The Dilemma

Cupid sat on the clouds high above in the sky. With his bow and an arrow, each in one hand, his eyes hawked at a potential target. Unable to find one, Cupid ordered a small fluff of cloud to carry him down- close to the Earth so he could have a better view.

The cloud carried Cupid down to a land people called India. He smiled. He had higher chances of finding a target here given the high population counts. He began to observe. Not a long time later, he saw a boy- soft-eyed and happy. His walk was proof enough to tell Cupid he was confident and content in life; a man of carefree nature who needed love in his life.

But a counterpart was also to be found for him. Cupid scratched his chin. He looked far down the road. He was a God and could see a lot farther than mortal humans could. He saw a girl coming from the opposite direction of the road. The girl was as if she was exactly made for the boy. Cupid would be proud of these two as they would both find bliss in the love they would have for each other.

“A new love story is about to take shape. I will cherish the moment when they will lock their eyes for the first time and the smile that will play on their faces.”

With these thoughts pleasing Cupid’s mind, he assembled his arrow on the bow to take aim at the boy.

 

As the aim was almost taken, a sudden and loud honk broke Cupid’s concentration forcing him to clench his eyes shut. He opened them again raising the bow-arrow assembly towards the boy only to find the boy missing. Where he last stood, now was taken over by an over-excited crowd trying to get a glimpse of what lay in the centre. Curious, Cupid spread his wings. Ordering the cloud to stay at its place, he fluttered his wings and flew to the spot. He saw the boy lying in a pool of blood. Overhearing a man, he came to know of the uncontrolled over sped car that had hit him. The culprit, a teen who was barely over the legal age for driving, stood in the corner with his car. The furious mob ran towards him and the car. He looked terrified at his awaiting condition but was saved by an intervening patrolling cop.

“I will take care of him. Justice will be done. The law will punish him.”

Satisfied that the boy would now not be spared, the mob dispersed. The cop held the boy by his collar and dragged him away into a nearby lane. Cupid followed and watched them from a distance.

He saw them arguing over something. It was not clear from the distance and this situation was unfamiliar to him. Being a God did not help here. This was all he was witnessing for the first time and he did not have a clue of anything.

They finally seemed to have agreed on a mutual decision. The brat handed the cop five similar rectangular pieces of artistically decorated paper which had four digits and a picture of an old man printed on them. They shook hands and the brat disappeared into the lane. Justice had been served.

Confused and shocked, Cupid returned to his cloud. An ambulance had already arrived at the scene by the time Cupid returned. The girl, chosen by Cupid himself, who was supposed to fall in love with the warmth in the boy’s eyes, reached the spot. Her eyes fell on the boy sprawled on the stretcher and being loaded onto the ambulance van. She made a crinkled face.

“Oh my! What a poor thing. I hope he is not badly hurt and gets well soon, “she said in a worried tone to the friend accompanying her, without slowing her graceful pace down. She walked down the road and soon was out of sight, their talks having shifted to the latest arrived nail paint brand. The boy was already forgotten.

 

The commotion died away slowly. The ambulance was gone. A road sweeper swept the litter and the blood from the road into a nearby drain. Everything and everyone seemed as if nothing had happened. The only one who seemed to be affected by the incident was Cupid, the God of Love, who sat on his cloud, motionless; staring at the arrow he still had in his hand, wondering what to do next.