The Insect in My Sock
The Photographic memory of that insect remains in my mind even today. I don’t remember exactly when it happened, but I do remember how it happened.
It was my childhood; my new moneybox had all my savings in it. I had only one key to that box as the spare key was lost some time back. I was always worried for the last remaining key to be stolen or lost, so I always carried it with me wherever I went.
Once, during a cold winter night, my entire family was watching a TV drama that usually played at 20:00 hrs. During the interval, one of my cousins, jealous of my savings I assume, threatened me that he will steal the key. He deliberately chose the mid-break timings because he couldn’t spoil his drama. His threat was terrifying.
A few minutes later the drama ended and as the credits rolled, we went out for a walk in order to avoid the boring 9Ó clock news. As I began stepping forward, I felt something moving under my right foot inside my sock. Each time I stepped further I felt the same sensation crawling under my foot. After few steps I couldn’t take the frightening feeling anymore and started shouting, “Help me…! Help me..! Somebody please help me..! There is some creepy insect crawling inside my sock.”
Obviously you can’t bear an insect moving on your body especially when all you can do is to feel it and not see it.
I was shaking my leg to and fro in order to get rid of that thing but the vibration of my leg speeded up the movement of the insect. I shouted, cried and asked for help. But how could anyone help me while I was jumping like a man on fire. Everyone around just stood there and stared at me; I was the sole point of attention.
Suddenly I heard a voice from the crowd: “Remove your shoes and your sock at once.” I don’t remember who it was but the advice seemed useful and that’s what I did.
When the sock was removed and the secret insect was revealed, everyone was shocked and amazed. I was surprised too. I was feeling a sense of shame as everyone around me started laughing.
The insect in my sock was nothing but the “Key” to that moneybox which I hid from my cousin during the break.
Category: Ramblings, Short Stories
