God in Tears

He was visibly upset when I met him.

He didn’t have any coloured sashes on him or any glitzy halo. He looked as much myself as much as the daily wages guy I meet every morning. I looked for a six-pack until he told me later, he has none. I realized only Bollywood honchos have them. God didn’t need any to create the most handsome of his artworks. He who created us, the bloody idiotic race called human beings. A set of people who first divided themselves first by their border posts and then by the faiths that they have imprisoned themselves with.

I asked him, “Sir, Did you ever think that the most articulate of your creations would be creating so much noise on air?”

He said, “If I could strangle someone with a billion people watching, then I would have gladly done that with that Arnab fella. He disturbs even me here, a hundred thousand light-years away from him, with the high decibel explosions that he makes every night when half the land is sleeping.”

“Then why can’t you recall him, Sir?” I ask him hopefully

“I agree, I made the mistake of my life creating a set of half-wits called Humans, but I am not foolish enough to recall one of the worst of that lot to where I dwell in peace!” His face grew into a darker tone that a Fair & Lovely Brand manager would have handed over a tube of Fair & Lovely then and there, hoping to rope him as its Brand Ambassador.

“I have some more questions, Sir. You are our only hope now.” I am sure he saw the pleading and the look turned into a nod.

“Yes, you may ask me.” His face had turned to the normal tone.

“Sir, why did you let us human beings call you different names and do different things in your name?” I tried my best not to offend him, fearing he may consider me the only representative of the lot he has created and send me to the burning hell. I am fine with heaven even if virgins are not offered in Sunny Leon style dresses, but can’t be in another hell, now that I have completed significant years in the one I am already in.

“First I created the sound and then the language, but I realized that if I created the same sounds and same language in every terrain, I would be creating chaos. I wanted each land, each region to be known for the human effort, a name he shall earn by his own sweat.” His words had a magical effect on me as I waited for more to come.

“I understand Sir.”

“Thank you. I am glad that you understand me. I wish these morons who have given me different hairstyles and grotesquely unfashionable attires, did that too. At least understand the rationale behind the creation of such pieces”.

I could see that he was pained.

“I don’t have enough resources to serve every frigging idiot who thinks by gunning down another, he gets an instant visa and a First Class ticket to my abode! Neither do I have a burning hell here. Why would I compete with these idiots who have converted the heaven I gave them into hell?”

His brow was going dark again. I should intervene now, I realized.

“Sir, But then, we humans have converted the sounds you gave us into beautiful music, we also pray to you 24 x 7 so that you are happy. We have made so many films on you, named roads and monuments after you. You should be happy I guess.”

My voice was intense, echoing the serious intent behind.

“You also created funny bombs, missiles and these flying rats and smoke spitting boats that threaten my lands, the small fellows I have created for you to live with. Even some of the music you have created robs innocents of their lives, thanks to the vulgar thuds you senseless morons make.”

He was livid. I needed to be tactful.

“Sir, with due respects to you, I must ask this one single big question.”

“Yes please speed up. I have better things to do here. Look at these beautiful little friends, who love me without a cause, a reason or a purpose. They are like me, who love others and each other without any conditions or claims” I looked at the rats, pigs, rabbits, hens and the crows which sat nearby. They all looked surprisingly happy.

“I want to ask you, Sir, why the hell are humans quarrelling in your name?” I blurted it before he blasted me out of the circuit.

“Son, I wanted to say this a long time ago. I know that creating these human beings was a big mistake. I thought they would represent me and replicate me there. I imagined them being messiahs of the virtue that I stand for. I saw them as my own as I gave them all of myself to love one another.”

His voice crackled. I knew this was it. I should not be defending the entire community. I wanted to hand him one of the perfumed tissue paper that I secretly carried in my backpack.

“Today someone is throwing bombs at their own, someone is pelting stones at the very creations that I created. I never asked these goons to molest my identity. Neither did I ask anyone to kill in my name. What I asked them instead was, for a peaceful, joyful life together. I wouldn’t have made them die had they listened to me. Now, I have to make new creations each day in the hope that at least some of them would believe in me. I have to depute the wily Death to ensure that at least some are replaced to balance the lands”

I stood there perplexed. If we were obedient people, we wouldn't have died at all. This is shocking.

“Will the scenario change anytime Sir?” I asked him.

“How I wish it would before I run out of my own resources, my hope!” He looked away as he said that.

“Thank you for your time, Sir. I really appreciate it.” I told him while I took off the small Microphone I had attached to his collar.

And then he asked me, “ Son, what do you do? Other than asking questions”

“Sir, this is my job. Ask questions and record the answers. I do embellish some of them with my craft and creativity. I am a humble reporter who needs to report back to the office and file my story so that I get a byline.” I waited for his reply as I hurried my words and got up from the rock I was given to seat my humble ass.

He sat there. His eyes looked afar. He didn’t utter a word. That’s when I saw it.

Tears were flowing down his cheeks. I took my DSLR and clicked. I saw millions ready to grab the meaningless piece of paper that made, millions of trees vanish each year. I saw my headline the following morning.

God in Tears – The Creator laments his creations.