Family Short Story – If only you are Lucky
Photo credit: wallyir from morguefile.com
Puran’s comment on the taste of vegetable curry cooked by Sumitra converted the kitchen into a battle field. It has provoked her so much that she threw the whole dinner into the drain and blamed Puran for all of their problems. She spoke out her frustration that evening in full capacity and used her entire vocabulary to accuse Puran of being skill less in taking financial decisions. Though Puran and Sumitra often had such fights but today her words coupled with vigorous actions have crossed the limits and have hurt his ego. Listening to their loud voices his ailing mother laying on the broken charpai cursed Sumitra to go to hell. These arguments have become a routine in their life and most of the time they died their own death as neither of them ever tried to resolve it. After every night’s dispute, Sumitra and Puran both will wake up the next day to attend to their duties and maintained harmony required to finish the routine chores. Convenience has taken over companionship and fight for survival has killed the compassion.
It was apparent that Sumitra carried much more responsibilities than Puran as she not only attended to her bed ridden mother in law and did entire house work but also worked equally at fields with Puran and sometimes even more. And today it was a real long day for them as the final crop was harvested and stored in a pile at the middle of the field. Though the matter should bring smile on every farmer’s face but the extent of responsibilities and hard work did not give any chance to Sumitra to think and plan for the – harvests after sale days. In the exhausted state she uttered every word she knew to ridicule Puran in front of their son and his Mother.
Though Puran was not a wife beater but he got so annoyed on her last words about teaching him a lesson that he pushed her hard with full energy without realizing that his own mother lay in the direction of Sumitra’s fall. As Sumitra fell, his Mother screamed in pain loudly and once again cursed Sumitra. This scared Puran so much that he ran out of his house. Adrenaline was rushing and in confusion he decided to sleep in the temporary teen shelter he had at the corner of the field. In his unorganized and angry state of mind he did not see the arrival of clouds up in the sky, nor did he feel the cool winds brushing his body. Whereas his Son Mohan could follow nature’s every move. Something in him made him move quietly along with his father, who was going towards the fields. An 8 year old child is too young to protect his father from any natural calamity but his love & worry for a puppy; he has hid in a basket behind the teen shelter in the field made him go with his father.
With feelings of Hurt, anger, worry and fear in Puran’s mind he had become deaf & blind. Hungry, he went inside the teen roofed room and lied down on the mat. Along him was Mohan, his son. Mohan’s presence comforted his hurt ego. It also gave him a feeling of being needed by someone. Though he did not utter any words to him of love but asked him to lie down beside him on the mat to sleep. Mohan did not have the courage to tell him that he wants to go to the backside and bring the puppy inside as it may rain. Being the witness of his parents regular fights he has become an introvert and often found happiness is playing alone. As night fell dark and clouds covered moon and all the stars, Puran kept on tossing on the mat helplessly, unaware of nature’s plan. He has no idea of what is going to come next. Mohan on the other hand was completely aware of the possibility and was too worried about the puppy. He prayed to God for no rains like an all-time devotee.
With their own worries and anxiety, both lay awake and around 11 PM Puran was taken by a surprise when he heard the chattering noise of the pouring rains on the roof of the room. He was not ready to believe it and in pity he started to cry, asking God why this untimely rain? Now how will he pay for his family needs and ailing mother’s medicines? In addition he knew that now more from Sumitra will come his way because she had asked him to finish the harvesting two days back itself and sale it then and there to the agent visiting from the city for buying the new harvest. But he thought, what will go wrong in just two days’ time and decided to go slow. He preferred to rest and meet with his other farmer friends in the evening, which was also a never ending annoyance for Sumitra. But all prayed and done he could not deny the facts and reality. All he could do is to come out of shade to stare in black in the direction of crops pile, far- far away from the corner where he stood. He could see nothing in dark but could hear loudness of splashing rain, showing him his littleness.
