Haunted Lies part 1

INCIDENT 6

Tailor Master

22 May 2001,

Today a strange incident occurred.  On the street there is a tailoring shop.  The tailoring shop is headed a by a Saleem tailor.  Saleem uncle is around in his fifties and have two sons who work in the shop to help their father.  I completed my 12^th and was in search of a part time job.  I joined the shop to earn few daily wages and even spend some time learning something new.  Today was fifth day and after my practice session and I did pretty well.  It was around 8 in evening and two consignments were still left.  Tabrez, Saleem uncle`s elder son was still working with me.  We were having a good discussion on politics.  Suddenly there was a load shedding and the current went off.  Tabrez lit few candles and went to home to fetch more.  The whole shop was empty, vehicles on main road seldom passed.  Just then there was a knock.  I asked loudly-“kaun hai bhai?”  There came reply in a shivering voice- “Janab lungi silwani hai.”  I turned around a saw an old man almost a skeleton was standing at the door.  I requested him to come tomorrow and then started tailoring the assignments. The old man stood there.  Just then Tabrez came and sat on the table.  He handed me few candles and asked me to light them.  Now I was trying to light them but the candles did not light.  I thought they were perhaps wet.  The old man still stood there.  Now irritated I shouted at him- “chacha kal hi hoga aaj nahi hoga” but the old man was silent.  Tabrez asked – who`s it? I pointed my hand towards the man.  He still asked-“who`s it?” I said- “can`t you see this old man?”  Tabrez sheepishly looked at me and said there is no one.  I got up with frustration and went near that man with a lighted candle.  To my horror the light of the candle disappeared the old man`s face and I could only see his body.  I was speechless and then I fainted.  I regained my consciousness after an hour in my home.  My mother was looking worriedly at my face.  Then I got up and narrated the whole incident to Saleem uncle.  He silently took out the photograph of the man out of his pocket and asked-“Was he…...”    I saw the photograph and nodded my head in affirmity and he got tears in his eyes.  He recovered and disclosed that the person whom I saw was his father- late Tailor Master Javed. His last unfulfilled wish was that he wanted a piece of cloth stitched for him by his son and therefore his spirits haunts on every anniversary of his death.  I just said- “I am sorry.”

Rajesh