It’s 8.40am. Watta nice day it is! Thought Mr. Jahid looking out through the window. Today is a special day for him. Mr. K is going to pay him 1 million Taka ($11790). Some people call it speed money. But he don’t mind at what people say. Money is the life force to him. Mr. Jahid knows how to get a contract and required connexsions. He asked Mr. K just to follow the path as the directorate of Roads and Highways, he would take care of the rest. Very simple! Though Jamuna Construction was the best bidder among them, but he had favoured Mr. K. When he got out of the house slamming the door with a creaky sound, he found everything good for the day. Ah! sunny weather. His car was in the garage. It had to be repaired. He was walking along the street to get a public transport.
Suddenly he found a shadow walking beside him. He couldn't see his face for slanting sun rays.
“What are you going to do in the office?” asked the shadow.
“Ohh, you know, all the routine work, study, assessment, sign…” Mr. Jahid replied.
“Won’t you receive 1 million taka from Mr. K today?”
Mr. K is, a city slicker, a dishonest man. Mr. Jahid helped the guy to get the deal while Jamuna was the best with their cutting edge technology.”
“I can’t help but helping Mr. K. I need money!” Mr. Jahid replied the shadow. Astonishingly he noticed that he could not resist himself but saying the truth.
“Do you know who am I !”
“ Who the hell you are!”
“How daring you are! You gave the contract to Mr. K who is top to bottom a humbug. The structure he is going to erect is nothing but all the crap, hampering public safety in the long run.”
“I need money, you know, everybody honour me because I sometimes help them with the money.”
“I warn you, if you are going to receive that money today, within one month you will be no more above the ground. I am C-19, C for COVID. You greedy man, from now on wash your hands regularly. Don’t take bribe in your dirty hands. You have already disfigured it by taking bribes.”
Mr. Jahid reached the office with a bleak face. Having a dreadful fear inside, he fumbled for the newspaper on the desk. He started reading news on Corona Virus mindfully, washed hands twice within 30 minutes. Mr. K visited him with the required money but he didn’t touch it and uttered no word to him. But he handed over signed authorized papers of the deal. Mr. Jahid just made him understand with his moving hand that he was not interested with the money anymore. Mr. K all the day kept himself in lie for Mr. Jahid thinking something might have been wrong. He couldn’t find out any reason for the strange behavour. Mr. K wholeheartedly tried to pay the amount to Mr. Jahid but failed.
Mr. Jahid got down from the public transport in the evening. He was dying down inside. Watta loss he had today! Somehow bringing down anguish, found a bit satisfaction that he had earned sufficient already.
“Are you feeling heartsick for losing money today?” asked someone pretty hush-hush voice.
Mr. Jahid sprang up with fear. He found a long slating shadow following him.
“Aren’t you ashamed of you for your previous sins? How much money you have made deceiving mass people of the country!! How daring you are! How can still you show off your face in public?”
Mr. Jahid couldn't utter a word but listening to the shadow.
The shadow again spoke out, “You moron, put a mask on the face so that people can’t see your dirty face. Well, I have also asked people to put on masks on their face to avoid embarrassing situation when you both are coming across.”
Comments
Hm...such an unexpected storyline... In the beginning, I would think of that shadow whatever... but never that it was COVID. I couldn't stop smiling. But...to be honest... the post is pretty thoughtful...all the humanity is in masks. How many are with "dirty" hands and faces...and how many are innocent...being forced to get protected from such "Mr. Jahids"
If only this virus were so noble and clean the world from such Jahids. So far life still seems to be so unjust.
Is the story to be continued? I'd really like to know what your have prepared for him? Will that Mr be crowned or not? He didn't touch money this time...hhh
Thanks for sharing your writing, Shaheen.
Thanks for your appreciation, Ogla. I am very much glad to hear that you liked the storyline. In fact, I was thinking about the story for more than three months, but couldn't get down somehow. I completely agree with you, our so-called civilization is sort of keeping back truth under false courtesy.
We already know how violent this word is! Some nations are still at war in the middle of the pandemic.
I had no intension to continue this story, Though COVID has been rendered here positively, but we know, and I myself personally, there are lot of innocent people dying with COVID. And I got a different storyline for this innocent people too, Hmm I don't have confidence, being such a lazy person, whether the write-up come into light or not :-D
Gush bhala haya na, Shaheen! The bribe is not good and cheating people is a great sin. I am glad you reminded us to wash our hands and wear face masks.
Thanks, Dara Gino for your comment. Little we care that, by adopting unfair means and illegal activities, the existence of both human beings and nature is on the brink of collapse.