"Ram..Where is the old one" - I asked
It is the tenth time I am asking this to my son. He is around 7 years old. Last week I got him a new chappal, as he liked a new model. But I had insisted that he should wear only the old one, till the time it wears out. And now the old one could not be traced.
"No appa.. I did not see it.." - he said. "I am wearing old one only for most of the time"
"Then where did u leave it..?" - I asked. I was becoming angry. This little boy does not understand the hardwork behind the money that got him the chappal. I had a doubt that he threw it away simply, so that he could wear the new one.
"Ram, tell me the truth. Did u throw it out somewhere..?" - I asked angrily. I wanted to catch him and give him a sound slap on the back.
"No appa.. Definitely not.. I did not throw it away" - he said. "God promise, I did not throw it away".
Generally, he does not make false promises. He has a fear that "umachi" will fail him or cause troubles to him, if he makes false promise.
I was surprised. How come the chappal, that is just outside our door vanish..?
As I was thinking, my wife intervened.
"I did not see the chappal from morning itself." - she said. "Yeah. Now I remember.. This beggar boy had come in the morning, u remember, the boy who dresses himself as hanuman and begs".
I remembered. This boy is an usual visitor. He dresses up as Hanuman, roams around and begs. He had come in the morning. I used to give him some money.
Would he have stolen the chappal..?
Logically, there could be no other explanation for that disappearance, as nobody else comes into our house.
"This Hanuman is a thief, who steals the chappals of Ram" - I thought. "One day I will catch him and punish him."
**********
That day we were walking on mudichur road, Tambaram.
I had gone with my family to inspect some vacant site. These days, lands here also very costly. A Real Estate agent had called us over there to show us the site. I had taken my son and wife with me. They were walking fast, while I was trailing them behind.
As I was walking, I could see a set of tarpaulin huts on a piece of poromboke land. There were women, men around the huts and the kids were playing in front of them. In a corner, there was a stove and rice (I think so) was boiling.
As I glanced through, I could see that 'Hanuman' boy there. He also saw me. He came rushing towards me.
"Sir.. Sir.." - he said and smiled at me.
My blood boiled. This boy is a thief acting smart. I somehow wanted to ask him a question or two. If possible I was physically and mentally prepared to give him a slap or two.
"U stay here.."- I asked him.
"Yes sir.. we were originally from Andhra. My father committed suicide, leaving us orphans. Me along with my mother and relatives have come over here.." - he said.
"U go to school..?" - I asked
"No sir.. But my elder sister goes to school. She used to study well there. She used to get first rank. Here she has joined this corporation school. Whatever we earn, with that she goes to school" - he said.
That mellowed me a bit. Anyway, I thought there is no use in picking up a fight with this boy here. His family is around here. "Let me leave him for now" - I thought.
As I moved on, he came running behind.
"Sir.. Sir.." - he shouted
I turned around and looked with a question on my face.
"Sir.. my sister asked u to convey her thanks" - he said.
"thanks...?" - I asked.
"Sir.. she does not come outside except for going to school. As u know sir, she is affected by polio on both legs and can only crawl" - he said.
I did not understand a thing. "What for u are thanking me ?" - I asked.
"Because of the chappal u gave, she is able to walk with her hands to school on these roads" - he said.
"What.. when did I give a chappal" - I asked.
"Sir.. that day when I came to your house, u gave me money. I had come out, but was looking at the chappal. Your son was there and I told him about my sister. He said he will talk to u and went inside. After some time, he came out and told me that I can take it and u had given permission. Do u remember..?"- he said.
Slowly, what could have happened dawned on me.
The tarpaulin hut became the asoka tree. The little sister of the boy became "Sita", tortured by demons of poverty that surrounded her.
This boy is no fake Hanuman. He is the real Hanuman, begging the length and breadth of Lanka, to rescue Sita from those demons of poverty. And this Hanuman requires many many more Ram's to rescue his Sita.
-TBT
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