It was raining hard now. The raindrops felt like sharp needles arrowing into his teenage skin. Still he ran - ran hard indeed. Yet, it was not a voluntary action. Some mysterious internal/external force was making him run.. He had to save the child sitting on the highway from the brutal hands of the approaching demon lorry. Suddenly all his aim of life was to save the little soul - it seemed everything to him right now.. Yes.. He reached the kid before it was too late and ducked him away from the devil's track but was himself tossed high into the air by the angry demon and thrown like a cur to the pavement...
Then everything went dark..
____________________________________________________
Sonu and his mom, Gayatri devi, were returning from Rakesh's house. Sonu's dad was a rail-master and unfortunately had left Gayatri devi and Sonu in this world to the land-of-no-return as early as when Sonu was three. Their family of two were supported by the trifle money that Gayatri devi earned from her school teaching and tuitions. Sonu was a big man now (or so he thought).. He had recently passed his class 10 boards and come out with flying colours...with a horribly awesome 94%.. Rakesh was Sonu's batchmate and Gayatri devi's student. According to Sonu, he had got a mere 92%, way too less than him, but his over-caring mother had forced him to go with her to congratulate the boy. Sonu did not like him.
"I want a rolex watch like Rakesh, mom.", Sonu demanded on their way back home. It was night 10 'o clock. They had had their dinner at Rakesh's place and were walking back home. The night smelt fresh after a two day long heavenly shower. The sky was partially clear and the moon peeped onto the two creatured from behind the clouds, it's favourite hiding place. The street dogs were their sole companion now on street..
"I want a rolex watch, mom", Sonu repeated. Gayatri devi's silence was not too satiating.
He looked at his mom, who seemed to be lost appreciating the road ahead, ignoring his demands..
She was listening, Sonu convinced himself.
He said, "You know mom, his father has bought him the watch..he has got that computer from his brother".. after a pause he added, "Its so great to be rich mom."
They reached home. The creak of their almost-breaking-open door reminded him of their poverty, the dilapidated house amidst the old railway station was suffocating.. But he wasn't caring- his centre world now seemed to be the non-existent Rolex watch.. How could his mom just ignore his demands?
He was desperate now.. He said, "Come on mom, you cannot ignore me like this..I WANT A ROLEX WATCH."
His mom looked at him for the first time in the last ten minutes now- a strange expression in her eyes - an expression unfathomable to Sonu.
He pestered,"Mom please.."
Mom's eyes glistened.. She pursed her lips and said, with the usual calm in her voice, "I don't have money Sonu..I am not rich!" - She looked at his eyes...
He was desperate... The divorce was so intent, that he had "broke-up" with REASON.. Nothing but the lust for the watch seemed important..
"Mom, please.. I want the watch badly.. please please pleaseeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!"
"Ohh m'boy.. come on sit here", makes him sit sit the impatient Sonu beside her and says, "See, you know I just teach in a small school and those watches are so costly, I will surely get you a watch, but not rolex.. I dont have the means to get it for you, son."
Sonu was irritated now. He was angry. His eyes lit up with fury.. He wasn't even trying to control his wrath.
He shouted, "Of course you have the means.. Where from the Beta Parker for your 'favourite student' Rakesh come from? Fell from the sky??"
Gayatri devi was bewildered.. wide-eyed..
Sonu went on.. "When it comes to me, you are pennyless. For everyone else you are the fairy Godmother.. Free tuitions.. huh.. as if they would ever even remember your help when they grow up.. as if they would ever be grateful!"
Gayatri devi managed to croak, "I do not do it for their gratitude.."
"What else? Okay! What about you getting Srikanth Da a computer 2 years ago? He is more dear to you right? You lied 'no means' when I asked you for it once- I could have done a lot better in my boards with that.. But no who am I to you?"
Gayatri devi said nothing.. Only a drop of tear rolled down her cheek painfully- wounds hurt less..
Sonu was not stopping..
"I am tired of this partiality mom, just tired of this! I am tired of you! I am going away now.."
Saying this he ran out of home, a train was just leaving the station - he boarded it and started crying!
Life has been so hard for him - how much life had wronged him!
