Offstage

Reality of those who call themselves leaders.

"All we have to do, said he, "is to keep our surroundings neat and clean." Then, he looked at the countless people who were listening and gazing at him. A hope in their eyes, different slogans on their lips appreciating his every single word, an electric power in their legs that was still holding them although they had been standing there for quite a while----all of that was enough for him. He continued, "They say that we are a poor, poor nation, but why are we dirty? I ask you why? Are we not humans? Is this land not our home? We call this place our home, our land, but does anyone make their land dirty? It is the nature of human flesh to be clean and keep clean. These filthy roads, dirty gutters, and spreading garbage can be the land of diseases, not humans.
"He is a true asset to our nation," cried an old man in a slightly shivering but firm voice.
"Yes! You are right, this nation needs more men like him," answered another man.
"But is it not who promised to build a girls' high school in this area during the previous election campaign? And he did not even fulfill that promise," said a young boy rolling his eyes.
"That was past, lad, and past is not but a tool to learn from our mistakes and to reform ourselves for the future," said an aged man holding a little child.
"Look, look into his eyes, lad. There is nothing but truth, devotion, and innocence," said a lady standing behind them.
And he looked. He tried to look straight into the speaker's eyes, but he could not do this because they were far away. The speaker was standing on a high stage, and those people at the lower level couldn't look at him straight. Besides, there was thick glass shielding him because he was an asset to that nation and country, and someone might shoot him or harm him in any way. And there were huge screens like televisions, showing his face, capturing his every movement. The boy tried to look into his eyes because he had heard that eyes are the window to the soul. There was truth indeed. But he also knew that great people use truth as their slave to enslave others. Now the speaker was saying, "I know it is not an easy task to clean the garbage of others, but when one person does it, others will do the same because it is in the blood of human beings that they follow fair deeds. All they need is just a push and a motive. And if you become the reason for that motive, you will find spiritual happiness in it. Our religion, the great Islam ..........."
And then there was a roar of applause and slogans. "Why do people become so crazy and blind when it comes to their religion?" the boy thought. And then there were the piercing gazes of the people around him. Accidentally, he had spoken his thoughts. The people cursed him, saying that he did not recognize their welfare and did not want to be clean and keep clean. And then, they told other people, and they also cursed him, and so on.
But he was in the habit of thinking, and he thought about everything. He would question a lot and would try to find logic and reason. Because he was a young man. Young people often do that. Another reason was that he had studied truth, words, and their power, and besides, his religion. And people like that often struggle a lot to survive in a society. Another round of applause, and the boy came out of his thoughts.
It seemed that the speaker had finished his wonderful speech. There were different sounds, of anthem, of applause, of whistles, of everything.
There was high security around the speaker because we know that he was an asset to the nation and country, and now religion too.
The crowd was trying to watch him, but could not. In the meantime, he lit a cigar and took a deep puff. Now everyone was returning to their homes. One of the security guards handed the speaker a plastic bottle of water because it was a tiring process. He immediately pressed the water bottle to his lips. Now, he was heading to a bulletproof car with security guards having guns and were wearing bulletproof uniforms and had guns.
He sat on the back seat of the car and shut the door. He had finished his cigar, and his water bottle was also ended. He put out a tissue and wiped drops of sweat from his forehead and face. It was difficult for him to live without an air conditioner in that scorching heat. The driver turned on the air conditioner. He heaved heavily, and he untied the knot of his necktie. Now the environment was stable. He opened the window of the car and threw out the finished cigar, the used tissue, and the empty water bottle. Then, he closed the window glass, lit another cigar, took a deep puff, lifted his head to the back side, and closed his eyes. It was tiring.