personal
When My Beloved Trolley Broke
The truth about humanity hurts. And I felt it on one fateful day.
A piece of truth about life surprised me one day. A blissful heart would always, always offer a hand. To lighten a stranger’s load. Anytime, anywhere. Getting on and off transit. With or without a smile thereafter. No ‘thank you’ needed.
A good deed purifies a soul after all. It’s God’s law. It makes a spirit grow. I can only thank the faith that keeps me awake every morning. A little mission is accomplished. My spirit is accomplished. The greatest good. Understood.
I bought a cheap trolley soon after I landed. Weak wheels, grappling with plastic castors. Yet, it walked with me once a week, carrying a load of blessings, as we both quietly sang tunes about a dream life of being home.
Then, as soon as we would get to our enduring shelter, I would thank its strength, as I would feast. I would let it rest and dream for days to come. Until it was time to carry my blessings again. It was always happy to serve its master. Though, at times, it would stop breathing. And I would sing to it until its heart would start beating again. And off we went.
Same routine, same tunes, same dream, same reveries, it held on to its power, it vowed not to surrender, though I knew deep down inside of me, it would break. It would die. Its time would end. I just didn’t know when and how. Or where?
Off we found a new home. Not an enduring shelter this time. A home of comfort and kindness. We were happy and excited. It was eager to carry more loads of my blessings. It couldn’t wait. “Let’s go!” it cried.
It was our first run. Yet, it was also the first time when we had to get on and off transit together. Where our songs were shunned.
The overflowing blessings; we were singing down the aisles. Thanking God, thanking the sky. Though fear stopped us in our tracks along the way. With its heavy load, I struggled to get onto transit. As my heart pretended to sing to make us both feel better, though my tears hid behind a prayer, “Will we make it home together?”
And as we had to get off our first stop, a strong young man stood in the way, as I battled through to safety. Instantaneously, I heard its last breath. I scuffled away to grieve, while the overflowing blessings were in stunned silence. I crossed the street, dragging our memories along. As the crowd watched with utmost fascination. No one offered a hand.
The breeze was cold. Truth was cold. Humanity was cold.
Yet, I got home. With the overflowing blessings stuffed inside; soul lingering.
I sang to it one last time; goodbye, goodbye. Whispering goodbye to it. My beloved trolley; carrying a piece of truth about life that surprised me one day.
The greatest good. That only my beloved trolley understood. Though its mission was kept short, yet accomplished.