Fiction: Not all withered leave gets a new birth

Prof. M Zahidul Haque

M Zahidul Haque

We will be meeting at the concert hall in the evening. Okay Mary, Asim noded and said –I am sure the piano recital by John will be very exciting and help us to learn some new things.

English girl Mary and Arabian boy Asim were pursuing undergrad courses at the same university. Asim was a student of English literature while Mary was studying medicine. They became good friends when both of them got admission in the evening piano learning course at the School of Music during their winter vacation.

Mary was in 3rd year and Asim was in his final year. Asim came all the way to Britain from an Arab country to study English literature. He was an ardent admirer of English poets including romantic poet Percy Bysshe Shelley. He always looked after life positively getting inspiration from Shelley’s poetic lines—

“Drive my dead thoughts over the universe

Like wither’d leaves to quicken a new birth!

…………………..O Wind,

If Winter comes. Can Spring be far behind?”

Mary was keen to become a cardiologist as her granny had died on a massive heart attack without having much time for the doctors to administer proper drug and treatment.

Both Asim and Mary believed that music has a connection with medicine and literature. So, they had planned to do their post-graduation diploma in music. 

Learning of piano was their first step towards materializing their plan.

It was Sunday evening. Mary and Asim reached to the concert hall at the right time. Soon the piano recital began. It was very soothing and entertaining.

Asim, I am feeling stuffy… can we go out …

Mary was feeling very uncomfortable having breathing problem…

Asim got puzzled! It is beyond the etiquette to leave a recital in the middle…However he called an attendant and asked for help.

The attendant then helped them to get out of the concert hall.

It was drizzling outside, cool wind was also blowing. Mary was feeling much better, ‘why don’t we get back to our varsity walking through the rain? Mary proposed. But that would make you more sick…Asim tried to persuade her but by then she had already downed to the road!

What could be done, Asim followed her. That evening they did a lot of fun, took fish and chips. Mary was very fond of teddy bears. Asim bought a teddy bear from the roadside shop and gifted it to Mary. How sweet, Mary was so happy. Finally, they reached to their respective university hall and say good night to each other.

Then some days passed. They were doing their studies as per routine. But one evening while returning from the music school, Mary felt sharp pain in her chest. Asim had just left Mary at the entrance of her hall. Mary was in her sense and she was a brave girl. She immediately called the emergency service through dialing 999. She also informed Asim. Before Asim could reach her, the emergency ambulance had already taken her to the Royal Hospital. She got seriously ill. Doctors there started taking proper care by keeping her in the intensive care unit.

Two days later Mary unexpectedly passed away floating her parents and friend Asim in the sea of pain. How much fragile a human life! It came as a bolt from the blue to Asim; he received a great shock! It’s unendurable. Her cardiologist was trying to connect Mary’s sudden and painful death to hereditary link. 

Asim was in so much despair that he decided to leave for his home quickly ending his course. It was heard to live there with the vivid memories of Mary. She was so innocent and charming, very friendly girl! She was helpful and caring too.

After that, several years had passed. Asim was now working as a teacher of English literature. The memories of Mary were slowly fading away from Asim’s mind. Meanwhile one fine morning, Asim received a parcel. To his utter surprise he discovered that the parcel had come from Mary’s parents with a note inside—“We are shifting to a new city and when we were removing Mary’s belongings for the first time from her room, we found this sealed envelope addressed to you and one book and a CD for you. As it was sealed and with your name, we did not open the envelop honoring our beloved daughter’s privacy. We feel to send it to you as you were her best friend”.

Tears came out of his eyes. Asim quickly opened the envelope; there was a letter written by Mary’s own handwriting….”Dear friend Asim, I am writing this letter to wish you a very happy birthday and my heartiest appreciation of your goodness and sincerity; you are so caring to me. I hope our friendship will grow further in the days to come. As a token of my best wishes, I present you a book of basic piano learning and a CD containing our lessons and references. I hope you will like it. Thank you. – your best friend Mary”

Asim in a broken heart remembered the date when Mary left this materialistic world; it was the day of his birthday, Asim put off all the lights of his room and tried to feel the presence of Mary around him and uttered in a faltering voice—“Not all the withered leave gets a new birth!”  

(The writer recently retired as Professor and was also a former Dean of Faculty of Agriculture at Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Dhaka.)