just a short story

11 year old Ayesha was sitting on a bench of a park. It was a breezy weekend evening and the children from the nearby locality had come out to play. Ayesha did not belong to this locality, her aunt had just brought her along for company.

[Aunt had to pay a short visit to someone in the apartment. On the way, Ayesha was fascinated by the park bubbling with energy, and chose to wait there, while her aunt finished her visit. This wasn’t a big deal for her aunt – she let her do so]

Ayesha was thoroughly enjoying the aura of the place – that of the children chirping around merrily in groups, the cool breeze of the wind and the leaves swaying in glory along the wind. ‘how I wish I could play with them’ – she wanted to! But nobody here knew her, and it was supposed to be too short a visit to go introduce and play. She sat back.

Just then, she heard cute little sighs from her right. A child sitting on the same bench, was whimpering and mumbling over something. He seemed to be a 5-6 years old kid.

She turned to the child and lovingly enquired – ‘Whats your name? why are you crying?’

Child – ‘daddy gave me only 20 rupees. I wanted to buy the new chocolate. It costs 35 rupees. He refused it’..and then suddenly remembering…’my name is Rohan. What is your name?’

‘Ayesha. But you can still buy another chocolate right. You get many good ones with 20rupees too’

‘nooo. that Nishan was showing it off yesterday. He ate away the entire chocolate without giving it to me. I too want one. I also want to show him’ – he cried.

Ayesha smiled to herself. This was something new she was experiencing this day.

‘so you want the chocolate only to show him? I thought you wanted the chocolate to enjoy it!’

‘ummm..i want to enjoy it and then show to Nishan’

Poor little Ayesha still couldnot clearly figure out what was running in the child’s mind. Nevertheless..

*** 

She extended her hand and showed few coins that she had held, to the child.

‘will you be able to count the total amount of money these coins will make up’ – she smiled.

The child nodded – ‘yes’ – he meekly answered.

‘its totally 15 rupees’ – the child tried to hand over the coins to Ayesha.

‘keep it with you. 15 added to 20 rupees will make 35. You can buy the chocolate now’ – she glowed.

‘..and  show to your friend now’ – she mimicked smilingly

The child was dumb struck – ‘then what will you do? You don’t want to buy anything?’

‘not exactly. My school teacher says you should help everyone who is crying or is needy, and then God will help you’

‘huh? But my daddy told you should not take money from strangers’ – the child innocently blurted out.

‘Oh..okay..then you can leave the coins beside me..on the bench itself’ – she smiled and again went into the aura of the park.

 ***

Half-heartedly, the child left the coins on the bench and started moving towards his apartment. 

Just then – ‘Hey kiddo, why is your nose so red. What happened’.  It was Riya didi. Rohan’s neighbor.

‘nothing..i want to buy a choco….’  Riya happened to drop a print out from her hand that she was taking out from her bag. this distracted tiny Rohan.

‘what’s that didi?’

‘that’s a list of people and the amount of money people have given to me’

‘Money? But why did people give you money?’ – innocently.

‘ah.. let me explain you in brief. There’s this little girl who cannot see, she is blind. She can regain her eyesight, but her operation demands a lot of money. Her parents did not have sufficient money, and so they reached out to my school for help’

With mouth and eyes wide open – ‘haaa…and then?’ curiously.

‘My school chose few students from my high school, who need to collect money from our locality for this purpose. I am one of the selected volunteers. Remember the other day I had come to your place and your mumma gave me some money….?’ – she explained proudly.

He nodded assertingly - ‘So you will give this money to them?’ – curiosity increasing.

‘Yes. She needs it very badly, right? We felt we must help her’ – explaining further –‘I need to give a copy of this list to her guardian. She had come to visit us, she is talking to my mom. She will be coming down in few minutes’

The minute Riya finished explaining this, Rohan ran hastily towards the bench, crying out – ‘Riya didi. Don’t go away until I return’

Riya was puzzled. Nevertheless, she waited.

‘Ayeshaaaa’ – he gave a hasty cry. The coins still lay beside her on the bench. ‘I am taking all of your money’.

‘Okay. So finally you decided to buy your chocolate’ – she smiled. The kid had already fled towards Riya didi, Ayesha’s words were unnoticed.

***

‘Here is the list, aunty. The school will hand over the cheque to you’ – Riya was talking to the blind girl’s guardian.

‘Wait' - cried Rohan. 'Here it is.  Take these. 15 rupees added to 20 will make 35’ - repeating Ayesha's words

Riya was surprised - where did you get this money from?

'15 rupees is my friend's. She wanted to help others. 20 are mine. i too want to help'

Riya affectionately – ‘awwww..that’s so sweet of you kiddie. I will add your name too in the list…and will not forget to tell your mummy papa about it’ [but mummy-papa would have already known about it before she could have informed them. Rohan was already jumping towards his house excitedly to narrate the turn of events..]

The aunt took the list, and thanked Riya. After bidding a good bye to the lady, Riya turned towards her apartment [in the same direction where Rohan ran]. The lady walked towards the bench…

***

‘Ayesha, beta? Shall we go?’

Turning towards her aunt’s voice and smiling – ‘jee chachi’

‘your stick is fallen down, beta. Guess you did not notice it. You did not stroll around anywhere?’

‘no chachi. I was enjoying the park from here itself. Did not feel the need’

‘Don’t worry, we will not need them much longer’ – the aunt handed over the supporting stick to Ayesha.

 

Aunt remembered something suddenly, and confessed – ‘So sorry, beta. I was in a bit hurry, I forgot to tell you that the number of coins I gave you was totally 15 rupees. Did you come across any vendor? Was the money sufficient? Hope you had something to eat’

‘No’ – as she directed her way through the stick, head held up high and smiling.

‘I helped a little boy, to buy his favourite chocolate…by now he must have got it.’

unaware that her money, alongwith the child's, had travelled back to her; she gleamed as she imagined the happiness the boy would have felt after buying the chocolate...

what goes around, comes around...

…