all it would be a friendly matter of giving and taking!

Yet, he was little apprehensive about the giving part: "will it mean an all-expense paid weekend?" With weakening resolve, he decided to cross the bridge only when the necessary preparatory works got completed. Given the choice, he neither liked to cross a river nor  want to rock the boat he is forced to travel on!

Soon, cartloads of manure landed, in heaps, on the prepared plots. An intense odour emanated and pervaded in the air, to announce its arrival, to the neighbourhood. He was not sure - if the cattle had taken a fancy to munch on pesticide and germicide infused grass and hay. So, with this doubt in mind, he didn't tell the neighbours that he has taken up growing organic veggies.

In good time, the intense labour invested in the garden began to show results. He had a tough time to distinguish veggie sprouts from weeds. Somehow a crop of weeds, defying all odds, showcased their resilience and eagerly claimed part of their original jurisdiction. The children took to gardening activities, like fish to water. The volunteering continued on holidays, to search out and tackle weeds and pests. For them it was fun - compared to boring homework, catching leaf miner pests appeared interesting. Imaginch wondered, why the neighbours did not object to their children working in his garden. His mind working slowly reached this conclusion - maybe they wanted to have quiet holidays at home!

The children carried out visual inspection of vegetable plants, with predictable periodicity. A new leaf, bud, flower and appearance of a tiny vegetable made them jump with joy. Mentally he thanked them for not doing a similar check-up of the root vegetables, for current status!  

After a few weeks, the garden became neighbours' envy. Visitors dropped in, to stand and admire his "botanical" garden. The flower show put out by the plants, and the interminable weeds, was pretty impressive. The sore point turned out to be the trade enquiries - for that special flowering-weed variety! Imaginch held his breath, fearing someone might even ask him for the visitor's logbook for signing!

The kitchen proudly accepted the home-grown vegetables. Friends and neighbours were in for pleasant surprises - invite for lunch and couriered vegetable packages. His children, who gave this package idea, let him onto the secret - all along it was their plan to thank their friends, who helped in making our garden a reality. Pay back in kind!

Our children willingly, became package handlers. Not to miss the golden opportunity to play pranks -they slipped in concocted (unheard of) recipes along with the deliveries! The housewives, who received the made-up recipes, chose to enjoy the prank as well as the vegetables.

When everything was going above and beyond our expectations, a cyclonic storm decided to choose our neighbourhood for a special treatment. It lashed the neighbourhood, with heavy rains and howling winds, leaving us stranded. An aerial survey (who said only ministers get the honour) from our roof top presented a gloomy picture. The creepers, climbers and hangers, in the garden had no strength to stand-up to the fury and simply surrendered. They lay forlorn minus leaves, flowers and yield; Water logging ensured that the root vegetables became manure for the next crop. 

He knew that the hanging garden of Babylon was a terrace resident and wondered what his waterlogged garden would be - a floating garden? Or should he call it an aqua garden as fishes, frogs and water snakes were coasting by his residence! The irony was not lost on him!

Neighbours (after doing similar aerial surveys) lost no time in conveying their profound distress, like seasoned politicians. The children were inconsolable – their secret plan for raising a flower garden, also had gone with the wind and rain. With sadness, our children looked at their mother, who had marshalled the army of children during all the phases, with watchful eyes.  Her face reflected sympathy and gave them a consoling pat on the back. 

The forced quarantine inside the house, gave Imaginch ample time to reflect. He had doubts regarding, the beginner's luck and the willingness of the family to make another attempt. Whether neighbour's children would come forward, once again?  What rattled him the most was - why he didn't think through all these beforehand?

Looking through the window, he saw the sun breaking through the clouds, receding water level in the garden and a bunch of children standing in ankle deep water. Soon, his children too joined them. Whatever be the case with the children, in his mind's eye, he could visualise another beautiful vegetable garden. At least to deprive wild weeds the satisfaction of claiming their right to encroach!

