The Little Boy and His Magician---God

The little boy and his Magician were walking home from their show in a neighboring town. As always, the Magician had outdone himself yet again. But this time the frenzy had reached its highest peak and they were mobbed very badly. The little boy was hardly perturbed by that; but the general outcry about the Magician was too much for him to process. And so, unable to control his curiosity and unease any longer, he finally blurted out...

"You are God...?"

"What?"

"They were screaming there that you are God..."

"You are God? Really?!"

"No! Who said I was God! You.."

"You said so right now! They said you are God! Why didn't you tell me!"

"What..no..wait..they said you are God! Because only a God could do what you did today! And now that I really think about it, I think they are right! You really are! (realizing it fully) Oh no! Are you?!"

"I wish you could see your face my friend! It's like you have seen a ghost!"

"(mutters) This is far worse!"

"(starts laughing) God is worse than ghosts?! Well, this is certainly new!"

"Don't laugh! (checks himself) Please, my Lord."

"Good Lord! (laughs uncontrollably)"

"Well, you should have told me who you really are!"

"Okay, so tell me who do you think I'm."

"God of course!"

"Just because they said so?"

"Well, no. But now that they said it out aloud and after what you did today.."

"No, no..forget about what they said or what I did. What do you think? Am I God?"

"I don't know! You have to be!"

"For someone, who has just realized that he has been best friends with God and an apprentice, you sure look extremely disappointed and unhappy! Humans!"

"Well, obviously I won't be happy about it! You will obviously not play with us anymore, and we will have to watch what we say alll the time! And we can't even ask you questions about everything and anything, and we can't throw tantrums around you, we can't fight with you or argue with you, or you will punish us. We can't even miss school!! In short we are doomed!"

"That description reminds me of a rather awful teacher I had long time back. It hardly brings Godly images."

"Gods have teachers?!"

"We all have teachers, in different forms though. But tell me, is that how you see God?"

"Well, not entirely. But mostly...wait a minute! If you are indeed God, why haven't you punished us yet? You know all our plans, in fact you plan most of them!"

"Who am I to punish Gods?"

"What?"

"I'm a God as much as you are one, or Bugsy is one."

"Me?! A God?!"

"Why not?"

"Hoooowwww...I'm just a boy!"

"And I'm just a man!"

"Noooo! You do stuff! You do miracles!"

"Bag of tricks! I can teach you all of them, in fact, the way you are catching up, it won't be long before you turn into my biggest competitor!"

"No, no! (frantically searching for arguments) You help people, you solve problems for them, you heal!..."

"You help people too, you helped Bugsy to stand up to that class bully and what's even more wonderful, is how you helped the same bully to become friends with everyone! Who knew that the poor kid was just extremely sad and lonely himself! So you healed him too!"

"But, but, but...you create! That one time you created a butterfly out of nothing!"

"Again magic trick. And speaking of creation, the other day you created a melody so powerful that it froze everyone in a trance. It was nothing short of a miracle! And you are just seven! Goodness knows what you will become in a few years!"

"But, but, but..you.."

"My little man, can't you see?! You are a God too! We are allll Gods! No wait, let me put it another way because I don't want to be beaten up by lunatics! 'God' is in allll of us. That's how we create, that's how we are born, we dream, inspire, heal...that's how we win against all odds. It's all there, inside. Sadly, very few of us realize it."

"What will happen if all of us realize it?"

"Everything will become perfect. 'There will be no bad, all will be good' like you used to say when you were younger."

"'And life will lose its beauty', like you told me then", said the little boy smiling. Then added thoughtfully, "Also, I think not all of us are even meant to realize it at the same time!"

"But we can keep trying, can't we?", smiled back the Magician. "Sometimes I forget that you are just seven!"

"Well, I'm learning from God ain't I!"

And with that the little boy quickly scrambled up to his Magician's shoulders and they continued skipping merrily along towards their home. 

The Little Boy and his Magician: Buggy's Boots

"I hate this." sighed Buggy, shuffling in his black boots.

The little boy and his Magician were having their customary pre-siesta chat. The hour long meeting was allotted for discussing very serious issues. Like "what should be done with the garden gnome, who eats up the roses", "how to sleep during lessons without getting caught", "how to teach Bozo (the class bully) a lesson", etc. etc. And all meetings were held under the garden table (to ensure absolute privacy). Today however, they were joined by their dear friend Buggy.

"What is it now Buggy?" asked the little boy tiredly.

"These boots just do not fit! I should have bought the other one...and look it has changed its color again! How did it turn black? Yesterday I bought them red. I will sue that shoemaker!"

It was amazing how Buggy could be sulky, angry, sad, bewildered all at the same time. He loved his boots but was never satisfied with them no matter how many times he changed them, or bought new ones. And he always wore them in black, though he kept denying it. His days were thus spent in laments of how his shoes never fit him. So when no one could take his whining any longer, the little boy decided to end the problem once and for all.

