E S C A L A T O R

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Escalators are very cmon in hospitals, shopping malls, business centers, IT complexes. It doesn't need much practice to step in the machine for a speedy and comfortable transit in the building. Everybody does with style. People of all ages uses this facility naturally without a second thought. Me too once when it was introduced in Spencer plaza, used to have fun standing erect in the esclator with pride for no reason. There was a feeling that we were moving forward without applying any effort.

But something happened to my right knee some years back and I was not able to stand erect and walk normally. I could not exert any pressure on that effected one. If I do, the result would be unbearable pain. So my walking capacity reduced along with my pride. I was a brisk walker at that time and used to walk from periamet to Pursai in no time under the blaring sun challenging its wrath with a sarcastic smile. Okay, that was my past.

However, I used to visit Chennai in 2010 more often but on my medical trip along with my family. In those time my friends and facebook friends were of great support morally. Their encouragement inspite of my shortfall done a lot of good things in my life to overcome those defiencies in a positive way.

After some of fruitful sessions with my doctor, I was able to walk a little more and decided to visit Express Avenue for the sheer excitement of my kids. That mall was inuagrated recently. The kids were happy to see the structure and got baffled in the show rooms full of arranged commodities with highly prized tags.

The kids were ahead of us exploring each and every corner and would not get tired to get back us to exclaim when they witness some extraordinary to their senses. Then it was time to go up and the kids along with their mother hopped in the escalator without giving a second thought. But to me it proved to be a Himalayan task. I felt as my body got emptied and I could not take up that step which could take me to the paradise up there. The kids were waving vehemently from the top and encouraging me. I knew very well that it was only a matter of one step. But the fear of slip dominated me. I stood at the edge trying to take that magical step but ended up giving room to the anxious visitors behind. Some of them persuaded me, but seeing my hesitation they minded their own business. After numerous attempts, I knew that I couldnot make it. Finally I took the lift and joined my family to have something in the coffee shop up there.

This 30th September was memorable day for me. Again a visit to the same mall with my family. We caught an auto (running on meters), he dropped there at the right place without any chaos. We entered, we roamed happily. Less shopping with lot of enqueries. Again we were closed to the escalators for an uphill task.

The crucial point in the mall for me!! As usual the family set their feet on the escalator hydraulically. In no time they were up there waving hands frantically to me to come up. The fear still had its life in me……deep in me, though I was doing relatively well with my knees. I was a little hesitant now if not dreaded. Umaid encouraged me from the top and asked me not to loose heart. Next moment he took a downward system and was with me again, assuring me that I can make it now. I looked into his bright and starry eyes and saw hope and assertion, which reciprocated support and a tremendous back-up in me. I glanced over this floating escalator and took a deep breath and kept my foot right in the bulls’ eye and killed my fear once for all. Alhumdulilla: I just floated upward for 30 seconds which counted up like a lifetime, and aerodynamically came out to join my impatiently waiting family, securely followed by Umaid.

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TK Rafeeq Ahmed, Vaniyambadi