For NEIL ARMSTRONG

Today the Saturday, 01 September I was alone at home after coming home buying some groceries, I had to prepare ‘dinner’ for me and for my sister.

I saw someone was peeping through the trees and observing the vicinity that was no one else but was your friend. I was little shocked with the gaze, little strange today I thought. 

I had to forget your friend for a moment because I have no strength to face ‘the sad mood of my sister pal’ if I don’t cook something I know what will happen. ‘we will have nothing to eat and talk’ ‘anyhow I am aware and am very familiar with ‘the everyday never changing comments of the cooked meals’ ‘ I can even close my eyes for moment and guess what she is going to say I am that used to her way of exchanging ideas and comments on my cooking, still that is my duty of the moment I really can not go escape and hide amongst the pages of ‘my daily diary footpath, my child and my time passer, a companion all time.

It is not that bad to have an internet companion like ‘my friend footpath.

Just try I am sure Mr. Neil that you have ‘a mountain full of memories of your moon touching moment.

We live in a three storied house and we are renting it from a kind teacher Mr. Anton. We call him Anton Sir kind and I can hear he teaches little strict.

I started cooking washing some rice forgetting the left over for a moment.

I just opened the window of our kitchen area ‘ again I saw your friend gazing at me’ ‘ what are you trying to say, do you really have something to say something about Neil’ I thought of asking your best friend but I was talking to myself I realized later because no one is there listening but your friend’  

Did she tell you that she knows all the secrets of this earth? How much does she shared with you Mr. Armstrong?

Did you have enough of strength to carry and bring them all down towards where you were before, the beginning point of your life?

I was thinking of closing the window tightly remembering a saying that our grand mothers used to say

Handa beluwoth ridida

Hondak wei sanduda

Duk duru badada

Sanda nobalan senasuraada

If you look at moon on a Sunday you will experience something good on following Monday

If you happen to see it on a ‘Wednesday all your sorrows will go disappear

Don’t look at moon on a Saturday (you will experience something sorrowful this is what the elders say- I have heard).

Today is a Saturday so I thought of closing the window to avoid the gaze of your friend. I am afraid of ‘such situations though that it is something natural ‘koi deth wenne hondata’ if something is happening that happens for better’ I know that some say so.

But Mr Neil I do not know how you suddenly came in to my mind. I have exchanged many gazes with your friend ‘moon’ but I can’t remember a day that I thought of you. may what others say sometimes is right ‘ one needs to go away from us to feel how we really miss them’ we will not understand how that person worth for us when they stay very close, close like they hear each others breathing moments’

 Somehow you came in to my mind from a far away place and stopped before me for a moment. I hurriedly re -opened the window sil of my kitchen area thinking of looking at you.

You were not there and even your best friend moon gone little away from my window area towards another part of another house. I noticed.

No worries though this is not the very last day that I will get chances to see your friend moon because the world is becoming more and more smaller day by day and moment by moment I am sure that when the next poya ( full moon poya day) comes your friend moon will appear before me and before all around the globe.

I remember the day you left this part of the world. I was not worried because you have achieved what you wanted ‘ I am happy for you’.

I remember what your families members requested from the world of ‘‘your friend lovers’ ‘your friend admirers’, so I looked at your friend thinking of you.

Was your heart so heavy the day that you left your friend pal? How did you really felt I am not going to ask you? I understand how you must have felt.

So you went to meet her without even giving us any pre- notices?

So you take the memories of your friend to the place that you finally reached saying us ‘good bye’.

I don’t understand ‘your friend moon’ like you does I have only looked at her form a very distance. It is you who knows her than anyone else of this world. 

‘Do not worry’ my friend your friend will be again with you will not leave you.  Will come and follow your heart where ever you go.

Just look in to your heart mirror sure you will see your friend not anyone else there.

Kiri peni mata genawith denko

Heen sare handa maame

Handa maame

Gee kiya obatai amathanne me punchi nanga obage

Handa maame

These are few lines of a song that we heard as kids. Your friend for us when we were kids ‘an uncle’ a very close person who bring his nieces and nephews and friends ‘curd and honey’.

So the little ones of our society used to request what they did not have in their closer vicinity from your trust friend. For us your friend is a ‘he’ a man close to kids, an uncle’

Later we understood that ‘your friend moon has many titles some call giving your friend a ‘lady image’  ‘people like to give your friend a different, different names? Any nick names that you used to called ‘this your best friend’? that is personal right ?

 Forget it I just asked

I know ‘we have a universe full of poets, novelist, writers’ I don’t think that ‘none have forget your friend’. this your friend familiarities are no strange to all who play or craft and design words in a different way on different pages of books electronic and very soft and finger touch, hand touch paper in a memorable way. But they all have looked at your friend from a distance none have got the chance to see her in a closer way like you did.

Am I asking nonsense or taking useless?

Tell me one more thing if you are not too tired of reading this Mr. Armstrong?

I don’t know it is too late to ask you this, anyways ‘ later is also not a bad word. I thought later do you agree with me.’ never too late to start a life afresh you taught me. remember.

‘ Tell me how did you really feel when you first set your foot touching the territory of your friend that you long longed to see and planed?

Was she rough? Not friendly at first sight?’ did she allow you to walk the way you want in her territory? She must know you since longer than I can ever imagine if she has responded to you to ‘your way of addressing’?

Did you take any unforgettable photographs of her Dear Mr. Neil?

I am sure you have them in a  safe place.

Memories

All these times did I try to take away the memories of her from you writing this or did I allow you to embrace her more and more times?

Sorry if I have done it writing a this long letter that your heart does not admit. Forget I will not bother you here after.

So Mr Neil Armstrong I think you had not only strong alms but also a very strong heart’ let me pay my heartiest honor bending like never before and kneeling down before you showing no issues Sir. ‘for your big achievements in life’

The world is proud of you including and none of us are worried because you have gained what you wanted. 

That is what we all need ‘one should get not what he/she does not want but the things that heart and mind request and ask and like to embrace.

You should have taken care of your heart. That was really a bad news that we heard from your close and dear ones. 

How is it seeing something in a very closer view and when you are truly experiencing something than dreaming about it?

Did you see any rabbits there? 

‘hande haawek innawa’ we used to say there is a ‘rabbit in the moon’

Did you carry enough of oxygen for you and for your friends who accompanied you? 

Enough of talking with you now gentleman I should go and close the window of my room with out letting your moon friend to take away my hidden thoughts from my inner soul.  

 You are not history Mr. Neil Armstrong you are a legend in the memories every heart of this world.