"First things first Buggy, those shoes were already black when you bought them yesterday.

In fact you bought them because they were black. So stop lying to yourself. Secondly, those boots had fit perfectly yesterday, you walked for almost an hour in them before buying so how can they not fit now? Thirdly,..."

Ignoring his friend, Buggy turned to the Magician.

"Can you turn it red and make it fit perfectly?"

The Magician who was busy playing his instrument (the little boy was still confused about what to call it, it looked very similar to a flute but sounded like several different instruments) did not look up. Buggy asked again. And again and again. Even the little boy was losing his patience with Buggy. The Magician, however, continued playing serenely and finished his piece. Finally he turned to Buggy and asked in a matter-of-fact way, "Buggy, are you sure you want that?"

"Yes, of course! That's what I am crying hoarse about, am I not!" said Buggy rolling his eyes.

"Fine. But my hunch is you won't be happy if I give you what you want. So here's an idea. I'll keep changing your boots to whatever you want it to be till you are absolutely satisfied."

"You can change it to anything that I want?!" Buggy was positively excited now.

"Yes, of course."

"And I can keep asking till I'm entirely satisfied?! No conditions?!"

"None. No conditions. And I won't leave you today till you are absolutely happy with it."

Buggy did a double flip and started running around in circles in glee. The little boy too was quite surprised. As long as he could remember, the Magician never gave anyone what they wanted. In fact, he excelled in giving them the exact opposite. The little boy was of the opinion that it was the Magician's favorite amusement.

Buggy finally settled down and started telling the Magician what he wanted in his boots. Just as the Magician had predicted, Buggy did not like the perfectly-fitted red boots. Of course he did not like it, he could have anything now, why would he settle for a plain pair of red boots?

"Can you make it have stones on it? Little stones like stars and it should shine like diamonds!"

"Umm..no, it looks too bright! No, not stones, how about the softest shade of blue..no yellow. Sunshine yellow!"

"Buggy, I said I will turn your boots to anything that you want! Go wild!"

The little boy was wondering the same thing. Buggy could have the most magical pair boots in the whole world and here he was just changing colors and putting stones!

It did not take long. Within just an hour, Buggy grew tired and ran out of ideas. And very strangely he was more unhappy than ever!

"Buggy, if you think you need more time to design that perfect pair, you can come back tomorrow. I'll make it for you." The Magician said kindly.

"I'm tired Magician. I don't have any more ideas and I don't know what to want anymore. I don't know why I'm so unhappy, I don't know what will make me happy!" Tears were streaming down his little face.

"Buggy, I can help you with ideas if you want." The little boy offered. He was feeling very sorry for his friend.

"NO!" Buggy was so upset that he took off the boots and threw it away.

The Magician was already chuckling. "Better?", he asked innocently.

"Yes!! But how? Did you do magic on me? I loved my boots!" Buggy looked extremely relieved and happy now. Not to mention utterly bewildered at his sudden change of heart.

"No,  you did not. You thought you did. It was not the size, color or design of the boot but the boot itself which was making you so unhappy. But you were so busy blaming the shoemaker that you did not notice it at all!  You would have realized it eventually, of course. But I just had to help you to realize it faster because frankly kid, your whines are absolutely insufferable!"

"Aha! so that's how we get things out of you! Whine!", joked Buggy. While the Magician replied with a wink and mischievous grin, the ever-curious and ever-serious little boy sat up to ask more meaningful questions.

"Why can't you simply explain or help everyone realize things quickly like this? Imagine a world like that! No complaints, everyone happy, content, and peaceful. Must you always make us suffer so?", asked the little boy half-tired, half-exasperated.

"Because (a) I have far better things to do..." The two boys started chuckling, thinking of all the things that the Magician does throughout the day (the little boy more so, as he had long become the Magician's assistant).

"(b) they will never know the sheer joy of discovering or winning something on their own if I keep solving everything for them and (c) it's high time they realized happiness is inside. Not outside, or above for that matter.
I have plenty of other perfectly logical reasons and I would love to talk about it, but right now, that cliff (pointing at the highest point of their little town) is looking rather inviting for a jump... wait!...hey!.."

The two boys had already started racing toward the cliff with the Magician fast on their heels.

Warm

patches of childhood piled on
top of the other---
Old blankets.

The Little Boy and his Magician- Stormy Woods

Skipping down the merry road, the little boy suddenly came to a halt. He could not believe his eyes when he saw it standing in front of him. How did he reach here? Where was he? How did he get lost?! He looked all around for the familiar road but this time he was really surrounded. And all alone. Trembling with fear he looked at the raging trees that had him surrounded. He was standing in a small clearing bordering the entrance of the Stormy Woods. His parents had always protected him from this path, had taught him every other way that ran throughout the town but this. But his Magician friend always said, "You cannot escape it my friend. Everyone has to pass through it. Its necessary." The thought reminded him of his trusted friend and he started calling out to him with all his might. He knew his Magician would never fail him. But he was wrong for as it grew darker he found himself more alone than ever. There was only one way out and that way ran through this forest. He had to cross it. Alone.