____________________________________________________
He woke up next morning in a small village railway station. Last night, he had got down from the train in one of it's stoppages. He was sleepy and had slept at the bench in the railway station itself.
Sleep had healed his wounded heart and he felt nice. His eyes felt heavy- he had cried too much last night.
He walked out of the station. He found himself standing in front of a beautiful mustard field. The yellow beauty glowed with the Sun enhancing it's shine. An occassional bird chirp would be heard.. the station clock's monotonic tick, the dripping tap's sound and the snore of a sleeping man was all that broke the silence. Everything was serene and calm.
He moved forward to the farm- now enjoying the smell of creativity of God, this felt heaven...
He moved farther forward. A farmer was walking towards the field. Probably he was responsible for ths yellow masterpiece. Mentally Sonu appreciated his hardwork. It started raining again. He moved forward, appreciating the clouded blueness of the sky, amazed at the picture-quality of this true world; the abandoned birds' nest gave artistic beauty to the un-leaved tree that stood against the highway..
The HIGHWAY!!!! A dangerous sight caught Sonu's sight..
A child was sitting exactly in the middle of the highway, near him was accelerating a loaded truck- evidently the driver was not yet aware of the child in black dress! Few people were running from the otherside towards the highway, probably to save the boy.. but they were too far to save it..
Instinctively he started running...
It was raining hard now. The raindrop felt like sharp needles arrowing into his teenage skin. Still he ran - ran hard indeed. Yet it was not a voluntary action. Some mysterious internal/external force was making him run.. He had to save the child sitting on the highway from the brutal hands of the approaching demon lorry. Suddenly all his aim of life was to save the little soul - it seemed everything to him right now.. Yes.. He reached the kid before it was too late and ducked him away from the devil's track but was himself tossed high into the air by the angry demon and thrown like a cur to the pavement...
Then everything went dark..
____________________________________________________
When he woke up, the atmosphere smelt dettol, the bed he felt hard- his head hurt.. When he wanted to lift his hand, but he felt it was tied to something... He opened his eyes..
What he saw was his anxious mother looking at him - he could notice the change of feelings inside his mom, from the depressed crying self to a more calm controlled old lady - ..
Sonu remembered everything- whatever had happened...
He spoke to ask a question...
Whatever he said was, "How is the child now???"
Then everything went dark..
____________________________________________________
Sonu and his mom, Gayatri devi, were returning from Rakesh's house. Sonu's dad was a rail-master and unfortunately had left Gayatri devi and Sonu in this world to the land-of-no-return as early as when Sonu was three. Their family of two were supported by the trifle money that Gayatri devi earned from her school teaching and tuitions. Sonu was a big man now (or so he thought).. He had recently passed his class 10 boards and come out with flying colours...with a horribly awesome 94%.. Rakesh was Sonu's batchmate and Gayatri devi's student. According to Sonu, he had got a mere 92%, way too less than him, but his over-caring mother had forced him to go with her to congratulate the boy. Sonu did not like him.
"I want a rolex watch like Rakesh, mom.", Sonu demanded on their way back home. It was night 10 'o clock. They had had their dinner at Rakesh's place and were walking back home. The night smelt fresh after a two day long heavenly shower. The sky was partially clear and the moon peeped onto the two creatured from behind the clouds, it's favourite hiding place. The street dogs were their sole companion now on street..
"I want a rolex watch, mom", Sonu repeated. Gayatri devi's silence was not too satiating.
He looked at his mom, who seemed to be lost appreciating the road ahead, ignoring his demands..
She was listening, Sonu convinced himself.
He said, "You know mom, his father has bought him the watch..he has got that computer from his brother".. after a pause he added, "Its so great to be rich mom."
They reached home. The creak of their almost-breaking-open door reminded him of their poverty, the dilapidated house amidst the old railway station was suffocating.. But he wasn't caring- his centre world now seemed to be the non-existent Rolex watch.. How could his mom just ignore his demands?
He was desperate now.. He said, "Come on mom, you cannot ignore me like this..I WANT A ROLEX WATCH."
