Social Short Story – MYSTERY OF THE ALWAYS SLEEPING CHILD
Photo credit: ecerroni from morguefile.com
“Yes, ma I will eat my Tiffin on time. Don’t worry. Bye. Love you”
I said all in one breathe and swiftly closed the door otherwise mom would have again started with her long list of instructions of DO’s and Don’ts ; as if I was still her small baby . Anyway, I started walking down the street. It was a bright sunny morning, birds chirping and a good fine day, just like any other day.
My life had been very monotonous since the past 2 years after I got a job at the city plaza as a sales manager. The city plaza was not very big or famous but I used to get a good salary. Plus it was very near to my house, so I used to walk up to that.
I was taking big steps, wanted to reach plaza early that day. Suddenly my eyes fell on a poor woman , in ragged clothes sitting on the footpath. Her condition was looking pathetic like most of the other beggars. She was not very young but had an infant in her arms, a small cute baby resting with peace.
“Sahib, please give some money” she begged.
I dropped few coins and plodded on.
***
After ten hours of my hectic duty, while I was returning, noticed the same beggar again. This time , at the other side of the street. She saw me and gave a big smile as if again hoping for some money. I smiled back , took out my wallet and gave her a 10 rupee note. The child was still sleeping calmly. I felt something strange. But didn’t know what. The baby looked normal. Perhaps 8-9 months old. A silent baby I thought.
I reached him home but was still thinking about that woman and the child. Strange thought started spurting in my mind that how often we see a baby who’s just some months old, sleeping peacefully in the scorching sunlight. I didn’t know much about kids, but they were always noisy, crying and irritating. I had never seen some infant being so composed and relaxed.
Anyways, I had my dinner and slept.
Following day again got ready and left the house at the same time. Again came across the woman and the baby. He was still sleeping, unusual sight.
Now I felt something really weird.
“ Hey, why is the baby always sleeping? “ I asked in a very friendly manner to her.
She said nothing and pretended as if she had not heard me. She turned her face.
Hey!
I shouted!
She got frightened and started crying. Within no time, people started gathering and suddenly an old man lend me a hard push. I fell backwards. He must have thought that I was just a man who’s frustrated and pouring all my anger and disgust on a poor beggar. I was about to explain him the situation, but people around were getting restless and giving me haughty look so I thought it would be better if I left that place for the time. I silently moved back , gave the crowd a look of defeat and again continued towards my plaza.
At evening while returning from the plaza, I again noticed the woman but refrained myself from going near her. As it was quiet obvious that she won’t answer my question. But instead of going back home, I hid myself near an own telly booth which was just few steps away from her.
I waited for about an hour. Then finally she stood up, packed her things, took the baby and started walking down the street.
I also started following her. Two streets passed but I kept on following her. Then suddenly she stopped. She Took a turn towards a dark alley. Now I was in dilemma. Whether I should follow her or not? What if she turned out to be dangerous?
So many other questions aroused in my mind. But the only way to get my answers was to follow her.
So I too took the turn and kept on following her.
The alley was very narrow and dark, filled with smoke and smell of liquor, pathway was all broken, and the passage led to a small locality. Poor, torn out houses, neither painted nor cemented. All houses were looking same.
I kept on following her until she again stopped, in front a very small house made up of just bricks, broken and shabby.
A man came outside. The man was looking drunk. Dark complexion, in his early forties maybe, poor and grungy. He was so drunk that he couldn’t even stand properly on his feet. But he started shouting at her. She tried giving him some explanations. I thought maybe, she was his wife and the couple were having a quarrel about something. I went a little closer to listen more clearly what they were saying.
The man shouted on her “ You are half an hour late! , I want extra money now.”
The woman readily nodded and handed him some money and the baby.
Before I could think of anything more, the woman started again walking!
Means that wasn’t her house! Neither the baby was hers! But then who’s baby was he..? Many questions started arousing in my mind once again but I quickly resolved my internal dilemma as I had another big question in my mind,
Why was the baby always sleeping?
I waited for some time, kept on thinking what to do next. But couldn’t hold back myself for longer and banged on the tin door. The door was not very strong and with just one blow , it flung opened .
and then what I saw very disturbing.
The whole house was just in one room. A common room for everything ; with no furniture or curtains. Just alcohol bottles everywhere. That drunken man was lying asleep on the floor, besides him laid the baby so silent as if shot dead!
Then my eyes fell on woman who was looking really frail, as if tired of the trials and tribulations of the life. She was preparing food on the Chula for the family. As soon as she saw me, she became very scared , fear ran down her spine. She panicked and then tried to wake up the man. But the man was so drunk that he shooed her away, and again went on his sleep.
I walked towards the woman.
Now my anger was beyond any limit. I lost all my control and yelled on top of my voice
“ Why is the baby always sleeping? Is he dead? What have you done with him? Tell me!”
She shivered with fright. For a minute she became motionless. She bowed her head down and a tear dropped.
She was hoping that on seeing that perhaps I would leave, but I showed no sign of withdrawing back. I was standing firm and resolute.
“ We… ” she chocked; I thought of interrupting but then kept quiet. “ we don’t know sahib, they just take our baby in morning , do something with him …mask… gas.. I don’t know what else and he just falls asleep , then they return back our child at night and gave us some money. We are very poor. I wash dishes at the nearby houses. My husband does nothing. We need money … “ , she blurted out all what she knew at one go.
I was taken aback! How could a mother do this with her own child!
***
Yes, I had figured the mystery of the sleeping baby. But never thought, it will turn out that way. There was gang which use drugs, most probably anaesthesia to put young infants into sleep so that the women, who pretend that they are their mothers don’t have to worry about the crying and feeding of the poor babies. And they can without any disturbance carry out their begging business.
I left that place and came back home.
“ Beta, you are late today?” my mother said, looking so anxious and worried.
Author’s note – I can’t even imagine the plight of the young infants, who are just few months old, being drugged like that. Next time, if you see such a beggar, please don’t give her any money, might it will safe one life.
.
