NAME: Smrity Kaiser
ID:131-10-871
Goody
It sounds ‘ku-ku,pu-pu’ at midnight.
I have just slept about the decoration of my room. The fare is 50 dollar-so far so cheap. An American couple rent all the rooms of the 1st floor of their message. Poor foreign students live in these rooms. Common bathroom, there is no kitchen, has to eat outside. Smoking is
. Sleepiness comes over the eyes almost go to by diverse sound, what happened? I have come to America recently. I couldn’t get familiar with the happenings of them. I have to startle very often.
The place where I’m now is named by ‘Roaming House’ in America. It’s a very little room. Sofa-bed, reading table all are here. At one side of the table, there is a F.M radio. It’s all restricted, land lady warned strictly about this when she rents it. Stereo music in high volume is also banned. Multiple conditions still though I have to come here to live. Reason is cheap rent. Moreover, the place is near to my University, a mere walking distance. It’s not possible to attend the classes from distance place in such cold weather of North Decoder. Can’t expect to buy a car. Take my lunch at University memorial union. Come back to the room with a ham Barger at evening. Pass the night by eating this.
It's all about fifteen days I have been living in the “Roaming House” still remains unfamiliar to somebody’s. Beside my room Ananta Nag, an Indian student lives. When he sees me, he enters his room by shouting “Abe yaar”. Conversation with him is all about this. At the corner side room, a Korean student named “Hun” lives. He doesn’t know a bit of English. One day he come to me and say- “Head pain murder, murder.” It took a certain time for me understand what he said- He was trying to say that he was dying by the pain of headache. So, intimacy with him is not has for language barrier. In front of my room A Philippine girl name Toha lives. She is hell. Ananta nag, has told me to over side this goody. If you concern about her, you are gone. She will ride on your shoulder like about 23-24 years old, very cute and beautiful. Her means are views. she doesn’t talk to anybody., very often she cries at night. Fifth border is an American goody, name by Elizabeth. At the very first, I was warned to stay away from the American goodies. In American society, there is no place for moodiest. They are very lonely. So, if they get a chance to talk to anybody, they make their life a mere the ghost of shin bad and wouldn’t get her down.
That goody has tried to talk to me couple of times. Remembering the advice of Ananta nag, I have said in a dried voice- I can’t talk now, I am reading. The goody has said immediately-ok,ok,will talk to you later. We are in the same ship.So, we will meet…ha ha ha.Rather do one thing. When you can release the Pressure of your study, come to my room. We will talk.”
I have never gone to her room. Never feel the enthusiasm to go these.
Now, at midnight, I am sitting on my bed-hearing diverged “ku-ku” sound. I am feeling terrible.mid-term exam will be on the plate tomorrow morning. Need a sound sleep. what a pain! Go outside the door to examine the source of the sound. Meet Ananta nag there. He also has come out with a stubborn face. I asked – “What is this sound?”
“Bag Pipe-Ananta replied in a dished voice. What is the Bag pipe?”
“One sort of music tool: Irish plays it”
“who is playing?
“Elizabeth. See, what a pain. Will you go and tell the goody-IT is midnight. she has no right to disturb us at midnight.”
I go towards the doors of Elizabeth. It is open. She sits in her bed with the bag pipe in her hand.it should take a huge pressure in the lungs to play this musical tool. HOW does a goody of eighty years old play this, who knows?
Watching me, the goody comes down with a smile on the face-1. Ahmad,welcome.
It shouldn’t be stupid very first. I say –How are you?
Fine, veryfine. I have bought a beg pipe by selling the garage. Brandnew. Only took 20 dollars. Isn’t it excellent?”
Hum – excellent.”
It was a passion for a long time that I would learn to play a musical tool. So ………”
It’s so. To fill it with air for the first time is thought. Once it is done, rest become easy. Why you are standing –please sit?
I will come another day. Tomorrow is my exam. Mid –term. I need to sleep.
Off course. Does my toll cause the problem?” Little bit.”
“Sorry, extremely sorry. Wouldn’t play anymore. You can go to sleep. Just a Minute-I am going to make a hot-cola for you. It is second to none for a good sleep.
“Thank you very much. I don’t need it now.”
“You can’t say no. Listen to me, taste it. You will sleep well. I couldn’t sleep after the death of my husband. Stayed alone, sleep doesn’t come. Then I discovered this medicine.
I’ve noticed that she has boiled water by talking to me. Keka is ready.
I’ve to eat. I’ve to listen the story of the goody by eating. She has four sons and daughters. They live in different places. For the past ten years, they couldn’t meet each other. But they have communication. They send pictures, write letters.
“Ahmad, would you see the pictures of my grandchildren?”
“Not today, perhaps another day.”
“ok, then. You go and sleep peacefully. Have eaten hot keka- it will be an excellent sleep.”
But, for drinking, hot-keka, I couldn’t sleep a bit that night. When I’m going to the bathroom early in the morning, I meet Elizabeth. With a smiling face she asks- “Have a good sleep?” “pretty”- I answer by keeping my temper down.
