Into the Desert

I was walking late in the evening along the India–Pakistan border road. It must have been around 7:30 or 8:00 PM. I was exhausted and hoping to come across even a small habitation. The road was so silent that I could hear my own footsteps. If someone had been far away, they could have heard that some one is walking down on the road. Even my own breathing was loud in that stillness.

A mini pic-up truk passed me and stopped with some distance in front of me. The road through the desert sand was clearly visible in front of the headlights. Red indicators were blinking.

I assumed the people inside were curious about my condition, so I walked toward the truck. When I reached the left side, I stopped at a small distance, enough to speak. Then I noticed there was only one man inside, sitting in the driver’s seat. As soon as I reached the door, he turned off the engine. I could feel the warmth of the truck’s body, smell the burning oil.

He spoke first.

“What happened? Do you need help? I’m Goram Khan. I’m a known person in this area.”

In the quiet desert, his voice carried far easily across hundreds of meters.

I didn’t respond immediately.

He continued, “Don’t be afraid. I can help you.”

I finally said, “I’m looking for a place to stay for the night.”

He shook his head gently.

“You cannot stay here. It gets very cold at night too cold to survive. There is no village for the next 50–60 kilometers. My house is nine kilometers from here. You can come with me and stay.”

I remained silent again.

He added softly, “I don’t know whether you are Hindu or Muslim. It doesn’t matter. My duty is to take you home that is Allah’s order. Some people create rifts between Hindus and Muslims. I know I am a Muslim, but I am a human first. Allah sent me to help you. Believe me, brother, you will be safe in my area.”

There was depth and honesty in his voice.

I asked, “But how will we match the speed?”

After two kilometers, the truck took a left turn a road I couldn’t ride on with my bicycle. So he helped me lift the cycle into the truck, and we drove straight to his home.

His family provided me a local meal with pure butter milk. Place to sleep with warm blankets

In the morning they made sweet rice kheer. Had fun with their kids with photo shoot. Then I took the main road.

 

That night, I truly felt that the world doesn’t need more successful people it needs more people like Goram Khan.

Two things stayed with me deeply:

There are no real boundaries, and no real religions.

What divides us is man-made and meaningless.