One AMONG MANY

Flash Fiction

Bagbazar, by the bank of river Hooghly witnessed a serene sunset. Along the distant horizon heavenly hues vanished at dusk behind the manmade magnificence – The Hooghly Bridge.

By the bank, a series of broad concrete steps rushed down bathing in the holy river, and, so did some bathers, washerwomen and a band of half-dressed semi-teen backstreet boys.  The horde hurriedly plunged in the water without a swim gear, from a heightened platform on either side to where the staircase ended.

To the right of this ‘bathing-ghat’ a jetty, half empty, stood firm yet shaky to the high tides, with its mooring to secure ferries for the passenger to board.

A lad isolated himself over the pier. His diving platform. From a distance a ferry hastened to its destination, carrying two stripling amateur hanging around the taffrail gearing for a dive. The passengers in it ignored them.

It was rough day. Good luck had refused me. I stood gazing at the immense unfathomable murky water in front of me. I approached the edge of the quay. Unzipping my sling bag, fished as much pennies out and tossed it in the sacred waters.  

The minor swooped into the arcane watercourse. He was gone.

“Ohh, Madam, here!” Earning the coins from the mucky depths, after several minutes he screamed from the broad flight of steps alongside his mates. “God bless you! Wish you luck!”

Hands continued throwing pennies in. He kept plunging, fishing them out.

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_{Copyrights Reserved Swati Basu Das}