Rabin Prasad Kalita
Mr. Sajal was one of the playful staff in a railway office. He loved to create or cut jokes mostly on his office workforce. He always strived to open up a window for a congenial environment to work with the sagacity of fun and frolic. He brought humor into conversation and often said; humour makes one hale and hearty. It seems nothing works faster to bring one’s mind and body back into balance than a shared laugh. Wit keeps one focused, lightens one’s burden and releases anger. Else, it’s not that easy to keep one happy in this messy race of life.
In this busy chaotic planet, humour erases all sorts of stresses and makes one free to think coolly. It generally increases ability of retaining things in mind for a longer period and proved to be an effective exercise to improve one’s mental health. A person with a sense of humour has less stress and anxiety than the one with no such quality. It enhances moral of the workers which augments interpersonal attractions. It is the healthiest adaptation for a happy life. Eventually a healthy body usually adds some more autumns to one’s actual span of life.
Sajal mostly tried his mischievous act on Basuji being he too innocent in nature. By and large, Basuji feared of taking any decision at his own. He possessed with no guts. Anything intending to do by himself alone was far-fetched. His decision was always perplexing. So, he was mostly depended on others.
He was easily convincible by others who acted with a little drama. If he was influenced with one, he would follow him like a lackey, until and unless some other person motivates him with another ploy. If so happens, then he chose the second alternative bypassing the first one without getting assessed both. Sometimes he was fortunate enough to pick the result but generally repented for being failed. Therefore, Basuji was an easy catch for Sajal to try out his naughty tricks on him.
It was a sunny summer morning, probably during the Month of March; met Basuji on the way to the cafeteria. Sajal requested him to stop for a while intending to have a little fun. Basu loved to enjoy on freebies always. He liked to gobble for anything found free. He was a magpie who knew only to earn but didn’t dare to spend even a coin for a cup of tea. Even he didn’t require an invitation to visit a function and to eat up to the neck level. Shame was a mere word for him and carried no meaning. Therefore, Sajal could read his vain well. Hence, he thought why not to impish him once before throwing the treat.
Sajal tried to convince him to play an interesting game and also promised him to pay his espresso café bill if he wins. Initially Basuji refused to play but agreed later on whilst he heard about the lucrative deal.
Sajal took out an old aluminium 10 paisa coin (in those days) and told Basuji to lower his head a little. Sajal then pressed the coin to stick it in the middle of his forehead. Simultaneously, he spoke out the comical conditions of the game to follow while performing.
As per the rule set by him, the coin had to be unfastened from the forehead without touching or shaking his head and the duration of the task was to complete in three minutes. After hearing the condition it was vivid from the facial expression of Basuji, that the task seemed so simple. He was overjoyed being vanity that he could detach the coin in a blink and could earn the espresso coffee for sure.
Looking at the coin upward, though the coin could not be seen, Basuji tried his best by squeezing and releasing every part of his face as well as forehead to get the coin unleashed somehow. He tried this concerted painstaking efforts till the end of the given time. While doing this; his facial activity was appeared to be utterly funny.
Meanwhile, some of the office colleagues and onlookers were gathered out there without his knowledge. Nobody knew about, actually what was going on. But, they got amused and kept on giggling throughout. It was like an atypical behavior of a familiar person on the middle of the road. Seeing his strange activities, they got dazed though they didn’t know about the actual idea behind the scene. Basuji might have gone mad was the remark made by all of them. He was busy noticing constantly on his forehead to unlock the coin. Hence, he could not see any one nearby but kept on hearing some faintly audible upsetting comments.
Suddenly Basuji found something fishy around him. Left his task unfinished in-between. Felt embarrassed by noticing them laughing around him. He then rubbed out his forehead abruptly for the coin but could not locate the same. Gradually he could observe something by sensing the milieu around him. It didn’t take long to understand that he might have been deceived. So, he stared at Sajal for kidding him in front of the crowd.
Disclosing the trick, Sajal opened his clenched fist and shown the coin to all. Finally, he too joined with other guys with his unstoppable loud laugh. He skilfully took out the coin and kept in his fist in a wink. Thus he hoodwinked Basuji as if the coin got stuck on his forehead. This was the catch of the trick which was tactfully done by a master. Knowing the fact of the game, there was a roar with laughter all over and that went on even on the coffee table.
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