A Day of Getting Lost at a New Place

He is in a very pleasant mood, half-lying on a green lawn reading a book. Perhaps a novel. He is reading and watching the surroundings. Just some minutes before they have arrived in that flat in one of those buildings standing there within his sight. His son has been transferred to that city on some promotion.

Minutes after checking in to that new residence, he came out of the building to enjoy the open air and the beauty of nature. The lawn was calling him when he was looking out from a window of his new residence and that's how he came down to enjoy the outing.

The lawn is shaded by some trees on the sides and the cool breeze is simply mesmerizing. It is within an open compound. We don't know whether it is that building's compound or some public place. It is surrounded by some old walls on three sides leaving the side towards the buildings uncovered. Even those walls are not complete. There are some openings on all sides for people to pass by. And the height of the walls is very low.

He is reading the book and simultaneously watching all around. People are passing by his side and looking at him. He is alone on the lawn and none else. It seems to be evening time, must be just 4:30 pm or 5 pm. School children are also passing by and some of them smiling behind. He turns around to look at them and finds most of them jumping the wall instead of passing through the open space. Even some elder people were doing the same. The wall is only of 3 feet height at that place. He wonders at them and looks at the opening space of the wall in that corner. Then only he noticed that the place of an opening provided in that wall is not good for passing through. Trunks of wood were burnt there and the half-burnt remainings along with dark ash are spread all over in that place. That's why they are avoiding going that side.

Now, it's getting evening and will be soon dark. So, he gets up and walks towards his building. On reaching nearer to the buildings, he notices there are more than one building there and all are same. He becomes confused as to which one is his building. He doesn't know even the name of the apartment also. And he does not note even his flat number before coming out. He is too much tense now.

He goes into one of those buildings and tries to find out by searching some of the flats. But, they looked much different than the one from which he stepped out. So, he comes out and tries the next building. There also he is unable to recognize his flat. And, he doesn't know where he is standing at that particular moment as he passed many buildings checking for his residence. Much confused and worried, he thinks of calling to his son. But, he could not find the mobile. Then he realizes that he had left it in the pocket of another shirt, which he had changed before stepping out. Now, he becomes much afraid and contemplates what to do. He wishes that his son, who was engaged in some office job before his stepping out, will be soon coming out in search of him. So, he waits outside with much tension and hope. ......................

Suddenly, he wakes up from his dream and looks all around in tension. He is very happy to see that he is presently on his own bed and in his own home.

Once, my cousin brother (aged 60 years) visited our house along with his wife while on their long tour of some religious places. He is habituated to smoking. He went out of the house to purchase some cigarettes and have his smoke. While going out his wife alerted him not to roam at new places. But, he told her that he is going only to the nearby shop which he had seen already while coming to our house. She did not object anymore. He went out and we were engaged in our gossips.

After a lapse of time, I started thinking of him that he might be confused in finding his way back and must be experiencing problems. Thinking thus, I happened to look out of the window and just noticed him passing by our house very swiftly. I got up and quickly went out to see him. By then, he already reached the other end of the lane and was just turning into another lane. I ran after him and shouted at him to stop. He looked back and seeing me began shedding tears. He told me he was lost in the lanes and was roaming since long being unable to find the way back home. I got much pitied and told him that I, by chance, happened to look at him through our window and that's how located him. Both of us thanked God and returned home. His wife scolded him for going out even though she was internally thankful that her husband was safe.

By following some simple precautions, you can avoid getting lost at an unknown place.

• The first thing that you should check is whether you have kept your phone with you or not. Always carry your mobile phone with you. And its battery should be full always. Also, keep your phone charged with talk balance. You can charge it at any place nowadays, but keeping it updated is better.
• The next point to be checked (which may not be of that much importance) is to keep your id proof with you which can be of much help for tracing your home if you get lost.
• You may also need to keep some money with you or your credit/debit card with you for reaching your destination or back home when you get lost.
• The next important step is to note down the full address of your new home or destination along with the building name, door number, famous landmark of that location, phone number of the owner/person or office, if any, in the building, etc. You should keep all these details with you until you get accustomed to that place. With the help of these details, you can easily inquire any person and reach your place properly without problems (until the time you become well accustomed with the new localities).

• Getting lost physically by forgetting your home or address is a very worrisome problem.
• It can be either due to some mental weakness or carelessness on your part.
• If it is a mental problem, then you should meet your psychiatrist or psychologist for treatment.
• If it is carelessness and overconfidence, you should be more practical and prudent in taking care of yourself.
• Keep your identity, mobile phone and the full details of your home address and destination address with you.
• Getting lost in thoughts and in daydreams should be controlled to a certain extent by being conscious of your surroundings and to be on earth.
• Even though dreams and beautiful thoughts give you much pleasure and enjoyment, they should not be problematic to your existence in this world. So, you need to keep them under control.

Lastly, I hope all of you enjoyed my short story and appreciate my other tips and laments here. Kindly express your views while providing your comments below.