Passing the Chains

 Cynthia Stephen

The breeze blew gently across the dusty field. The knot of people standing to a side spoke to each other in low voices.

The white monogrammed car drew up. The knot moved to a side, parted to let the man in white take a look. The breeze ruffled Muniswamy’s hair, and blew some of the dust he had heaped up beside him into his face.

The smile on Muniswamy’s face did not change.

A woman’s voice piped up, “Why is he still kept there? Why not move him onto the vehicle?” A gruff voice replied “The police have to arrive. Till then we can only keep him in the place where he collapsed.”

The morning ticked on. The woman’s voice shrilled “Why are you doing this? He has worked for us so well for many years. Can’t you get some flowers? A sheet?”

The crowd moved restlessly, murmuring. “So, this is the respect given to a human being because he swept the streets?” the shrill voice persisted. “Yes, that is it” someone said softly…

The man in white sidled up to the woman. “We understand your distress. But if we touch the body before the police arrive the family will lose the benefits they will get because he died on duty” he explained gently. The woman shook her head, silently, protesting, overcome by tears.

Another woman, Muniswamy’s colleague, wept loudly. “He was sweeping this place, and as he bent to gather the dust, he collapsed.” Another one said “The supervisor held him up, and we poured water on his face, into his mouth, but he was gone”.

Someone pointed out his son, a young boy of about 20, short statured, with an open mouth and vacant eyes, in a black sleeveless sweater and slippers, strongly resembling Muniswamy. “He will get Muniswamy’s job” they said.

The police arrived. A quick photograph or two, and the body was shifted onto the waiting hearse. The crowd quickly disappeared. The breeze blew again, scattering again the heap of dust that Muniswamy had swept into a heap as his last act. The police car and the monogrammed van moved out in a cloud of dust.

Two days later, Jayanna reported to work with his broom.