Short Story 'Rinki’s tears' Tribhubanjeet Mukherjee / 28.03;2015 (Rama Navami) / Saturday / Night 9.40 P.M.

  

Short Story 'Rinki’s tears'

Tribhubanjeet Mukherjee / 28.03;2015 (Rama Navami) / Saturday / Night 9.40  P.M.

I had given the ground floor of my house on rent to a newly married couple  . They were blessed with a little daughter. Her name is 'Rinki as they call . Rinki usually starts crying when her mother leaves the home sharply by 9AM to office . She will be crying for a long time. Her mother had kept a maid to look after Rinki and she was very much caring and affectionate to that little girl . The name of the maid is Mita. She use to come by 7’O clock in the morning and leaves the house at 7 pm . She use to do all the house hold works of the family right from cooking, keeping the baby , feeding her, washing clothes, marketing  etc.  She use to come from  Kestopur .

Our maid Manju  says , Mita’s husband is a drunker and plays teen patty, her  son, Rahul , is a  driver and the daughter-in-law 'Soma' a tender teen aged girl of 16 years only. Mita’s husband  is much older than her and spoils her savings by drinking as Mita complains many a time .  We could know from Manju our made . I over hear these details when Manju use to narrate to my wife. Don’t think I like PNPC but if some words vibrates my ear drum with spicy news , how can I avoid it ? It is human tendency to listen . I cannot avoid it .

Mita said her  husband is an electrician with good experience in house wiring etc . She was talking to my wife when she came with Rinki the little lovely girl.

I was inside  my room  with my computer . My wife was in a conversation with Mita . She use to narrate how the girl always search her mother in and out .  I can not keep the ears plugged with cotton. I am writing  what comes to my ear.

My wife,  sometimes called Rinki and feed her rice ,dal , fish and veg soup  .  We feel that we have a granddaughter with us .

 I heard this morning Rinki was crying and sobbing for a long period . I was very much angry and sad ,  job is more important for the lady than the child !  But who am I to talk these things  ! It meant nothing for the couple .

Parents of  this generation are more ambitious . They spend their life for earning more than the  requirement . Rinki being deprived of affection of her mother at the time of need . She suffers from cough and cold ,do not take food. Needless to say she suffers from the disease, especially in the days of  fever, and running  nose.  The doctor listened to the  parents , prescribes a long  prescription with  the drugs that made the patient more prone to the disease as I feel. The medicines have got no sign of improvement rather deteriorated the normal health condition of the child . During winter  days , Rinki was  much  suffering . Mita gave her head bath which she should  not  have done . I tried to convey this but I was helpless so was my wife . Mita was not listening to our advice .  I can’t understand about such unusual  behavior of  Mita .

 All the time, Rinky  says that her mother  has said she  will come with the chocolate while returning from office . With the hope of  chocolate she is sitting  near the door and she use to crawl to the threshold just at the time of her mother’s return from office. It takes a big surprise to hear,  but it is !  When her mother returns from office , she gave less importance to Mita by ignoring her to take her on lap. She hold her mother’s sari firmly and say not to to go office any more leaving her alone . Poor girl's mother was at office and call over phone to Mita and get confirmed about her lunch at proper  time , whether slept for a while or not etc etc.

Looking for someone to blame it on the way to scrutinize because modern women become self-reliant ,they are educated, possess equal capability to work with men in main stream , they want to lead a decent life the result is the kid has to sacrifice her childhood without the company of her mother . She is forced to stay with a lady who renders her service for the sake of money without much attention to the child’s  need , losing her childhood.

Is this the modern era, the children suffering , piles money to the wallet  of their parents !  I do not understand what life they lead ! It's not clear to me. That is the reason , I feel the need of joint family . We were brought up in an environment where our mother, aunt, pisima(father’s sister) ,granny , grandpa use to stay in a joint family . The absence of mother could not be felt by a child as everybody was there to look after. The ease and delight in our age so we played in the sand dust. Today's children are concealed in a room . They had to grow in a polluted environment  , much prone to disease .

One day we hear that Rinki’s father is going to USA  from company . In a software   job one has to go USA or UK for promotion and higher prospects . I think , now Rinki will have the company of her grand pa and granny  as they must be coming to stay with their grandchild . She will go to the park and play there with her  granny . She will not feel alone and have  her  company .

"Arunava , Rinki’s  father came to me , the day before he went to America . A very decent  gentleman , tall and well built , calm and polite in his behavior . Nowadays you won’t  find a man like him .Took the dust of my feet  and said, "Uncle, I'll be for a long time to US on my project work , but I  think will complete before six months . Many do not understand the offer, my company is sending me with special target. My wife and daughter were in the custody of you, please see that they are safe . I think for Rinki as she suffers much . She is prone to cold allergy.

I said , do not worry about anything, I  am like your father. What do you say? . I heard your parent are coming to stay . Rinki will have her company and  you will see all disease will vanish and she will not cry for her mother .

Yes Uncle Sure! So I got to meet you. My parents are arriving  today.

 I hope so. Uncle see a bit more .My parents are new to this place . They may need your help.

Why do you think so ? It is my duty to help them .  Rinki is a promising chap . Don’t worry everything will be alright . We all are here . Be okay. You have to achieve your target and may God bless you to come out  successfully .

Return if the project is completed .Best of luck .

Thank  you uncle. Sure, it will take six to seven months. Let's see  what happens ! Arunava   took a  long breath .

I understand that he is sorry to leave Rinki . Not the way to go.

Arunava’s   parents came on evening flight. He went to Netaji International Airport , Dum Dum to bring his parents .  In one sense we are all  forgetting  the traditional family get together and hulla golla now a days . Life has become very much mechanical and monotonous in nucleus family life of our children.

The next day  Arunava  went  to America. Their home was full of fun with a joyful atmosphere . We all went to the airport for a send off  to Arunava  . Rinki didn’t understand what is going to happen as she was very much comfortable on her mother’s lap .As usual she thought her father is going to office but nothing to worry, as she has her mother  with her . That is enough for her.

I could feel Arunava although had a pale smile but much worried for his only child . Now skype  will be  the only media to see Rinki live through laptop  . Rinki’s granny and grand pa blessed their only son with sobbing voice “valo vabe thakis baba , thik vabe khaoa daoa koris , shorirer proty jotno nis”( Take care of your health )  

Rinki’s   grand mother  was much  happy. Rinki was much happy as she got the wormth of  love and passion from her granny .  She took  bath in a joy full mood , took her food , go to the park with the other boys and girls, played there different  sports for children. The park now has  many elder sister and elder brothers of Rinki . I have been to a lot of the animated look of Rinki. She use to say in a loud voice “Ke elo , meaning who has come?” It gave immense pleasure to me she is happy in absence of her mother and never cries now . But as usual she asks for the Cadbury when her mother  arrives at home from office .

I must say over phone to Arunava , “See how jolly she is ! Rinki loudly say the  Rhyme in her tender voice . When someone comes  at home she will  rush to the door, saying, Ke Elo  ?  Grand mother  taught Rinki ,Lal jhunty kakayua koreche je bayna .. chai tar lal fite chiruni aar ayna   

How helpless I felt myself when she was crying loudly and how happy I am when she is loughing and playing loudly ! The way, there was nothing to do, but now ! Now, I'm sure! Arunava when I explained everything to him and will say after his return from US , how much she needed  her granny  grandpa !