MIND GAMES
Her phone number
Aditya Rishi

Tired of much searching, Mirza rests himself at a place of silence and asks himself: "What is the aim of searching any further?" As he stops, we hear the following heavenly voices talking: "Hello, Chitragupta, any trouble?" Chitragupta's voice: "Looks like we'll have to send someone down -- a lot of people are asking for help for a man named Mirza." God: "Mirza. Yes, tonight's his crucial night. Whose turn is it?"

Chitragupta: "That's why I came to see you, Sir. It's that professor's turn again." God: "Hasn't he got his wings yet?" Chitragupta: "Wings are hardly the problem; it's that except you, no one can understand him. We should not send this Einstein guy down; he appears to have the brain of a mouse." God: "Nay, he has the heart of a child - simple. Send him down."

Mirza's place of silence is invaded by a voice. Einstein appears by his side, as if he was always there, but Mirza never knew. Mirza: "Who are you?" Einstein: "Well, who are you?" Mirza (thinking): "I should not reveal myself to a stranger." "I am a trader'" he says. "I am a trader, too," says Einstein, "people sell me their problems and I make them happy in return. You looked like a prospective client to me, so I approached you."

Mirza: "That's right. I am looking for true love and happiness, but my efforts have been in vain, so far." "A buffalo girl by the name of Sahiban will come here tonight and dance by the light of the moon. She'll bring you happiness," says Einstein and disappears.

At midnight, Mirza finds that she is indeed there... and his search ends. "I can tell that you are Sahiban... because you now have my heart," says Mirza. Sahiban looks at him, first quizzingly, then admiringly, then provocatively, then turns and shuffles off down the street, singing as she goes. Mirza hurries after her, but loses sight of her in a duststorm that comes without warning.

The storm has settled and now he must look for her, but doesn't know where to begin. "An old man told me about Sahiban," Mirza recalls, "he might know her address." "I don't have her address, but I can give you her phone number," says Einstein, who appears again like a ghost.

Einstein: "Her phone number is the smallest 10-digit number that uses all the digits from 0 to 9 and the first digit is divisible by 1, the first 2 digits (taken as a 2-digit number) are divisible by two, the first 3 digits (taken as a 3-digit number) are divisible by three and so on." Mirza (after a long, long thought): "What is the aim of searching any further?" Chitragupta's voice: "Sir, whom should we now send down to help Mirza?" God: "Send anyone who can solve this puzzle." (Mirza needs help. Write at The Tribune or adityarishi99@yahoo.co.in)