Seventy Rupees

Photo credit(Edited In Pixlr)

The morning rays managed to peep into his bamboo hut through one of its many holes and hit his eyes. Veera unable to bear the scorching heat of the summer of July, wake up from the mat and walked outside of his thatched door. He gave a glance at the sun and smiled wondering what kind of day it will be. He lifted a bucket of water which was dripping from its end and took his daily shower, a shower without any bar of soap. Dressed in his torn black shorts, he picked up the battered steel bowl from the floor and went out of the abandoned landfill site for his daily job: begging. Three days passed. He had managed to save a twenty rupees. He desperately needs to make it seventy, but where he would get it?

Meanwhile, he was hungry, Veera's belly had relied only on water for the last three consecutive days. He walked into the city and in scorching heat chose to sit near the gate of a cafe shop hoping to get fifty more. He watched people passed him, some with a fierce look, the few with pity with smiles checking their purses and many without care. But mostly unnoticed. He knew he was not an antique piece to gather their attention. In the life of passerby, he was just a filthy beggar of no value.

It was noon now, and the heat was growing intense. Someone tossed a five rupee coin into his bowl. He thanked and blessed the lady. In the meantime, as the heat was intolerable, he stretched his arm to hide his face onto his knees. Hearing the vibrating footsteps of people crossing by, after a couple of minutes, he went into a deep sleep.

Suddenly, children of his age surrounded him. He saw the room filled with balloons, colourful ribbons hanging from the blades of the ceiling fan. Two-tier cake placed in front of him on which the name "Veera" piped on the icing. He took a knife and cut the cake, while someone from the crowd started singing, " Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to dear Veera, Happy Birthday to you." His father hugged him.

"Aye boy! It's dark, go home!"

A rough voice broke his beautiful dream. He observed the policeman for a moment trying to connect between reality and his dream. He drove his eyes to the bowl and saw a thirty rupees - two five rupee coin, and the rest mixed with one-two rupee coins.

"Hello, kid! Are you listening?" The policeman said again.

Veer picked up the bowl with a sad face and stood up to leave the place.

"Wait, boy!"

The policeman checked his wallet and took out a fifty rupee note from it. He then smilingly, handed him the crisp note into his bowl. Veera gave him a big bright smile and touched his feet. The policeman patted his back and asked, " Where do you live?"

He replied firmly without blinking his eyes, " Sir, near the railway station."

"And your parents?" He inquired further.

He took his eyes off the policeman, thought for a few seconds and replied, " My father died in a bus accident and I don't know where my mother is. I live alone".

The policeman caressed his forehead and gave a sympathetic look.

Veera spoke again,
"Sir, If I ask you for a favour, will you do it?"

"Surely, yes if it is in my range".

"Today is my Birthday, Can you wish me?"

The policeman smiled and got down to his knees, hugged him tightly, like a precious trophy and wished him. "Happy birthday kid!" Veera then thanked him in return.

He then lifted ten years old Veera on to his arm and walked to the nearby sweet store. He asked him to choose the sweets which he liked. Veera glanced at the sweets through the glass bar and kept staring on them.

"What's the matter, kid! Choose whatever you like?" The policeman sipping a coffee asked again.

"Sir, I haven't tasted these costly sweets. I'm sure each one here is good."

The policeman asked the shopkeeper to pack five types of different sweets.

Veera looked at those people who were staring at him and after a moment of pause, replied, " Sir, I need to go. Raghu must be waiting, I have promised him that I will buy his shirt for seventy rupees. I have the money, I should not delay more."

Saying this, he started walking, when the policeman interrupted him and handed the sweets.

He took the sweets and walked a few steps. After reaching the gate of the store, he turned back and in a loud voice said, " Thank you, Sir, you are a good person."

With these words, he walked out of the store and disappeared in the crowd.

The End.

I am razeiv,
short stories writer, and a nature enthusiast
from NorthEast, India.