The Last Rites

He carried no malice to the grave.

He left it at the zebra crossing.

It was swift. He collapsed on the zebra crossing and was dead in 39.00 seconds precise. The everyday spectacle of alienation and cannibalism had emaciated him long ago; now only the carcass lay on the road. His contemplation on death lasted for no more than five seconds when he lay gasping for breath. 

Moral decay and subsequent deaths had happened long ago. The process was slow but was always keen on proceeding undetected. The grease and dirt kept on accumulating. Complains, back biting, venom disguised as sweet talk, it was all there. Hypocrites of the highest order. The walking carcasses reeked of bad smell. It had something to do with the atmosphere.

Some hoped that fine suits would prevent their bad odour from spoiling the atmosphere. But they forgot that their moral core had rotten long ago. Apparel oft proclaims the man, but can it hide the fangs of humans turned into beasts who love to devour the flesh of others. Sadism of the highest degree was treated as a virtue. The facts which surprised him the most was that how do the people who share their beds or call them parents are able to survive this filthy stench on a daily basis. I guess their noses are dulled by the daily assaults of putrid smell and no longer notice the foul smell.

He was also surprised at the constituent elements which turned ordinary humans into wild beasts who sadistically took delight in feeding on the flesh of their companions.

He thought that the situation needed an event like plague to occur. Or may be a strong flood. But the magnitude of the disaster must be strong enough to flush all dirt that had been accumulating for a very long time.

So it was a Friday. It was all over. The putrid smell emanating from rotten mangled souls reeking with pus would no longer accompany him. The dead man was free from the smell reeking with filth.

The condolence meeting at abracadabra was scheduled for Monday evening.

Throughout the day, different people talked about different things and displayed different emotions. Who would get the chair? Who will be promoted up the order to fill the vacuum? Who must talk to the relevant people in the management to give him the computer and the seat before someone else does? The files would have to be handed over to a new person. Who will be the unlucky person made to take the extra burden? And there will be curses for the dead man.

The cooperative society people felt relieved. He had paid his part of the contribution last week only. They thought that since no nominee was ever mentioned so they would be able to gobble up that money now through some accounting jugglery.

Some people were frustrated. They were the same set who had earlier used him as a mat. He was the weakest and they left no opportunity of passing their own dirty laundry for a wash by him so that their own hands remained clean.

His roommates were sad and happy. Now they had more space and so could bring their families sometimes so they were happy. But they were worried about the unpaid bills and expenses. Now they would have to share the expenses in two instead of three. They were happy that now they would not be pestered for early dinner but were unhappy that they would have to bring vegetables now.

A friend had cautioned him on being on bad terms with god. He had even shown a message which recounted the fate of people like him who had died unnatural deaths. He had laughed it off as humbug. Now, the friend in one part felt a tinge of sadness but he was also satisfied, rather happy that his prediction or warning had come true in this case as well. I-told-you-so type of gleefulness was visible on his face.

The condolence meeting at abracadabra began at 4 in the evening.

Suddenly in death, he was transformed from a lazy, irresponsible worker into a man of countless virtues. Several people waxed eloquent about shared events which they mistook for memories. After the meeting, they were free to leave. Surreptitiously smiling and feigning grief simultaneously, they left early to join in the cacophony at their homes.

While people got on with their lives and their bile, he was free at last.

And what about the last rites?

Why worry about the last rites of a man who never believed in such humbug? As friends you would want his soul to rest in peace, and then why not let his carcass be a source of some manure. And you know he derided the notion of souls.

He was left in the fields to dissolve into natural elements. In fifty days he had turned into good manure.

Seed, birth, desire, death. 

There was a sweet fragrance near those fields.