Page 246 - Demo

246 THE CLARENCIAN 2024-2025As Swami pushed open the large doors, attempting his very best to avoid the etched owl, he was met with the scent of aged paper and polished wood, a scent that whispered a million possibilities of what this library might hold. He looked around and took in the sculptures and the carvings that adorned the walls, the beauty interrupted only by the large towering shelves of endless books, when suddenly a shaky and warm voice echoed through the room, %u201cAh, Swami, I wondered when I%u2019d see you in here.%u201d Swami quickly turned around to see a woman standing about five feet away from him. She was old, there was not a single black hair left on her head and her wrinkled skin appeared golden brown in the light that fell perfectly on her through the cracked window. %u201cFollow me, boy!%u201d she said with a stern voice, sort of like Swami%u2019s school principal, pointing her cane at him. Swami%u2019s feet made a sudden run to match the woman%u2019s pace. She was extremely fast for a short, old woman who required the help of a cane to walk.As Swami followed her, he noticed that each shelf carried a name at the top of it. He wondered if they were the names of different authors when suddenly he read a familiar one%u2014%u2018Narayan%u2019. The name stood out and he recognised it immediately as his father%u2019s. %u201cWhat do these names mean, Paati? Why is my father%u2019s name on a shelf?%u201d he questioned, jogging up to walk beside the woman. %u201cYou%u2019ll find out soon enough, boy! Now just follow me.%u201d She frightened him and he didn%u2019t dare ask another question. %u201cThis is it,%u201d she said, stopping in front of what was a shorter shelf than the rest. %u201cRead the name on this one, Swami,%u201d she said gently to him. %u2018Swami,%u2019 he read with a gasp he couldn%u2019t hold back. %u201cThese are the books of your alternative lives,%u201d she said, looking back at the books on the shelves. %u201cEach one represents a different path you could have taken, a different destiny you could have lived.%u201d Swami looked at her, mouth open, unable to process her words. %u201cEvery person in Malgudi finds their way to this library when they%u2019re unhappy with, or unsure of, a decision they%u2019ve made and wish to change their destiny. This place always has the answers they seek. Now, Swami, I am not aware of what brings you here today and I do not want to know, but I hope this library gives you your answers, my boy,%u201d she explained gently as she left Swami with his shelf of books. When Swami returned to the entrance of the library an hour later, the woman looked up from her %u2018Malgudi Times%u2019 and asked him slowly, %u201cSo, anything you wish to alter, son?%u201d Swami thought long and hard about her question. %u201cMaybe in another life. One that I haven%u2019t read so far,%u201d he said with a light laugh.