As he entered the darkness, the imposing trees seemed suddenly alert. Their usual swaying had lulled for they had sensed him like dogs sense the smell of meat. He kept his gaze down and hurried his steps. Everything that he had ever heard of these woods started rushing through his mind. Some said no one comes out alive from these woods, some said they do but are scarred for life. Others said it changed them for life, rather changed their life. But everyone had agreed that these woods were a nuisance. No matter how much you try to avoid it it has the uncanny habit of luring you into it. Their headman had tried to convince the Magician to do something about it, but strangely the wondrous man had politely declined the request. He always maintained that the woods were needed. "No wonder they all think he is weird", thought the little boy of his friend. He was particularly angry with him now. "Why did he not answer me? Just when I need him the most he vanishes. I will never talk to him again. He clearly does not love me." As he mumbled on the winds suddenly became furious. He was now right in the middle of it. Rains thrashed him this way and that. He started running with all his might, but he could hardly see anything. Wild with fear and desperation he didn't see a log in the middle of the path and fell flat on his face. Getting up, his eyes fell on an old, sorry umbrella. He thanked his lucky stars that it was a rather large one. It had him covered from all sides. He could now see where he was going. Boosted with renewed courage he started his last run. This time he will not stop, he thought and he will not keep his eyes down. He had to see his enemy eye to eye if he wanted to survive this...

Then suddenly he saw the end. Laughing with mad joy his speed doubled and he came out gasping for breath and collapsed on the sand. He was bruised and drenched to the skin. But he was alive. He started laughing with relief and as he looked up the setting sun painted the sky with brilliant hues of gold and crimson, as if to honor his victory. He had never seen the sky so beautiful. He felt so alive, so human, and most importantly, big. He had finally grown up.

"Ahchooo!" The little boy(now slightly grown) whipped around to find his Magician squeezing the rain out of his robes and wiping the mud off in between his sneezes. Forgetting all about his epiphanies he ran up to his Magician for a full round of fight.

"Why didn't you come when I called you? Why are you never around when I need you the most? Do you have any idea how I came out of that mad, mad place??? Why DON'T you do something about it??? Had it not been for this umbrella Goodness knows how I would've come out. I'm not talking to you,EVER. Then I'll see how you will go about without any friends. Hmph!"

The Magician fought very hard to keep a straight face. He loved to peeve his friend and he particularly loved their fights. Controlling his laughter he asked,

"Umbrella? Where? I see none."

"Have you gone blind too??? Its right her.."

The umbrella was indeed gone. Looking around and then at his drenched friend the little boy asked incredulously,

"YOU were the umbrella???"

"Ahchho!"

"But why didn't u meet me at the clearing when I was calling you?

"Oh please! You cannot possibly need my help to enter a forest. Besides I have far more important things to do than spoon feeding you...Ahchho!"

The little boy could not help but smile at his sneezing friend. He took his hand and started walking towards home.

"But why as an umbrella? You looked so funny!"

"Ahchho! I am a performer remember? I love theatrics! Ahchho! The things I have to do for you and all you do is scold me..." The Little Boy hugged His Magician like his favorite teddy and said, " There, there! I am sorry. I will tell momee to give you my share of milk too, today.."

The Little Boy and his Magician- Goods And Bads.

He ended his act with stupendous applause. Looking around he could see eyes of admiration, awe, and fear. Fear had almost become his other name. After all he was the greatest illusionist ever known. But he never asked for fear. Nor did he want to wield his powers, but sometimes certain things had to be looked into. Or dealt with a firm hand. They forced him to show his Force. That made him sad.

But today was different. After a long time he saw a pair of eyes that didn't admire, nor fear. Rather, the eyes were questioning. But not challenging. He recognized the eyes instantly, they belonged to his 'little buddy'. His little buddy always had either a smile or a sweet to offer. They seldom spoke, but whenever he passed down the lane where the little one played, he would be greeted by a spirited wave and a little toffee. He adored the little one's eyes. It was brimming with love (the only thing he ever wanted from his followers), but it was ever silent. He often showed tricks to please his little friend, or to make him talk. The most he could achieve was a warm hug with the customary toffee.

Today was different. As the awestruck, fearful crowd dispersed, the little boy meandered through the throng towards the magician.

The Magician asked: "Did you like my trick today?"

The boy asked: " You can vanish everything.Why don't you vanish bad? Mum says there are good things and bad things. Vanish the bad ones and all will be good."

"But then life will become perfect!", said He.

"What's wrong in that?", asked His little buddy.

"Life will lose its beauty and I can't let that happen", answered The Magician.