It was a solitary house outside the town.

It was not a sizeable town. A main shopping center and streets from different sides joining the shopping center and these streets had their own layout with a number of streets from sides joining and crossing each other. It was a semi urban town and people from rural areas kept visiting the town and lending a color to the drab life of the town by their high pitched conversations and laughter. Although the local people did not like their transgression but still bore with it because it was an economic advantage.

The people of the town believed in leading a secluded and uneventful life. And, they had made themselves self-sufficient. The architecture of an area in a particular age reflects the way of the life of people there. The living accommodations, apart from being attached with each other, were spacious enough to make them independent and cater for their needs themselves. As, they communicated with each other only for businesses, there were no collective funeral processions or marriage functions. 

Moreover, they did not believe in spreading their family accommodations to other areas. But there was a house that was built on the outskirts of the town. Who had built the house? Since the people did not communicate with each other so they were not interested in who were the builders? Someone decided to check the documents and all formalities pertaining to the house were in order. Who had got this done, no one knew? But it stood there! And, the strange thing about the architectural design was that it had no door, windows or ventilators.

So, the design of the house intrigued everyone and it was a discussion in many a household. One day, an occupant of one of the houses decided to call on his neighbor. This was unheard of. Because never before none had knocked at the door of his any neighbor. So he went and knocked at the door of his neighbor. The man came out all fuming. Of course, they had seen each other many a time in main shopping center. All residents of the town had seen each other in main shopping center but they never conversed with each other. Thus, he was annoyed at being called to the door. Because, all their activities were confined to within the limits of their houses.

“I have come to discuss the house without a door.” he blurted out in embarrassment, watching his expression. He knew that he had broken a tradition. And, the town thrived on its traditions.

The man stared at the intruder for some time. “What is there to discuss?”

His reply was very brief and curt.

“Well, the house is standing there since years and no one is occupying it. This is against the tradition of the town. Who so ever builds a house, lives in it! This is what the tradition says.”

The man pondered a little, feeling his forehead time and again. “OK. What do you want, then?”

“We should collect a few people and go to the municipal committee office.”   

“OK. What next?” There was a hint of aggression again. “It would be an exercise in futility.”

‘”Why?”

“Because I have already checked. All formalities are complete and there are no ambiguities.”

This shocked the man who had come to his neighbor. He considered himself to be the initiator of this exercise but others had taken a lead. But, he stood there waiting for the other man to further elaborate his view point. Then, he found the man shifting his feet to go back inside. But, he did not want to let go this opportunity.

“I was curious enough. And, I had the opportunity to visit the district headquarters a few times during last few years. One year there was no house and the next time it stood there wrapped in all its mystery. Since then I have been having a strange and an eerie sort of feeling. Who built this house? Why was it built? Why doesn’t it have any entrance? Why there aren’t any means of ventilation?”

The man was looking at him with least interest and then he abruptly turned round and went into his house. But, he stood there in a shock till he heard the door being bolted. He also returned to his house. He thought: the villagers who visit his town or the people of the city were an entirely different lot. They talked amongst themselves and laughed a lot. But, he had never laughed; no one in his house ever laughed. Was it appropriate to be cut off from each other?

When he returned, his family was siting all huddled together. They were all silent. He was reminded of his chickens to be cooped up before the sunset. As, they did not talk much amongst themselves so he realized they were also like the house without a door.