On the run....

There is an important person you have to meet. This person is a child whom I had known for a few years. Our coming together and bonding tight in friendship, is a long story. To sum it up, we are partners in walking, talking and shepherding each other out of harm's way. Incidentally we share many interests in common - particularly befriending dogs and willing cats. 

To keep in touch with our other interests, he has a collection of factbooks, Encyclopedias etc. Opting for the real-world experience instead of turning over the glossy pages, we take the so-called nature walk, while talking about anything under the stars. For all these comraderies, he will tease me with quizzes from his subjects of special interest. Trying times for me, but probably he is attempting to keep my old brain as sharp as a canine' teeth.

The child and I have struck up a deal. As often as possible, I should accompany him during walks outside the residential apartments. That is how, we happened to see them, heads down and looking at the passersby. At some other times, they were standing together, under the tree shade and yapping. Piqued by curiosity, we did a little intelligence gathering that left us feeling sad for their plight.

Though they have been living in the neighbourhood for a few years, neither the civic authorities nor the other residents of the locality accepted their existence. This lack of concern bothered them a little but put them in constant fear for life. Without recognition, it was an uphill task for making ends meet. In    fact, their lifestyle was so simple, it would not have pinched anyone's pocket though it might have pinched someone's conscience.

On another occasion, we met them near our apartment. The yet to become friends, initially showed little interest to our presence and continued to enjoy the cool shade under a tree. This kindled the interest in the child, and he carefully approached them with measured steps. My attempts to restrain him did not douse his enthusiasm. He showed disappointment in not being able to break the ice.

We resumed the walk-back in silence and then he invited me to read with him one of the books from his collection. Fearing a quiz session, I wanted to decline; hoping to bring back the smile on his face, I relented. After about 30 minutes, he asked me, "why they don't want to be friends with us?" I had no definite answer to this question but assured him, in course of time, they will become friends. 

We made it a point to regularly take our walks to those places where we are likely to meet with them. Though initially it was a frustrating experience we could sense the ice slowly melting, in our favour. Now, we could feel a grudging acknowledgement from our would-be friends. The child was beside himself and went hyperbolic, planning what kind of treats he should greet them with. Silently, I brought out my purse and surreptitiously counted my fortune, because the kid gets away (his way with me to part) with whatever he fancies from me. 

He started off with crunchy biscuits and later upgraded to high tea. It had become a ritual to bring home made delicacies, now and then. The child must have used his charm on his parents, to do so. The yet-to-become friends slowly lowered their guard of suspicion. We understood their predicament and dilemma and reluctance - to trust us or not. They opted to go with trust.

From this point onwards, like the ice floes melting due to global warming, the friendship grew at the pace of greyhounds. They responded with unreserved affection and eagerly awaited our visits. The child talked with them incessantly, not allowing me to participate in the monologues. Nothing left to do, I stood and watched with great admiration and appreciation for the child.

As days rolled by, we became more and more attached to our new friends. The child asked me, one day, " Why other people cannot understand and show compassion. Why they had to be subjected to hounding by civic authorities and residents?"

Do they deserve this unwelcome life? My emphatic reply is a "NO ". Do I have a solution for their plight?  To this too, my unequivocal answer is a "NO". If you have one, please share it with the child. You can find him easily - he will be there where he usually meets with his friends. He has even named them with affection. They seem to like the names and respond enthusiastically, when called out. You might be shocked to know that they are homeless.  They have no I D since they did not apply for any. Kindly use these photographs and it will be easy for you to identify them. They are neither overly affectionate nor aggressive.

And the likely places where you can meet with them?

Under the cool shade of trees or near an eatery or road corners. Now it is your luck!

Let me now, introduce you to our friends.

 

                                Timon                                  Spike                              Spencer. 

About us - The child could be anyone and I could be anyone from any locality and from anywhere in the city. Probably, you might also see us with our new friends!