As I entered the room, I saw what I hated the most. It was the ugliest face I had ever seen. The face was shriveled with a tiny nose and a pair of very blue eyes. He was looking straight into my eyes. I could see fear, guilt and repentance in those blue eyes.
Standing a few centimeters away from me was the mirror from where I could see my own reflection. The reflection looked very dirty, despite the fact that the mirror was spick and span. Indeed I was bedraggled in the dirt of guilt and shame.‘I am the loathsome, nauseating fellow, who would never be forgiven,’ I mused. I quickly undressed myself and went for a bath, hoping to clean myself. In just a few hours the whole country would be disconsolate.
And I will be the sole proprietor of this disappointment- this fiasco.As the cold water tickled down my bare body, I saw a series of flashbacks enveloping me.“Ali, quickly deliver the order to Mr. Patel,” I ordered. Moving out of the kitchen, I ambled towards the dining hall. A proud and industrious fellow, I thought of myself as I looked into a mirror.
Owning the largest catering company had truly been a laborious task. For twenty years I used to save my money for all this. ‘A frugal man’, is what people used to say about me. But, I didn’t care, for I knew that a bright future was up ahead.A few weeks before, I received the order that I never expected of.
I was entrusted with the responsibility of supplying lunch to the Pakistan Cricket Squad, during their practice sessions. They all found the food so delicious that they decided to choose our company for the food supply during their upcoming match against India. I was so elated. An opportunity to serve the country, I contemplated.
But, you never know that when your mind is sharp, you only think of your own self. A day before, a man approached me. A long limbed, loose jointed fellow with an ugly face and a crop of black, shining hair that curled tightly, the man ‘coerced’ me to do evil. But coerce would be an unsuitable word to ay, for all I know is that I did everything wittingly. “Take this bag of money, and do as I tell you,” the gruesome fellow instructed.
Sadly, I agreed.The man handed me a bottle. It contained some chemical which causes stomach upset. I was told to mix it with the food. I did as he instructed me to.
Although my conscience lamented over my decision, but the greed for money overwhelmed my whole mind. After placing the orders in the van, I directed it to leave. As the tires of the van hit the road somehow the voice of my conscience grew louder, and lo behold, I was ruing over what I did!The phone bell rang. Regaining from the flashbacks, I picked up the phone. “Hello sir, this is Ali.
I have a bad news.” I was scared. “Sir, the delivery van had an accident. Luckily, the driver is okay but the van is in a bad shape.
” I could not believe what I had just heard. I was happy to hear this! Leaping in ecstasy, I told Ali to cancel the order. I quickly got dressed, scampered to my living room, opened the TV and watched ‘the heroes’ playing valiantly.
