Hobby....And I was punished.

I used to curl that metallic, steel coloured rectangular box to me wherever i went, sat, and slept. The most prized procession, I had, of which I didn't want to lose sight. The one that I showed off to every one, taking pride and explaining in detail about the blood and sweat that has gone into this. I patted myself on my resourcefulness, while digging through the filth in collecting the treasures of trove. I borrowed the lens of Mr 10th Baker Street, looking for the tails and eventually finding new evidence. Wow...what a trail. 

I even got a feel of what barter system actually meant when I used trade one of my items with the wannabe collectors for a full size image of my fav star from sportstar, the then revered magazine, or for a polished square magnet, or for a treat of yummy phuchkaas, alu kablis ( bengali for paani-puri ) during the school recess. I even tried to cash on this with the opposite species, the girls, but in vain..they were never interested..I still wonder Why??? I had been asking this question to my wife, who used to be one of my then targets, with no concrete answers. 

This box travelled to Durgapur, Haldia, and Kolkata wherever my father got transferred. All credit goes to my mom, you know how they are. She used to treasure this as if its an IIT or IIM certificate that she cannot afford to lose..But then with time, when new friends, noon shows, girl friends, nancy fridays wrapped in brown sheet started keeping me busy, I lost touch and the maddening spree declined. 

Recently, while searching in the store room, though I could lay my hands upon that rectangular metal box, the contents - THE NUMEROUS COVER FACES OF A MATCH BOX, the different designs, the varied colours - were missing; all memories coming in a flash......May be the rats acted as a messenger and helped those disappear in the thin air, punishing me for the way I shelved those, ignored those, and left those on their own.....Yup..I'm sorry, and I deserve it....