The Stranger’s Visit (1124 words)

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Anita disliked the old man who visited once a month. He was dressed shabbily with an unshaven face, protruding yellow teeth and an ash mark on his forehead.He wore the same blue shirt with slightly frayed collar. She wondered why her parents who belonged to the upper class allowed this man to come and sit in their elegant living room and entertain him with snacks and tea. He generally stayed for about 30 minutes.  Worse still, her parents made it a point that she was present as he came on the last Sunday of each month. Much to her chagrin, they would ask her to hand him over the snacks and tea. There was not much conversation except pleasantries and a few appreciative comments about Anita like her charming face, intelligence and knowledge of English from the old man.  As soon as she finished this routine, she would run to her room on the first floor to escape his presence. Once the old man ran his trembling hand on her hair as she placed tea before him. She recoiled in shock and said rather rudely. “Don’t touch me anymore.” His face fell and she could see the hurt in his eyes. But Anita did not care.  After he left, her parents rebuked her for her uncivil and rude manners. Her father in a gruff tone sternly said,” I am disappointed with you. I hate the way you insulted the old man who visits us at my request as my guest. You are hardly 16 and he is over 70. You should learn to respect elders.” She expected her mother to come to her support. But she said softly,” What you did today embarrassed us much. Do not judge people by their riches and good apparel. If we are in a comfortable position, it is by the grace of God but that does not give us the right to hurt those who are less fortunate.”  Anita, unable to suppress her tears, ran up the stairs and flung herself on her bed. She hated the old man more now.  It so happened that the next last Sunday of the month, her parents had to go out early in the morning leaving Anita behind with the female cook. Anita was watching the TV. It was around 11 am when she heard the doorbell. Peeping through the French window, she saw the old man standing outside. She said without opening the door, “My parents are not at home. They will be coming only late in the evening”  “Never mind, young girl,” he smiled and continued,” You are here and that is adequate. I come here to meet you also. Let me in,” he softly said with a smile. There was no trace of disappointment at her not opening the door initially.  “I told you my parents are not home. I am alone. Please go away” she said in an acerbic tone  The smile on his face faded away but with kindness still in his eyes, he said,” You are like my grandchild, Anita. I have come in the hot sun walking a long distance. Please allow me to rest a while. No harm would come to you by me,” he pleaded.  “Go away. Don’t you understand what I am telling you? Don’t call me by my name. I am not opening the door,” she said brusquely.”  The cook who heard the bell was standing near the kitchen door watching. The old man did not utter one word but silently turned and slowly walked away. Anita could see him wiping his eyes but she never cared  When her parents returned around 4 PM, her father asked Anita whether there were any telephone calls or visitors. She replied that none came except the old man. She rushed back to her room pleading some pressing work. When Anita’s mom enquired from the cook whether the old man was allowed to come in and was served tea and snacks, the parents came to know what had happened.  It was during dinner that the subject came up for discussion. Her father asked her why she had turned the old man out especially when she knew he was always entertained by him.  “I don’t like him. I hate his appearance, his tattered clothes and his ingratiating smile. He is a misfit in our bungalow. You cannot compel me to like him” she said defiantly.  “Shut up, you hot-headed girl,” her father roared in anger and continued,” Do you think you are a rich girl?”  Her mother intervened and pleaded” Forgive her. She doesn’t know how much regard you have for the old man. I will explain her. She will not repeat this. Please stop with this” Her father said “No, it is time she knew the facts. Anita, brace yourself to hear some shocking news about yourself. You are not our biological daughter. When we came across this old man 16 years back,  he had lost his only daughter and her husband in an accident. He was left with the responsibility of bringing up the young baby girl of his daughter. He had lost his wife earlier some years back. When I heard about it, your mom and I agreed to bring up the baby as our own. He readily agreed but declined to take any money. The old man told us that he was happy that his grandchild got a good home to live in good comfort and that he wanted nothing except permission to see the young baby girl grow once a month. He promised to keep your identity a secret and has faithfully done so. He is your grandfather and you have treated him shabbily.” Anita sat in stunned silence as the realisation of her past came over her. The image of the old man’s retreating figure, wiping his eyes, came rushing back to haunt her. The truth struck her hard: she had rejected the one person who loved her unconditionally, even from a distance. “Tomorrow morning, you will come with me to apologise and ask for his forgiveness,” her father said. The next morning when Anita and her father went to the hut, they were told he had left the place permanently without leaving any information about where he was going.  Anita’s heart sank. She had hoped to make amends, to show him she understood now. As she looked around the empty hut, she noticed a small, tattered black and white photograph on a shelf. It was of a baby girl, held by a younger version of the old man, smiling proudly. Tears filled Anita’s eyes, as she clutched the photo to her chest, vowing silently to find him. She needed to make things right by tightly embracing him.