Short Story Moral – ‘A BUCK BACK’
Photo credit: alive from morguefile.com
April, 1999;
School classroom, day (INT)
It was the first day of 2nd standard, about 2 in the afternoon and everyone was happy as the bell was about to ring. I and my friends were excited as we had plans to go out and eat somewhere. And today our target was ‘R-KAY’ bakery. It was one of the best bakeries around. Everyone knows how school time is all about, happy days, no problems and empty pockets. So, just after the bell rang we all gathered at the school gate. Without wasting any more time I started collecting money from all the group members.
We had a group of four, Rohan, Ross, Rahul and myself. We always collected money and treated ourselves, it was kind of a gang thing for us.
School gate, Day (EXT)
“Hey Rohan, I don’t have much. Am just with 2, what about you?” I said.
“Hmm, I’ll just check.”
He then finally put his hands in his pockets and then, as usual, came up with the same excuse.
“What the hell.” He shouted.
“What happened man, are you cool?” I asked.
“Somebody stole my money……..No, how can I be so careless.” He screamed abusing himself.
It was actually an everyday activity that we had to face. I never came to know that whatever he said was a reality. That was bad. So, we finally managed to collect some bucks, it was around 10 bucks and we were four. But the treating ourselves at the bakery still seemed a distant dream. A single piece of puff was around 5. So, it was nearly impossible for us to enjoy anything together. And when everyone was about to change their minds, something came into my mind.
“We can eat everything. I have a plan, nobody will be left hungry.”
“What…what plan, am confused. Tell me what it is all about?” Ross asked looking al confused at once.
“Dude, it’s unexplainable. Just do one thing.”
“Yeah! Tell me.”
“Follow my footsteps.”
“Cool.”
We all switched on our wayfarers and changed our hair styles, so that no one could recognise us. We then headed towards the bakery. I was happy as I was heading the group. Upon reaching the place I told Ross to open the door. Till a second before they were following me and now it was the reverse. We managed to enter the place peacefully. The bakery was tastefully decorated which made the place an unforgettable one. Eating there would be an amazing experience but we were out of cash at that time. So, wasting no time I initiated the first stage of my plan. I told Ross to order something and divert the attention of the baker. At the same time, I took three puffs lying in front of me and ran away. I stopped and looked back and found that these dumb people were doing something I didn’t know. Then I shouted,
“MUAH RO ROARO.”
Muah Ro Roaro was our signal that meant ‘What the f**k’. This alerted my friends and looked back towards me. They ran to me and we had a talk. Everybody asked me about the plan.
“Dude, what happened to your plan and why the hell you came out like that, we were searching for you inside.”
“Hey! hey!, you stupid blind people, watch this.”
“Oh! Man, you are really something, you purchased and didn’t tell us. You are really a buddy.”
“Shut up, you dumb mouth, it was a theft, brothers. I took it from the display table.”
All together “MUAH RO ROARO.”
“Yeah! I stole and am proud of myself. Don’t waste time, take it, eat it and go home with something inside your stomach.”
Ross wasn’t looking happy with all this. He refused to take the puff and moved on.
“I can’t take it, it’s against my rules.”
“Rules, are you kidding me? Take it or ill throw it.”
“There are only three puffs brother. One already has to remain hungry and it’ll be me. So, no worries brother.”
“These are three puffs for you. I am not that hungry.”
“But, I really can’t take it. It’s actually because I have experienced something really bad before. I stole some money from friends pocket and the next day someone did the same to me. It’s all ‘karma’ brother. After that I stopped doing all this.”
“Ok, you hungry, me hungry.”
The bonding in our group was strong, however Ross and I shared a different type of friendship. We could even die for each other. The other two took their puffs and we both remained hungry as I threw the remaining one in the bin. This thing actually spoiled my mood a bit and I scolded Ross for the first time.
“You are a mad freak, you know. I never wanted a friend like you. And whatever f**king story you told, those are just coincidences. You can’t stop doing everything you like. And not everyone experiences things like that in their lives.”
I walked away. After that incident I wondered about the Ross’s story about ‘karma’. That word kept revolving around my head every second and every day. And finally it happened to me as well, I lost my wallet in the bus. That was a big loss and I learnt a lesson from that. I went back to my friend and apologized for being rude.
School canteen, day (INT)
“I was totally wrong. I am bad, very bad. Please give me something, at least a blow on my face.”
He raised his arm like he was really going to give me a blow. I closed my eyes but nothing happened.
“Hey open your eyes. There is no need to be scared. Go back I know you can change yourself.”
After that day I was a changed person. I stopped doing all bad things in life and started helping everyone who were in need or trouble and started gaining positive remarks from the people I knew.
After some years:
Feb, 2010
College, Day (EXT)
I was pursuing engineering from a college in the city. College time means different friends, different habits, loads of tension, submissions and obviously relationships. Oh! School was good, really good.
I and my friends were returning from college and were heading towards a friends place. It was Friday, last working day of the week, so we had planned a hookah session. While on our way, a strange beggar came in front of me and started asking for some money. So, I checked my pockets and found something. It was a hundred rupee note. It was all I had and I was sure no one around me was going to give a single penny to that beggar. It reminded of my school days when I did bad things, I thought that by helping this guy would compensate for the sins I committed in school, maybe the R-Kay bakery owner would forgive me for the puffs that I had stolen from his shop so many years ago. So, without giving a second thought, I finally decided to give the beggar the hundred rupee note. After that act of mine everyone present there started scowling and cursed me for being so ignorant and stupid.
One of them said, “If you have all the money in the world, you can give it to me.”
I remained calm because I knew that I had done nothing wrong. However though I still missed my hindered rupee note. We reached the friend’s place and enjoyed the hookah session.
Back home I found that my uncle from Dubai had come to visit our place. Upon leaving he told my mother to bring his phone from inside and at the same time he handed me a hundred rupee note quietly and said something in a low voice, “Shh, it’s all yours. Don’t tell anything about this to your mother. It’s actually a small prize for your nice behaviour towards me.”
Finally, my kindness had been well rewarded. I follow just one rule in life, Help others for you will be helped in return.
Moral: Be kind to everyone, money is just a small thing, you can get everything you desire.
__END__
-Edited by Anuraag
