A GOOD DEED
-Utkarsh Sharma
1. Departure (1/4)
‘Are you sure you packed everything?’
‘Yes, Baba.’
‘How will you live there all alone by yourself?’ asked
aai.
This is the biggest moment in his life. Don’t hold him
back emotionally.’ said baba.
‘I will be all right aai. I should leave now.’
Baba helped me with the luggage while I was taking blessings from aai
who was reluctant for me to leave.
“Have a safe journey, son. Take care of yourself and remember ‘a good
deed always comes around’.
‘A good deed always comes around.’ Aai has been saying
this since my childhood. The earliest memories of mine consists of aai
addressing this phrase to me and my other juvenile cousins. She never took a
break from preaching kindness and hospitality. She treats everyone with warmth
and with a ‘smile’. She also makes it sure that her teachings of goodwill and
generosity is implanted within me too. Nevertheless, her efforts didn’t go in
vain.
After an emotional farewell I left for the station to
head towards the city where dreams are accomplished, Mumbai. Growing up in a
humble poor family away from a city, people don’t have big dreams. A stable job
with an income that could unravel their parent’s poverty. A minimal income that
could satisfy their family’s needs. These are the things what a person with my
background thinks, or rather, dreams about. I was no exception. Since my
childhood I’ve seen my father buried with loan. My only reason for going to
Mumbai is to earn money so that I could help my parents with our financial
struggle. I have seen my parents suffer from financial crisis for the greater
part of my childhood and teenage life too. And therefore, I always dreamt of,
somehow, helping them with the financial crisis. Even during my boyhood I
indulged, voluntarily, into some odd and small jobs so that I could add into
the family income. This is the reason why when Uncle Ramjit called Baba for a
possibility of a job for me in Mumbai, I was more than ready to go.
(image: https://www.thebetterindia.com)
Uncle Ramjit is Baba’s cousin who ran away from his
home during his boyhood. He somehow managed to survive Mumbai ‘graciously ‘as
he remarks. He works in a factory in the suburbs of Mumbai. There might have
been a small job opening in his factory, the reason he asked Baba whether I’ll
be able to join him at work. Without any hesitation, I agreed.
A small tear drop fell from Aai’s glimmering eyes
which she rapidly cleansed away from her small handkerchief as my train started
to depart from the platform.
‘Don’t try to
hold him back in any way.’
‘Take care, son. Call us as soon as you reach there.
And keep this with you safely.’ Aai said while handling me a piece of paper.
‘Every good dead
comes around’
I tried to hold back my tears as I waved goodbye to
Aai and Baba. I was not sure when I will be able to see them again. I was not
sure whether leaving them alone at this stage of their respective life was a good decision. But it was for the goodwill of us all. I tried to swerve all the emotional surge and thought of the good days that lie ahead.
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