Friday, February 18, 2011

The Chocolate

Ashim ran over to bring in the cloths from the shop. As he was busy watching the kites fly and fight over the dominance in the sky, he just lost his track of time. Then suddenly it rained. He hated when it rained. Rain always brought him back from his high flying dreams to the reality of the earth.
He realized that he needed to bring his sahib's cloths which he had given to laundry. He didn't mind doing this but he was hugely attracted to the kites, the birds, the other kids playing football etc. So he ran and waited in the shop till the rain stopped.
His mother died while giving birth to him and his dad was in the joint for killing a shopkeeper over a fight. He didn’t bother much about it because he knew that he had a dream and no matter how hard his days were he always had the nights to his name where he was a high flyer in his dreams.
His sahb was a good man with bad manners. Sabh was some Government officer and he used to work in their home for five hundred rupees a month and two square meals. Sabhs son Mayak was ok. At least he would play with him, let him fly kites and ask him to do the balling. But this gratitude came at a cost. Ashim had to take the blame of all the mess that Mayank made. Often it has been that Ashim has been manhadled by Shab but he didn't mind that.
He knew he was giving a small price for the only fun he had in life.
As Ashim was stepping out of the house he was given twenty rupees by Mayank to buy him Chocolates. Ashim has been instructed that he should not tell shab about this and once he is back he must give the chocolate directly to Mayank.
Ashim knew that Shab hardly notices much and whenever he brings in the laundry ironed from the shop he was asked to put it in the table. Ashim came home to find the family waiting for him.
Instantly he knew that there has been problem and he was into trouble.
As soon as he entered he was bombarded with questions. He was searched for and then shab found the chocolates in his pockets. When asked from where he got the money Ashim didn't have any answer. He has been in this situation earlier and he knew that by keeping mum he will end up with few slaps and bruses from his sahib and at the end everything will be forgotten. But somehow deep in his heart a fear gripped him. He understood this time things weren’t simple. It was not about breaking a flower vase, or a window glass. Shab was constantly asking him from where he has got the money to buy the stuff. Then so it happened that few days later he was thrown out of the house to fend for himself and even that day it was raining.
Today as Ashim sat on his office watching the raindrops wondering why it does always comes back to him on a rainy day. In front of him was the vigilance report on the corruption cases and the prime accused on the same was Mayank Banerjee. As destiny had it the tables has tuned. Ashim was the General Manager of a ruputed Bank and Mayank was a branch manager. Mayank's father was suffering from terminal cancer. Mayank lost his wife 3 months from the date in a Car crash and was the sole bread earner for his two kids and his ailing father. The only thing that went in Ashim's mind was what to do. His rage for this family was too much and yet he found himself in a position that the only feeling that came to him was pity. Pity for the family.
Ashim knew what he had to do. He typed his resignation letter and stated that Mayank has been acting as per the directions of him and submitted that down the line Ashim has been the main actor in the corruption that has been taking place in Mayanks Branch.
He then wrote a letter to Mayank's dad......

Respected Shab
I don’t know if you remember me but I am the small 6 year old kid who used to work in your home. I was thrown away from your place by you because you were under an impression that I was stealing your money.
Now its been 38 years and somehow I found myself in a very complicated position. Your son, Mayank has been found as the responsible person for various fraud and corruption charges and I am the one who have to take the decision. I contemplated a lot and tried to comprehend what my act should be. One small itch of my pen and I knew that Mayank would be turned out of this office in the same manner you turned me out of your house. Sadly I had time to again regain myself. I had my whole life at that point of time. But I think Mayank doesn’t have the same opportunity like that of mine. So Shab at the end, the boy who used to do the chores of your household is doing what he has done best in his life i.e. take the blame for your son's act.
I don’t want to make any point here except for the fact that how wrong people can be while making a judgment and even while making a judgment they must at least think of giving a second chance. I am thankful that you didn’t give me a second chance else I would have been a household servant for the rest of my life but somehow I felt that I have to give Mayank another chance. Anyway its too late for him.
Warm Regards
Ashim

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