THE LOCK

Mr. Brown was not the usual one - he walked with a limp and had layers and layers of clothes. He carried 2 identical boxes with him. I nearly sprained by back when I lifted them. I dragged both of the beat up boxes to room 222 on the 2nd floor facing the river. I wasn’t expecting him to tip… I was taken aback when he shoved a bill of 10 in my hand; I wished him good stay.

He stayed in the hotel for a week and made my run around a lot and never tipped me. He fondly started calling me 'BOY' and waved at me each time he left and entered the hotel. I was assigned to help Mr. Brown check out of the hotel. The 2 fat boxes gave me the chill. I dragged them to the elevator and followed him. He didn’t look his usual self that day.

While waiting for the taxi on the porch Mr. Brown whispered something in my ear. I couldn’t get it as he used to lisp. Before getting into the taxi he asked my to only put 1 box in the boot and keep the other one. He called the captain and told him that I was to keep his box and he would personally pick it up in a couple of months. I gave him my address.

It had a big fat lock on it. I used the box as a makeshift coffee table. I decorated it with a sequined table cloth and a small vase. KP stumbled over it a couple of times and cursed me for putting it the middle of the room.

I was expecting Mr. Brown to show up any day for his box. It had become a part of the room and our lives. Couple of years passed… KP moved to another city and I to a decent tenement and was no longer an apprentice. I had given up hope of Mr. Brown returning to collect the box. I no longer required it. So, one day I broke the lock open.