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THE GREAT MAN’S TOMB
When I said, “Jim, I wish to go back tomorrow”, my good friend Jim said, “What rubbish are you talking Mr. ? You have not still visited the great man’s tomb. How can you leave this country before visiting the great man’s tomb ?“
I was not surprised by his western type of expression, which I have always known as ‘over’ and superfluous. I visited tombs of many great men in many countries. And that made me not to retain in heart much respect for the ‘so-called’ great men. I have known some men who did not hesitate to use passenger planes with innocent men, women and children as explosives. When I wondered, whether I should call them men or anything, I discovered, they are being worshipped as great men in some countries. I expressed my mind to John. But he replied, ‘this time you would find a difference’.
The following day we had to start a fresh journey. The place was quite far from the capital city. Me and Jim were traveling in a car. I told, ‘do you know one thing, Jim ?’ - What is that ? = I asked those men, what made them to believe the plane-bombers as ‘great men’. Do you know what they told in reply ? - What ? = They told, they consider those persons as not only as great men, but ‘innocent great men’. - Did you ask the reason ? = Oh yes. I asked ‘Why they are great ?’ Their reply, ‘because they ruined the enemies of our religion’. I asked ‘Why they are innocent ?’ The reply was, ‘they did not do that on their own accord. Rather they had to do it as the duty assigned by their religious enemies. - They gave you the correct account. = Jim, what do you man to say ? Do you understand, it is a grave accusation against some men of the country that so terribly affected by that incident ? - Only affected? Not benefited ? = Well, that may happen due to later developments and consequences. - That may be true for your country. I know your country is weak in speculation. But the matter is different for an intelligent country with enough of foresight. I was annoyed by Jim’s absurd reasoning. To change the subject matter of discussion I said – Jimmy, when shall we reach the destination ? - Well, we shall reach the ‘gentlemen’s village’ within two hours. The great man’s tomb is quite near to that village. = You told ‘gentle men’s village’. What is that ? - It is the village of the gentlemen. = Don’t you think we are gentlemen ? - By our consideration, you are not. = In that case, who are gentlemen ? - Those who are gentle by nature and those who create no pains to others. = How can a man be gentle ? - If he grows in an environment where there is no want, no restriction and everything one needs is available at hand. = Mr. Jim, I find both you and your people quite mysterious. - I know that. You expressed similar comments earlier also, when I mentioned that the WTC incident could have been our creation. Do you remember that ? = Oh yes. - It may happen so that you yourself would get the answer after you visit the gentlemen’s village and the great man’s tomb ? = Let me hope so.
The signboard on our left declared, it was the “Gentlemen’s Village”. I asked – Jim, do you know anybody here ? Whose house we are to visit now ? Jim smiled and said – You can visit any house. Don’t forget, they are all gentlemen.
After five minutes we entered a house. The door was open; as we crossed it we heard the recorded voice ‘welcome to the gentleman’s house’. There were no less than ten cushion chairs around a circular table. Jim and I sat face to face. I asked – ‘What is the time, Jim ?’ At that moment I noticed there was a clock on the wall in front of me. Jim replied – ‘Ten minutes to eleven’. I wondered how could he know the time, because the clock was before me.
Jim picked up a Journal from the table and started reading. I also followed the suit. After a few minutes I was startled to discover, Jim and myself were reading exactly the same journal. I looked at the table only to discover, all were the same. I wondered to think, what might prompt a ‘gentleman’ to keep so many copies of the same magazine. By this time I was nearly obsessed with the revised definition of the term. I collected the remote control and pressed a button. I saw the picture on the television in front of me. The sound in a low tone came from the back of my chair. Jim also did the same. Still Jim and me could talk face to face. I turned my face and discovered, there was another television set in front of Jim. Not only that, I discovered two more televisions and two clocks on the other walls. Like lightning something suddenly sparked in my brain. I said, ‘Jim, I believe this one is their central living room. Isn’t it ?’ = You are right. - If there are four members in this gentleman’s house then there are four more living rooms in this house. = Of course. - And there are four television sets and four clocks in each living room. = Of course. And so also in their bedrooms. - I believe, each room has attached bath. = Two, if the room is for the couple. - And each have independent ... Before I could finish Jim said, ‘independent kitchen, dining, pantry, laundry, patio, dry store, cold store and and and’. There was no need for Jim to finish the line, because the list was endless.
We entered the complex that was renowned as the great man’s tomb. At the gate I noticed a ten- figure digit on the electronics board. That indicated several thousand million men have visited the tomb. As we passed the number increased by two. I noticed something (I could not see clearly) at the extreme end. After every one-minute’s walk we had to walk through several risers, that elevated our state by several feet. That gave me the idea, my state was being raised on my way to the great man. I was curious if I was I gaining the status and qualities of ‘gentleman’ also. We passed by a family with little kids. As we walked I heard the father to say, ‘look kids, that great men taught us how to live the live of a gentleman’. The lady added, ‘before that we were savages. We did not even know what gentleman means’.
We walked for about five minutes. By this time we attained more height and probably more status. We bye-passed a man who was too old to walk. His son in law was helping him. The young man said – ‘Grandpa, I don’t understand what makes you to visit this place at this age’. The old voice replied, ‘My grandson, you won’t understand how great a man he was. I, not only I, hundreds of our brethren could earn billions because, because –“. The young man replied “Because he redefined the term ‘gentleman”.
We were near the tomb. At the final stage we had to walk downward. After we lost about two meters of our hard-earned height we landed in a plane. On the floor I discovered marble-stone tablets. The writings were of artistically curved letters. I read one. It said “A gentleman is the man who neither turns his head or forces others to do so at the time of enjoying favorite movies. A father is a gentleman only when he allows his children to enjoy lives without any restrictions and in any manner the children like”.
I made a 180-degree turn. Very soon I was gaining height. It was tiring, but for me it was rather pleasing. I was aware, after a few seconds I would have to descend. But I would gladly do that to meet the level, where the poor brethren of my world live. I know, Jim would be astonished to discover my unfinished mission, my reluctance to visit the great man’s tomb. But in my heart I did not feel any crave.
I became happy that finally I could get the long-expected answer of the question. By now “Whether or not they invited the enemy to use their planes” was no more the question. It was “why the ‘hosts’ assigned the plane-bombers for such an act” and the great man lying in the tomb already whispered the answer to my ears.
By this time all those billionaire ‘hosts’ might have turned ‘gentlemen’. Probably they have visited the great man’s tomb million times. Someone who can ‘invent’ the definition, capable of doubling, tripling or quadrupling the demand for consumer items definitely was a ‘great man’ and worthy of respect by those who can do anything for money.
Bijon B. Sarma, co-author : JOURNEY TO THE EAST (ISBN 1-55212-755-9) website : www.trafford.com/robots/01-0155.html, www.amazon.com
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