The goody gleefully says- Didn’t I say, you would have a sound sleep. See, am I right?
So, the goody of the roaming house starts to bother us.
Later came to know, she learns to play beg pipe by post. I know, Bible could be learnt by post, but music tool? I didn’t know. Everything is possible in this country.
But, that ku-ku,pu-pu sound starts to come out frequently at midnight. Unbelievable situation that is. one day Ananta nag shouted.
“It’s fine you have learnt to play. But why at midnight? Why not during day time? We stay outside that time- you can play at that time.”
“I do have works to do during day time.”
“what’s your work?” You just roam at that time.”
“That’s my work.”
“Very fine then. So, why don’t you shut the door when you play at midnight?
“This music tool should be played in free space. It is written in the instruction. You can read it if you don’t believe.
“We will complain again you to the house owner.”
“you can do so. But it wouldn’t come to work. The agreement that I have with the owner, there is nothing mentioned over there that I couldn’t play music play.”
“You are so cheap.”
“No, no, don’t say this. Ok, go, I wouldn’t play anymore.
Then the music remains stopped for several days. Then she starts again. Anger grows up. But the goody smiles all the time. She will tell a bunch of words when she meets-
“My grandson Anny has got her teeth. Send the pictures. Want to see? It is so nice! Just like an Angel. I think there is no other baby girl like her in the world. I will go to see her during the summer. I’ve said my son to send tickets. If he doesn’t send ticket, I couldn’t go. He said, he will send it.”
But his son doesn’t send the ticket. So, the goody can’t go. She is one of the poorest goodies in America. She lives on the money she receives from social securities. She is left with nothing after she pays the rent, food and medical insurance. Moreover, she has got the tendency of throwing party. After coming back from the University, I notice a note hanging on the door.
Dear friend,
it’s a special day in my life. I met with my husband for the first time this day. I did my dinner with her and Bob said Me-I love me. For the remembrance of this day, I’ve arranged a small party. You’ll come.
I don’t wish to attend the party. But there is no way. The goody will come within ten minutes and will say everyone has come and waiting for you. But after I’ve gone, I have found that nobody except me has come. candles are there in the room. There are some potato chips on the table, nuts and two bottles of red wine which could cost not more than 6 or 7 dollars.
The goody seems to be very happy. We are the only visitors to the party. House owner never comes to the party. The goody doesn’t have any friend even. May be she counts us as her intimate friends.
the goody is the center of the party. With glittering eyes, she says- “Life is very beautiful, isn’t it?
“Yes”-we say in an enchanted voice.
“Such an amazing party it is, Wonderful.”
“Yes, wonderful.”
“It seems to me, that I have gone back to my youth.”
But Elizabeth tries to go back to her youth so frequently, we get terribly bothered. We stop to attend the party. She comes and says in a crying voice, “It’s a very special day to me and you wouldn’t come?”
“The pressure of study is tremendous.”
“This day is very special to me. Today my husband proposed me. It happened sixty years back from now.”
“Please, I couldn’t go today. I have assignment to do.”
“Please come for an hour.”
“Impossible, It’s completely impossible.”
The goody does the party alone and plays that terrible bag-pipe. Someone among us has to go. It becomes intolerable for us. Such a pain.
However, our pain comes to its end at the beginning of the winter. Later come to know, she sells it as she doesn’t have money. We get relaxed. OH, at least we can sleep at night now.
One afternoon, I’ve heard from Ananta that the goody is sick and she is taken to the hospital. The condition is not good. I get a little bit sad. I went to see the goody at St. joseph Hospital. The goody becomes very happy. With glittering eyes, she asked, “Card, have you brought the card.”
There is an occasional rule to bring card when one visits a sick person. I forget to bring a get well card.
Elizabeth said, “I am collecting the cards. Bring one when you come next time.”
“ok, I’ll bring.
“See, what a beautiful card has given. This is given by “Toha”, Ah, what a lovely girl she is. What Ananta has done, he gives not only cards, but also flowers.” poor boy doesn’t have too much money-still does it.
Watching the joy of the goody, I feel very good. After the visiting hour, when I tends to leave-the goody says in a very low voice, “I need to apologize to you all.”
I’ve noticed her closely. the goody says, “Do you know why I play bag-pipe? I feel very bad to live alone. If I play this, somebody of you will Come-I can talk to you a little bit. Sorry, I shouldn’t do this.”
I fell very sorry. My mind gets a knock. I couldn’t utter a single word.”
Suffering for two months, the goody gets well. We have arranged a small party regarding to her comeback to the home. Just not a party only-we buy a little gift for the goody – a new bag-pipe.
Americans cannot cry-he who said this, is a fool. When Ananta Nag gives the Bag-pipe to the goody, she looks surprisingly towards us. Then she starts to cry like a baby. I’ve never seen such a beautiful scene ever in my life.