The Mystery of the Missing Shoe

"Jutha Kathi Galeche??"

"Hahaha....""hohoho......" the basement of 52/10 C.R. Park rang with laughter as a small boy tells his vivid story. The story goes - "Raju Kumar Kamat" urf Raju, who shares my last name is my office boy. It so happenned that Raju had to attend a marriage in his wife's village, name: Majorha - in the land of Laloo, Bihar. He buys himself brand new shoes from Delhi in his quest to flaunt his possessions at his in-laws house.

Raju wears the brand new shoes throughout his three day train journey to his native place and later on the big wedding day. Afters days of showcase, Raju gets tired and replaces the shoe with the Indian chappals. (The skin of his feet, "ahh...sigh!")

Fun days were over for Raju. It was time to go back! Raju prepares to leave, bags are packed and blessings taken. He proceeds to the aangan (Veranda).

Raju: "Jutha Kathi Galeche??" (Where is the shoe?)

Relative: "taalab mein toh nahi pekh diya kisine? Mein dekhta hoon." ( has someone thrown it in the lake? let me see.)

The shoe was nowhere to be found. One out of the pair had gone missing!

Missing! In-laws were offering their shoes to Raju. But Raju held his dignity intact. He refused and came back to the city in his Indian chappals with a single shoe in his bag. Days passed and then a month was gone. He called every possible day, from the office phone, to enquire about his shoe.

A man was travelling to Delhi from Bihar (No, it is not Raju). Raju was in Delhi. Some other man travels to Delhi. He too is carrying a single shoe in his bag. He reaches his destination. He digs his hand into the bag and retrieves the lone shoe and hands it over to another person. The person smiles and gladly accepts. Raju Kumar Kamat was a proud owner of his Rs. 350 pair of shoe with a distinct change! Change it was. The sun, the rain and the dogs were a friendly company to the loner - "the shoe" it travelled parts of the village. Didn't possibly make a change in the places it travelled...but in itself...what a change!