The day was a crisp one , after quite sometime , somewhat reminding of a resplendant day in the midst of summer blues. There was plenty of the sun, it was warm though not sultry, and subtle shades of subdued colors interspersed amidst the dark ones was a characteristic feature . Though it was well past the afternoon hours, the  urban scape somewhat presented a lazy , lethargic style , the city as if just awaken from a good night's sleep, so was life dragging on leisurely oblivious of its typical hectic pace and fast life ………….. there seemed enough scope for repose amidst domestic comfort within households , and the streets were unusually deserted. The sky above was a clear blue  with little trace of the clouds drifting by, the sun dazling bright and the highrises silhoutted in the backdrop of the cerulean skies , …………………. the scene rather awesome and demanding the artist's attention . Occasionally one or two stray eagles could be seen flying high amidst the skies , then soaring higher and higher until becoming imperceptible  in the distance .

Amidst the sprawling highrises , in one such apartment dwelt Mr. Smith , an elderly man in his fifties . Stark blue eyes , a waft of disheveled tresses atop a square head, a much frowned face with a wan grin, old fashioned specs, and rounded shoulders , the short stature of a worn out frame that walked slowly lest steadily ……………….. this was Mr. Smith ! Though apparently mundane, his attributes made him unique ! Resembling that sort of a person who would hardly reveal anything about himself , so much so that everything about him seems shrouded in obscurity ! no body knew about his origin, where he came from , what he did and no body cared . After all, that Smith was quite a chip of the old block ……….. awfully dull . He would speak little and had no friends. He lived by his own , and would spend most of the time behind closed doors , in his cozy study, buried amidst old books and manuscripts. An atheist though, this eccentric little man had somewhat a scientific bent of a mind , a little known fact. He studied the manuscripts, read between lines  about the spectrum of heavenly bodies, in particular the solar spectrum , the kind of light it emanates during a total eclipse and so on. And that he studied all these stuff with astronomical precision, working out queer mathematics. And that the same drab old life rolled on …………. dragging by …………….. time flows by ………………… .

That was a specific day in the fall and it was special for the fact that it  marked the occurence of a total eclipse …………………. a rare one , after seventy long years in Manhattan.The all and sundry who would make a ballyhoo at the slightest provocation, were obviously excited ………………and so was our Mr. Smith. Coz Smith had waited since all the years gone by, a patient wait , to capture but a rare celestial phenomenon …………………. that would only chastify his scientific quest and hardship all over the years. So Smith was unusually restive today , and his activity schedule was quite in contrast to the lazy old Smith we knew of …………………. and he would pace up and down the porch frantically, gazing at the sun (taking protective measures though), observing in minutest details the eclipse initiating and taking place gradually.

And then came that very rare moment whence the sun became totally eclipsed ……………… the stars came out and it seemed as if dusk had fallen though it was only 10 in the morning, …………………… and it seemed suddenly cold , the ambience …………….. even reflected amidst nature ……………. coz the birds would fly frantically beating their arduous wings …………………….all this lest for a few seconds. Smith was stupefied, so were the all and sundry , however Smith was bewildered beyond that ! ……………………

The rest of the day passed by like it uses to be ……………… at nightfall , after supper , the inmates in other apartments all retire to slumber, lest lights don't turn off in Smith's household …………….. the queer old man is busy in his study working out formulae and mathematics based on his observations of today. The lights in the apartment flinch in intensity, the dark outside looms large , gradually intensifying and the stars flicker by …………….. lest Smith , quite oblivious of the fact , is busy, engrossed at work.

We wonder, whether his work is a success or just futile . We wonder even whether he's just that sort of a dull idiot !  We wonder what triggers Smith at work so meticulously ? We wonder what happens to his precious manuscripts and book once he is no more ? ……………………………….

Yet, does Smith bother about all these, does he care ?

Smith just knows that he finds untold happiness at work and that what he works at is not futile. He doesn't bother about recognition , he doesn't bother about fame. Coz  Mr. Smith knows that's the way life is ………………….and he believes more in the old saying " an idle brain is but a devil's workshop. " So, Smith just sharpens his skills , all that he had learnt through the ages , by taxing his "wondrous" brain in this queer task. …………………………………..

Mr. Smith's definitely wise !