While Puran stood out, Mohan was looking at the empty room thinking about the puppy he saved yesterday from coming under a scooter. He was sure that the shelter his small hands have made cannot withstand the force of strong winds and water. Both father and son worried about their own possessions stayed awake, one inside the room and other outside. They did not share any conversation. As it continued to rain, Puran standing at the door, cursed rain Gods exactly the way Sumitra accused him. If nothing, she had at least helped him with some vocabulary to vent out his frustration on God that night. Inside the room Mohan, away from all the worries of life felt equally anxious and restless as his father for the well being of the puppy. When he could not furter bear the pain of letting the puppy die in rain, he decided to go to the dog house, he has built. He has also decided to share the truth with his father about the puppy and his adventure of bunking the school to build the dog house, just in case if he gets caught. He knew that he might have to take a few slaps from Puran but the little tender heart was ready to sacrifice anything for the puppy’s life, who gave Mohan a feeling of being needed.
Finally he got up from bed, came out and slowly sneaked out from behind of his father for the puppy’s haunt. Unfortunately on reaching the place what he found broke his heart completely, neither his mud shelter was there nor the puppy. If anything was there then it was the old ugly plastic basket in which he has kept the puppy. Without any choice he came back towards the room and this time he unknowingly came via the front route. But what he saw next was unbelievable. When he was about to cross his father to enter the room he saw the puppy in his arms. The torch, which Mohan has softly taken to guide his track while going out of the room, fell in excitement and was into pieces but he was least worried. He said to Puran: Bapu, where did you get this dog from?
Puran said plainly: it was lying on the floor when I came out; probably it is motherless and scared. I did try to push him away but it didn’t go rather kept licking my foot so I have taken it in my palms. But how come you are wet and awake at this hour?
Mohan had no answer and immediately changed the topic saying let me take the puppy bapu. With twinkling eyes he said, may be it is feeling cold, let me get a sheet from inside to cover it, no no, I will take him inside, that’s better. Puran though didn’t like keeping dogs but had no moods to stop Mohan as he himself was feeling very low. He discussed no further about Mohan’s wet cloths as Mohan came inside with Puppy while he chose to stay at the door of the room, broke.
With dawn making its way, Mohan woke up and came to Puran asking him to join him and puppy to the home. As they moved towards home through the footpath, Puran continuously stared with blank eyes at the ground. He has not only lost the battle with Sumitra but failed in meeting the responsibility of a bread winner. Although Sumitra shared equal work in fields but Puran always posed as the family head, which Sumitra had accepted as a traditional wife.
On reaching home, he found Sumitra completely normal rather happy. He was annoyed thinking that she is happy on my fate. Still in times of crises spouse is the only person one turns to. As he moved towards her with sad eyes, she pulled out a few bundles of hundred rupee notes from under the pillow and pushed them in his palms saying didn’t I say I will teach you a lesson but I didn’t know that it will be your luck once again. Puran was surprised; he could not believe what was happening.
He asked Sumitra, from where did you get this money, you idiot, you have sold my Thakur’s Silver idol for teaching me the lesson! You bi**h; you didn’t even think that it was bought by my great grandfather for the good luck of family. Now I understand why it rained yesterday night and why I lost everything. It was all well till the idol was in the house. You shall get out of the house right now and don’t come back until you get the idol back.
Seeing his father’s fury, now Mohan was sure that at no cost he can keep the puppy with him. He was again worried as his little heart hugged the puppy tightly.
While Puran was continuing with his tongue, Sumitra went inside and brought the idol of Thakurji to show to Puran and sarcastically said: Yesterday evening soon after you went, Pratap singh came with an agent from city. He was the same agent who bought our crops last year. He wanted to meet you and since you were not there he did the deal with me. I had sold the crops to him. He collected it then and there and took it to city in his truck before it rained. See, I sold it for a better price than you!! Hope you got the lesson.
Hearing the words Mohan hugged his puppy tightly and Puran kept the whole money into Sumitra’s hand saying, Please don’t mind my words Sumitra, I shall know that you will never do any harm to the family. Now keep this money safe as always you did and please give me one 10 rupee note. I need to please the Gods with a Coconut offering. I have cursed them the whole night.
Smilingly Sumitra handed him a 10 rupee note, feeling like the queen of the house while Puran got back his ego intact. They once again felt the need of each other and Puran’s mother blessed Sumitra to be a sada-suhagin.
Mohan bravely asked, Amma can you give some milk for my puppy.
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