He is plunged into deep distress. He is now travelling in a fast moving train to reach his native town. Sitting at the window side of the A/C coach, having woke up throughout the night, with many shadowed thoughts gate crashing, he is now churning out all blank faces, and winnowing them straight at the rising SUN who is red hot flashing out rays.
 
After hearing the news about the sudden demise of his bosom friend Suryam. He is caught unawares. He is out in Chennai attending a symposium convened by him. As the convener he has to keenly look after all the arrangements too, and found no time to relax or recoup. The news was messaged to him by one of his friends. After hearing about the news of suryam, whom he actually met before coming to Chennai and shared some joyous moments made him wonder struck. The news reached him like a thunder bolt dropped down from the angry sky.
 
The news of sudden death of suryam, roared like a wounded lion in his fistful heart. The news spread fast into his nervous system like an injection of anesthesia and made him spell bound. Through the window pane the sun looks like a red hot entity. he wondered seeing the morning sun rising before him. How can he flash in the sky again, when it is known that suryam is no more visible on earth in physical form and as a living entity? It appears that his mind is puzzled in a shocking stance and he is not in a mood to realize the reality.
how can a died person become a reality and start rising in the sky space.
 
suryam is his best friend and a well-wisher too and a cordial colleague whom he loves most and admires his affection all through the life span. there is no line that bars them from being closer day by day. A man of 52 years breathed his last yesterday. by the time the news flashed on his iPhone, he was delivering the key note address at the prestigious national seminar. Suryam two days back moved with him all the time and came to the railway station to bid him a nice farewell. He wished him all the best in the ensuing seminar to be organized by him. But at the opportune time, he was a prisoner of circumstances and couldn't start his journey immediately as he has some bounden responsibilities, which he himself should only can complete. When he accepts a responsibility, he is of the opinion that he should dedicatedly discharged the assigned duty, taking care that he should not be pointed out for any lapse whether small od considerably big. Then only success embraces him at the end. Naturally social responsibilities take a fist lead when compared to individual commitments. there is a distance of more than 750 kms between his place of seminar and the native town where Suryam's body lies in state.

He, after the rituals of seminar are completed in toto, he started to catch up a train to reach his town at least to have a last glimpse of his close friend. What all can be done now? If he starts now from Chennai, he may at least have the last glance of the lovable and simply affectionate friend in between the stupefied silence that over runs the environment and his stillness at his present staying place, the time started to solidify in seconds. After closing of the seminar, he rushed to the railway station to catch the available transport ,to move in a faster pace to reach his native town. In this TAMILNADU EXPRESS which is ready to start, there are only two stops, in between VIJAYAWADA AND WARANGAL. His mind is anxious to reach the place as soon as possible, only to have a last glance of his bosom friend and very well to attend the last rites, if possible. He thought this is the only way he can express his condolence, he can express to his childhood friend whom he loved most. The friend who cajoled him, three days back and who offered valuable inputs while preparing his key note address is now no more to hear his words. Really a pathetic scene indeed! We can’t distinguish between life and death in so simple words. Death laid its icy hands on these fortunate few at the prime age. Which is real and which is unreal? is exactly indecipherable.

In the mean while his wife Anjali made five frantic calls to console him. By the time he reached Warangal, she sent his Skoda car with the driver. Driver received him in tearful eyes.

He ordered the driver to take him straight way to Suryam’s house as soon as possible.

Sir sir, the last rites were already been completed yesterday itself, as the body need not be kept for his kith and kin to come ,as all of them are available within an easy reach to the place.

Run--run--car is running fast silence in between alone rules the roost in another five minutes, he reached Suryam’s house. All are in pathetic mood and none to receive him in delightful mood. All the relatives stationed there are in dazed condition .He entered the hall where Suryam’s framed photo is garlanded with a white rose one. He is not missing his smile, even in the photo frame. It is really a wonder to understand the tricky game of GOD, played on human beings The people who are visible today, may become invisible and un traceable in the next minute. They look healthy and perfectly alright till their last breath. All the investigations, made in between say they are healthy in all aspects. What makes them to depart so early physically from this world is exactly unknown. Like stars, sometimes dropping down sharply from the sky space ,at times some people follow suit. They reach a place, never to return forever. How foolish the mortal lives are--! They miss suddenly from the scene and plunge all their beloveds into streams of despair. Recently I heard that a practicing doctor after completing her consulting chore reached home and minutes there after breathed her last after a few minutes due to heart attack. A friend of mine lost his mother at a corporate hospital while the attending doctor is engaged in preparing a discharge summary, suddenly due to cardiac arrest. She breathed her last. However the emergency team which attended on her for a few minutes couldn't bring her to normalcy, inspite of their hard trials.
Death plays are distinctively different. its designs are drafted in different ways to surprise one and all.
He decided to all his friends and also his foes, immediately on that day itself. He doesn't know what exactly happens in the next moment. He wanted to meet vindhya, who loved him most but due to varied other reasons couldn't marry him. There after he met Dr. Mohan who tried to stall his academic chances of promotion, by moving a court of law, and delayed the process by fifteen long years. He met all his other friends, who normally won't expect him at their door step, any more. Why all these squabbles egoistic and intolerant practices? When nobody is sure of tomorrow's happenings, a smile between two living beings can unilaterally change the entire gamut of this materialistic face and phase of the world.

An affectionate word on others and a cordial shaking of hands, he thought will, of course make this world an effable one. After he returned home after half past midnight, Anjali game him a full glass of milk. He told Anjali that he met all his friends and foes and extended his friendly gesture to all of them, and told them nothing last long in this world except the pure hearts, we own for ourselves. The person who moves out on some work or other, if he doesn't return back, it is undoubtedly to be termed as DEATH. If he returns back it is BIRTH. ANJALI, though I am now a contended man with no ego and envy staying in my heart and soul, I am ready to invite any untoward happening tomorrow or a minute later on. I told all my friends this fact in clear terms and made them to realize the realistic truth of life and death. If you open your eyes it is termed as birth, if you close them permanently it is finally said as DEATH. A gap between these two ends is to be considered as life. She though frightened on hearing this untimely conversation, she thought the sudden demise of his bosom friend SURYAM, brought in him a lot of change . She thereafter, lied down to take rest. By the early hours, she got up from the bed, only to see him dead. She got stunned for this untoward incident. All his friends and foes, came to his house on hearing the news, got surprised. Everyone said” he came yesterday to see us, after a long stint. We felt very happy and he gave us a chance to cleanse our hearts and souls”, once for all. But Anjali had developed some mystic feeling on birth and death on this earth space, and she realized the aesthetic course of life. She turned philosophical, from the next moment.

Original: Mattipuvvu  in Telugu by Rama chandramouli