Part-6
Major Atan stayed silent for a while but then said, "I agree that the logic is a bit perverse. But if I felt as if I was able to express myself just because I am a human being, it is the courage of an animal hidden in humans.
Major Atan was looking out of the window and speaking in his flow, "I guess when an animal wakes up in humans, he crosses all the limits of courage. He becomes a mere animal who looks no further but satiates his desire."
Source
I was trying to understand Major Atan's mental state and maybe he was not wrong.
Major Atan continued, "I was feeling I should be considered on the same level as that soldier. It seemed to me that he could show his intention, but I was hiding mine, forcefully."
I interrupted Major Atan at this point, "That's human desire and needs an outlet."
Major Atan looked at me and said with a sarcastic smile, "I must say that an animal had forgiven another animal that day. I should say that an animal did not find another animal guilty."
He paused for a while and went on, "It also occurred to me that it could only be a human state of mind that produces such a feeling in an individual, and if that's the case, the entire society must be held responsible for calling it a crime."
The Jeep kept on moving with a jerking motion. I did not utter a word. Major Atan again said, "You didn't say anything. Maybe you think I made a mistake; that's why you keep quiet. But even if you say so, I will not mind; I do not claim that I did right. But that's how I felt that day."
I said, "No, it is not so easy to say anything." And I fell silent. But then even I had a similar incident in my mind that I remembered from my own experience. Then I said, "I also remember a similar incident."
Major Atan looked at me and said, ''What?''
There is no such sharpness in what you faced, but the point of animal logic would be applicable in my case as well. Last year, an Italian dance troupe came to the army club in our local headquarters, and we all attended it. After the dance was over the group had to move to Shion. So we arranged for an army truck to send the group to the nearest rail station, about 30 km away. I was assigned the task of taking that dance group's truck safely to the station.
"When all the six girls and members of the troupe sat in the truck, I asked the driver to move. You must have seen the way from local headquarters to the rail station is so rough, so I waited for a while for the dust to settle down and followed the truck in my Jeep as it left the club.
Up to a certain distance, the road was okay. After that, when the truck reached the tarred road and the dust settled, I thought of speeding up my jeep and catching the truck. For some time, I could see the truck in front of us, but I was shocked by what I saw.
"Why, what happened?" Major Atan asked.
"I saw a man hanging at the back of the truck with his fingers clutching the top end of the back side of his hands. I came a little closer and saw that he was a soldier from a local unit. His feet were hanging in the air, and the boots were just dangling a few inches above the road. For a moment, I wondered if the grip of his hands could be strong enough to go on like that! Then I ordered my driver to go closer to the truck and stop the truck.
''Then?'' Major Atan was curious!
When the truck stopped, both drivers got the man down. The grip on his hands was so tight that even when we took him off, his fingers didn't straighten up, but they were still clenched tight! And as soon as we took him down, he fell to the ground.
Major Atan smiled, "He must have been drunk."
"Yes, absolutely drunk and crazy!
"Then"
To be continued...
10% @hive-107855