Short Story 'Rinki’s tears'
Tribhubanjeet Mukherjee / 28.03;2015 (Rama Navami)
/ Saturday / Night 9.40 P.M.
I
had let out the ground floor of my house to a newly married couple. They were
blessed with a little daughter 'Rinki . Rinki usually starts crying when her mother
left the home sharply at 9AM to office. She keeps on crying for a long time.
Her mother had employed 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 left the house at 7 pm.
She use to do all the house hold chores 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
drunkard and plays Teen Patty . Her
son, Rahul , is a driver and the
daughter-in-law 'Soma' a tender teen aged girl of 16 . Mita’s husband is much
elder to her and fritters her savings by drinking as Mita complained 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 was an electrician with good experience in house wiring etc. She
was told to my wife when she came with Rinki the little lovely girl.
I
was inside my room with my computer . My wife was busy in a conversation with
Mita . She use to narrate how the girl always searched her mother in and out .
My wife, sometimes
called Rinki and fed her rice ,dal , fish and veg soup. We always felt that we have a granddaughter
with us.
I heard this morning that Rinki was crying and
sobbing for a long time . 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 to the couple .
Parents of
present generation are more ambitious ! They spend their life for earning more
than the requirement . Rinki was being deprived of the company of her mother at
the time of her need . She suffers from cough and cold , was unable to take
food. Needless to say, she suffered, especially in cold with 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 I felt . The medicines gave
no sign of improvement , rather helped deteriorate the normal health condition
of the child . During winter days , Rinki suffered more . 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 did not listen to our advice . I could not understand such unusual behaviour of Mita .
All the time, Rinky kept saying that her mother
has told her that she will come with the
chocolate while returning from office . With the hope of chocolate she waited for her mother 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 got confirmed about her lunch at proper time , whether slept for a while or not etc
etc.
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 her needs .
What
is this the modern life ? The children
suffering , of what purpose is the fat
salary! I do not understand ! 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 her need . The materialist delight pleasure of our present
agewill end in the dust. Today's children are closeted in a room . They had to
grow up in a polluted environment, much prone to disease and grow up fast
losing their beautiful childhood !
One
day we hear that Rinki’s father has to go to USA at the behest of his company .
In a software job one has to go the USA or the 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 lonely 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 .
Touched my feet and said, "Uncle, I'll be away for a long
time to US on my project work , but I think
I will be back before six months . Many
do not understand the offer, my company is sending me with special target. My
wife and daughter will be in your custody . Please see that they are safe . I
am worried for Rinki as she often falls ill. She is prone to cold and 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 their company and you will see
every disease will vanish and she will not cry missing her mother !”
“Yes
Uncle Sure!” “So I got to meet you.” “My parents are arriving today.”
“
I hope so.” “Uncle a request 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 child . 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 successfull.
“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 was sorry to leave Rinki . Not the distance.
Arunava’s
parents
came on evening flight. He went to Netaji International Airport , Dum Dum to
bring his parents . In a 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 was going to
happen as she was very much comfortable on her mother’s lap .As usual , she
thought her father was going to office and nothing to worry, as she had her
mother with her . That was enough for
her.
I
could read Arunava’s pale smile. He was
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 very happy. Rinki was happy
as she got the warmth of love and
affection from her granny . She took bath
in a joyful mood , took her food , went to the park with the other boys and
girls, played there different sports
with other children. The park now has many elder sisters and elder brothers of
Rinki . I have been witnessed to the animated looks of Rinki. She use to say in
a loud voice “Ke elo , meaning who has come?” It gave immense pleasure
to me as she was happy even in the absence of her mother and never cried 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 would 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
kakatua koreche je bayna .. chai tar lal fite chiruni aar ayna”
How
helpless I felt when she was crying
loudly and how happy I am when she is loughing and playing loudly! Now, I'm
sure! Arunava would understand and admit
, how much Rinki needed her granny
grandpa after he returns from the US !!
2) MINI STORY
HAPPY NEW YEAR
Tribhubanjit
Mukherjee 2nd January 2015
Today is 1st of January
2015, THE NEW YEAR’S DAY. Everybody celebrates this day in his/her own style. I
wanted to bring flowers for my drawing room. Early in the morning , we wished
each other at home. It was drizzling rain throughout the day. I went to the
nearby florist’s of my apartment “Ma Tara Florist” to buy a bouquet of flowers
for my vase. I need to keep it as a
special day for me and my family. But I
was astonished to see the crowd at the florist shop. Everybody had a craze for
flower on special occasions in spite of the rain !
As I waited I had a glance on a little boy standing near
me with a coin in his hand . That boy
gently came to me and said, “Uncle would you please give this coin to the
florist and get a white rose for me ?”
I said, “Why not but?” But why do
you prefer white colour? Any special reason ?”
“No” he said. “But I want a white
flower, can you bring it for me?”
I nodded and asked for the coin
he was holding between two fingers.
He gave it to me when I proceeded
slowly pushing the crowd and got my flower bouquet, then I asked the florist to
remove one white flower from my bouquet. I thought I will return the coin to
the little boy and give one white rose from my bouquet.
The florist was reluctant and
asked why should he do that?
I said, pointing to the little
boy standing nearby , “That boy need a white rose and gave me a rupee coin for the purpose to
handover you.”
The florist said, “He will not
accept the flower without paying for it.” I know him. “Give me the coin. I am
giving a separate flower for him. Just pass on it to him.”
“OK” as I said and came out with
my bouquet and a white rose for that boy.
The boy was smiling looking at me
and asked me whether I got it or not.
I said, “yes” I got it for you, but
I want to accompany you to your home would you allow me!
He glanced at my face for a while
and said, follow me.
I followed him to his small house
nearby.
He said, “Uncle please come in”
and entered the door without awaiting me to enter. He went straight away to the
cot where somebody was sleeping with a quilt spread over. The boy offered the
white rose to his sister , I suppose as he said, “Happy New Year Didi” and
embraced her passionately.
I was dumb found and looking to
the girl who slowly got up and said the little boy “Happy New Year SANU” . I
could see both of the limbs of that girl is lanky and seriously affected by
polio . She did not have strength to stand.
I went near the girl, Sanu little boy introduced me to his sister,
as his uncle, and told that I helped him to bring the white rose as there was
much rush before the florist shop.
The girl wished me “Happy New
Year with” a pale smile.
I was shocked to notice such a
pathetic but touchy incident. I kept the flower bouquet which I purchased and
handed over the same to the girl saying, “Happy New Year” and came out from the
room quickly.
I was very much sorry for that
girl who was a serious polio patient. I was touched by the brother sister
affection and the warmth of their love which can only be appreciated by a sensible person . I returned home with a broken heart and there was no anxiety for the
decoration of the home front and keeping flowers in the flower vase.
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