Squashed

All  I wanted that day, were 1 kg tomatoes. But, I wish it had been as simple as it sounds.

The day started out fine. It was a Saturday and I had no homework. I was sitting in my air conditioned room playing PubG with my boys and time to time checking out on my girlfriend. And for a very, very long time, she had absolutely nothing to fight over. That, is very hard to come.

All of a sudden, my undertaker of an elder brother banged into my room and with his terrifying hoarse voice, ordered me to get tomatoes from the market, which I presume, mom asked him to. But no, why do anything when you have younger brothers. And how does one say no to, that… thing. I would happily choose Hitler over him.

Anyways, it was very, very hot. I don’t know why the sun was hitting on me. The burning heat, the salty sweat and the aromas of the market place. And to make things more crowded, a bunch of people were thrashing someone to the pulp. God knows what had he done to get beaten, as if, things weren’t torturous already.

I bought the tomatoes and I rushed back. On my way back, I peeked at the poor soul still getting beaten. How I wished I hadn’t… It was Abbas, my best friend. What do I do? Should I ignore him? I mean. He wouldn’t know. And by the looks of him, I didn’t think he would live to mind either. Boy, the way they were thrashing him. What does one do to get that?

But, I had to be a good friend. And so, I did. I threw my tomatoes away and jumped in like any hero would have. Besides, what use of a friend if he doesn’t become a friend at times when you need a friend. I never felt so pumped up. Salman khan, the way he sends people flying ten feet high, that was the only thing I could think of. Yes, that was my hero moment.

Unfortunately, I am no Salman khan. And that, was no movie. At first, they were beating one guy. Now, they were beating two guys. The increment of surface area to lay their slaps and sticks had given them an unusual kick. And they made the most out of it. And God knows how satisfied they must have felt to find means for their catharsis.  

Thankfully, they began to tire out and slowly dispersed as me and Abbas laid there, lifeless. That day, as I smelled the tar, the blood and sweat of so many men, I realized that sometimes, it’s okay to just, let things be… Abbas most probably had deserved what he got. Did I deserve it? Well… I don’t know. All I know is that I just wanted tomatoes, which I squashed anyways as I threw them away.

By Muhammad Qasim