"I have never been on this side of the town." Jo told Ron. They were moving on their bicycles towards the river. Their route was a narrow country road, full of dust and loose soil. The fields swayed in the breeze as if they were welcoming the two. For Ron, this was a dream come true. He was blessing his stars and thanking the almighty from the bottom of his heart for this moment.
"Do you often come here?" Jo asked Ron, enjoying the fresh country air.
"Yes. Many times. Playing and swimming in the river is our favorite pass time. The ladies also go there to wash their dirty linen."
"Look there are also houses over here." Jo was discovering the countryside.
"The villages over here are all scattered. The surrounding land around every house belongs to the farmers staying over there." Ron explained.
After about some fifteen minutes ride they came across a fork in the road. The two stopped here.
"See, both of these roads go to the river. This left narrow one is a shortcut, but we need to cross a brook. We cannot take our bicycle across it. With this right one, we can go, right to the river bank. But it is a long ride." Ron explained. Jo preferred the narrow short-cut road.
As they moved further on the narrow mud road, they heard the voice of an elderly lady calling them from a distance. "Hey who are you?"
Jo looked in the direction. She could only see trees and a small walking path.
"It is me, Ron, son of the English language teacher." Ron shouted back.
"What did you tell her?"Jo asked Ron. Ron explained. She was amused by the way Ron had introduced himself. "There is a house behind those trees, and the old lady who stays there knows every passer-by over here." Ron explained to Jo.
Again the old lady called out "And who is that girl with you?".
"She is our guest from the big city. I am showing her round. Taking her to the river." Ron shouted back.
Jo started giggling the way Ron was communicating with a person who was out of sight.
"Then you better not go this way, the brook is full of fast running water." The lady shouted back.
Ron turned towards Jo. He told her what the old lady had just said. But Jo pulled Ron's shirt. "At least let me see this brook. Then we will go back and take the other main route." Ron agreed with her.
He called back "Granny, we will only see the brook, and come back, Okay."
After a moment's pause, the elderly lady called back. "When you return, come to my place, I will prepare some tea for you two."
Ron shouted a loud "Okay" and they both started cycling further towards the brook.
"I liked this culture of yours." Jo said to Ron. "How people know and care for each other. At our place, in the city, people hardly know who lives in the neighboring adjacent apartment. Forget about caring for each other." Jo looked angry.
They came to the brook, after about some five minutes ride. It was a thickly vegetated area. Long trees lined up on both sides of the flowing water. The water was below the brink. The two saw a long straight tree fallen across the brook. It was, most probably, used as a make-shift bridge by the farmers. A rope was tied across the brook over there.
"Great! Let us cross this. It looks safe." Jo started moving forward but Ron held her back.
"No." he looked stern. "I have assured Granny that we will only see this place and return."
Jo was annoyed. "Ok, then I will come over next time with Monty. Let us go."
As they rode back, Jo saw that Ron was silent. She made him stop. Ron looked angry. She held his hand and said, "Sorry. I am really sorry. I should have not made that attempt to cross the brook. Especially, when you had given your word."
Ron smiled back "remember she was concerned with our safety."
Jo responded, "You are right. Now she must be waiting for us. Let us go."
***
As the two arrived at the small walking path they got down from their bicycles and started walking through the trees. A cozy-looking house stood on a large veranda between the tall trees. The Granny was sitting on a wooden bench and waved out to them. There was a large wooden swing attached with four thick brass chains, in front of her.
She greeted them, "Nice to see you, children. Good, you are enjoying this remote place."
The two rushed to sit on the swing and sat facing the lady. Ron asked her if she lived here alone. She smiled and said "Oh no. My son and daughter-in-law are working out in the field. I have a grandson, he runs a Public Telephone Booth, in Vetora town."
The old lady started chatting with them, and Ron had to tell her that Jo does not understand her language.
The lady smiled and caught Jo's hand. "Never mind." She said "languages are for the brains. We will speak from 'heart to heart'."
She looked around and said, " See we are farmers. We live with our animals, these cattle, goats, dogs, and cats. Do we speak the same language? No. But still, we all understand each other. See how these dump animals talk within themselves. This is possible because they communicate with their hearts. Do you understand what I am saying?" She patted Jo.
Jo nodded at told Ron, "Tell her I understanding a bit, what she is saying."
As Ron told her the old lady continued. "See the dogs, they bark at some people and are friendly with others. Have you ever wondered why?" Ron nodded no. "That is because these animals directly communicate with our heart." She went to explain. "They can see what is going on in our mind. If you are scared or have a guilty mind, they can sense it."
Ron was impressed with this wisdom. As he started explaining to Jo, the lady got up and went inside the house to get their tea.
Ron asked Jo, "Do you believe in this 'heart to heart' theory?"
"Yes," Jo seemed to be convinced. "My brother Monty, was discussing how elephants in the African plains communicate with each other across hundreds of kilometers."
Granny came out carrying a tray of two teacups and some biscuits. Jo instantly got down from the swing and took the tray from Granny's hands. As the two started drinking the tea, Granny asked Ron who was Jo. Ron explained to her how Jo's father is doing good charity work in the town, by conducting free dental check-up camps, for the people. He also told her how her father had told him to show around Vetora and its countryside.
"It all sounds like a perfectly written story." Granny reacted. "Do you think that this is a mere coincident that this young lady, comes all the way from the city, and meets you in this remote rural area, and becomes your good friend?" Ron was confused. He was not sure what she was trying to tell.
"No! This happened because it is written in your destiny." The Granny smiled and said loudly, "She was brought here by destiny so that the two of you could meet ! Do you understand?"
***