tHe FLyiNg cLoThEs

This story is a peaceful but a melancholy story with a happy ending. The story is about a boy and his beautiful nature that made him get a friend in his life. So let me begin telling it.

Long time ago when electricity was not invented or discovered people used to dry their clothes on a wire in their backyard. During those times in a small town called Freeheart there existed a beautiful and a huge mansion. Alongside that mansion in that countryside area of that town there was meagre cottage whose backyard although small was adjacent to the backyard of that huge mansion.

The owner of that mansion was a very rich businessman whose name was Robert. Robert had business of manufacturing airships. He lived alone in that mansion with no wife or kids except for some servants who did his chores.

It used to happen so that the owner’s servants would dry clothes outside on a wire in the mansions backyard and sometimes due to strong winds the dried washed clothes would fall in the backyard of that meagre cottage where a boy named Joy lived. This boy whenever tried to return the clothes they would not accept it back for some or the other reason. The actual reason why they would not accept clothes was because of strict rules of Mr. Robert who had told his servants not to accept anything from anybody so as that they would have to return favour later. This simple rule made the clothes that flew to Joy’s shanty because of the wind non returnable to its owner.

Now Joy was a very modest and a descent guy. Initially when the clothes could not be returned to his neighbour and rightful owner they were kept aside in one of the corner of his shanty. But then due to having low money in his pocket all the time he one day decided that since he could not buy clothes for himself he would wear the clothes that flew towards him from their neighbours backyard even though they were not his and were quite a loose fit.

Joy was a very observant boy. He had seen that the owner of that mansion used to remain upset for some reason or other as had seen tears coming through his eyes sometimes through his window. Robert never wanted to show them and remained very hard skinned on the outside but Joy had seen and knew that.

One day he decided that even though Robert does not talk or let him come to his house, even to give him his clothes back which was in favour for Joy all the time. He decided that he would try to ease the troubled man. So he in the evening when Robert - the owner of the mansion would return from work, he would start playing violin from his home. This violin when heard by Robert made him feel calm and peaceful and would somewhat have a feeling of joy around him. This, Joy knew because he used to see that through the window of his cottage.

Now days went by and due to savings because of buying no or very less clothes for himself from outside as he got them flying from his neighbour he thought of helping more to that man from whose house or whose clothes he wore. He had discovered that Robert was constantly having trouble in his business. Robert owned a company that made airships for people to ride on, enjoy and travel. Due to explosive nature of hydrogen that was used in the airships they sometimes would  burst in flames and would cause sufferings to man and property. For this reason Robert would always be stressed out and would remain grumpy. Joy had decided to something to help him because he always felt indebted to him because of his clothes he wore which although were bit loose but covered his body and earned him respect that may be little or more.

With his savings Joy went to a college and took science as his major in it. In a few years he became researcher and researched for something that would not blow up the airships. Firsts he tried finding out a gas that would inhibit the explosions but ultimately he discovered a rare gas which was also found in atmosphere through very accurate and fine distillation of air. That gas was helium and it could be filled in the airships easily, to make it float without causing it to burst. He, after discovering the gas, its features and the process of its extraction got the process for its extraction patented.

Robert had come to know about that gas and also had come to know that it was the same neighbour how discovered the gas that he would not see or let come in. Roberts used to feel very bad thinking that but Joy did not. Actually Joy was waiting for Robert’s birthday to make the patent of extraction of helium under Robert’s name a s a present of gratitude to him. It was January and his birthday came in April. By that time Robert used to work and in the evening when he returned home would still play violin to calm Robert and make him a little joyful. Robert hearing that would feel sorry for how he was and what he had done with his neighbour.

Never mind, April came and there was a knock at Mr. Robert’s door. It was the postman and the servant of Mr. Robert opened the door and got the mail. The mail required signature. This made the servant of that house immediately go and give the mail to Mr. Robert after receiving it.

When Robert received the mail he kept it on the table and opened it after about 2 hours. When he saw what was in the mail his feet would not touch the ground his happiness had no bounds. He could not believe what had happened and was that for real. He was very excited and overjoyed with that piece of mail. According to that document in the mail Mr. Robert was transferred the patent of extraction rights of helium gas onto his name. Robert’s joy had no boundaries. He immediately rushed outside his house towards his neighbour’s house and knocked at Joy’s door. Joy opened the door and Robert asked him “ Why, why all this ?” Joy said “ just a Thank you in return of your flying clothes.” Robert did not understand at first completely what Joy was saying. Then Joy explained him the whole ordeal. Robert then thanked Joy and asked “ is there anything he could do to help him?” Joy said “Just be my friend.”