It’s 1:59 AM up at night, Rusty who couldn’t sleep went upstairs and started
starring at the empty sky with this lingering thought, “My heart? Why must it have
to be empty when I am just about to swim through this world?” Yes, Rusty is a 21
year old, first generation law graduate with dreams and aspirations from a rural
village of India, who is about to join a law firm next day, new beginning of his career
in this selfish and competitive world. Night is the time where our demons confront
us, yes the demons are nothing but our thoughts.

Having learned different laws (yet to learn more) for the past 5 years though living
through it since birth, one thing is clear in his heart, “Justice is sought to reciprocate
the vengeance of one’s heart”, and “Judicial System, a hall of interpretative
mechanism rather than one that delivers literal justice.” One must know what his
rights are, but how long will it take to settle down when aggrieved? Life ain’t bed of
roses, then why rights for which already has thorns?

Rusty without answers to his questions came down to sleep. As time and tide waits
for none, the next day rolled out. Being a up- above average learner, he got an
opportunity to join the city’ one of the leading law firm. Though we youths have a
lot of concern for the society, we just leave it behind for personal reasons may just a
reflection of society or a flaw in education. Rusty woke up early, and got on a bus to
get to the firm, In bus he saw not a rare sight but a common one in India lady with a
baby in shaggy clothes begging for alms, it is trend these days, beggars rarely receive
food but papers and metals are welcomed.

People in the bus are disgusted by the look and smell of the mom and child, we
people in the busy schedule of our life forget to be humane at times. They hated her
coming nearby to ask for alms and just ignored them. Rusty was ached much on this common sight, same humans but a wide social gap, same rights different slab. If laws
could be amended, why not society. These are not a contemporary issues in our
society but one existing way before history could ever come into existence. The lady
just got off without getting anything, just a moment later, there she got hit by a bus
in the station, and was left unattended but a crying child. Not even one paid
attention to, but the driver himself.

Even Rusty’ legs are glued to get to the firm, does really education foreclose the
gaps in the society? Whether human lives are valued equally? The answer would be
no. And we continue to live just like since we are left unbothered.

Phebe Jack Singh has submitted this amazing short story as her entry to Summer 2021 Writing Contest organised on Unverbalise.

The entry has been posted above as is.

She is the Rank #3.

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