His mom looked at him for the first time in the last ten minutes now- a strange expression in her eyes - an expression unfathomable to Sonu.
He pestered,"Mom please.."
Mom's eyes glistened.. She pursed her lips and said, with the usual calm in her voice, "I don't have money Sonu..I am not rich!" - She looked at his eyes...
He was desperate... The divorce was so intent, that he had "broke-up" with REASON.. Nothing but the lust for the watch seemed important..
"Mom, please.. I want the watch badly.. please please pleaseeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!"
"Ohh m'boy.. come on sit here", makes him sit sit the impatient Sonu beside her and says, "See, you know I just teach in a small school and those watches are so costly, I will surely get you a watch, but not rolex.. I dont have the means to get it for you, son."
Sonu was irritated now. He was angry. His eyes lit up with fury.. He wasn't even trying to control his wrath.
He shouted, "Of course you have the means.. Where from the Beta Parker for your 'favourite student' Rakesh come from? Fell from the sky??"
Gayatri devi was bewildered.. wide-eyed..
Sonu went on.. "When it comes to me, you are pennyless. For everyone else you are the fairy Godmother.. Free tuitions.. huh.. as if they would ever even remember your help when they grow up.. as if they would ever be grateful!"
Gayatri devi managed to croak, "I do not do it for their gratitude.."
"What else? Okay! What about you getting Srikanth Da a computer 2 years ago? He is more dear to you right? You lied 'no means' when I asked you for it once- I could have done a lot better in my boards with that.. But no who am I to you?"
Gayatri devi said nothing.. Only a drop of tear rolled down her cheek painfully- wounds hurt less..
Sonu was not stopping..
"I am tired of this partiality mom, just tired of this! I am tired of you! I am going away now.."
Saying this he ran out of home, a train was just leaving the station - he boarded it and started crying!
Life has been so hard for him - how much life had wronged him!
____________________________________________________
He woke up next morning in a small village railway station. Last night, he had got down from the train in one of it's stoppages. He was sleepy and had slept at the bench in the railway station itself.
Sleep had healed his wounded heart and he felt nice. His eyes felt heavy- he had cried too much last night.
He walked out of the station. He found himself standing in front of a beautiful mustard field. The yellow beauty glowed with the Sun enhancing it's shine. An occassional bird chirp would be heard.. the station clock's monotonic tick, the dripping tap's sound and the snore of a sleeping man was all that broke the silence. Everything was serene and calm.
He moved forward to the farm- now enjoying the smell of creativity of God, this felt heaven...
He moved farther forward. A farmer was walking towards the field. Probably he was responsible for ths yellow masterpiece. Mentally Sonu appreciated his hardwork. It started raining again. He moved forward, appreciating the clouded blueness of the sky, amazed at the picture-quality of this true world; the abandoned birds' nest gave artistic beauty to the un-leaved tree that stood against the highway..
The HIGHWAY!!!! A dangerous sight caught Sonu's sight..
A child was sitting exactly in the middle of the highway, near him was accelerating a loaded truck- evidently the driver was not yet aware of the child in black dress! Few people were running from the otherside towards the highway, probably to save the boy.. but they were too far to save it..
Instinctively he started running...
It was raining hard now. The raindrop felt like sharp needles arrowing into his teenage skin. Still he ran - ran hard indeed. Yet it was not a voluntary action. Some mysterious internal/external force was making him run.. He had to save the child sitting on the highway from the brutal hands of the approaching demon lorry. Suddenly all his aim of life was to save the little soul - it seemed everything to him right now.. Yes.. He reached the kid before it was too late and ducked him away from the devil's track but was himself tossed high into the air by the angry demon and thrown like a cur to the pavement...
Then everything went dark..
____________________________________________________
When he woke up, the atmosphere smelt dettol, the bed he felt hard- his head hurt.. When he wanted to lift his hand, but he felt it was tied to something... He opened his eyes..
What he saw was his anxious mother looking at him - he could notice the change of feelings inside his mom, from the depressed crying self to a more calm controlled old lady - ..
Sonu remembered everything- whatever had happened...
He spoke to ask a question...
Whatever he said was, "How is the child now???"
