Destiny

Karim was on his way back to home. Fear of his father made his feet move reluctantly. He did not earn a single penny today. Karim knew he would not be forgiven for this. He did not want scolding and beating again, at least not today. Today was his birthday.

He remembered his 8th birthday, that he celebrated two years ago. His mother was alive then. They were not rich but they were a happy family then. His father used to work in a factory and mother stayed home taking care of him. His father had taken a half-day leave from work and took them to Chaupati on his bicycle. He had a lot of fun there. He got a balloon and ice cream too. From Chaupati they went to market and his father bought him a new dress and new shoes. He was so happy that day.

After two years, he was wearing the same dress and shoes but the smile of that day was lost somewhere. His mother met with an accident the next day he celebrated his birthday. She suffered severe head injuries and admitted in a hospital. She died three days later. That one accident changed his life forever. His father was no more the same person. He stopped talking to anyone; he was eating less and started drinking. All these had a direct impact on his work and after two months he lost his job. He never found a stable job because of his drinking habit, which was worsening day by day. He spent all his money that he saved over the last few years. When there was no money left, he forced Karim to work. With no choice Karim left his school just before he was to appear for grade 5th examination. Seeing his age no one gave him any work. So he started polishing shoes at local bus stop. His father took whatever little money he earned. Rarely did he manage to eat twice in a day. Most of the time sleeping empty stomach.

It was a bad day for him. He couldn’t find any customer the whole day. He was preparing himself for the scoldings he would get from his father. He was lost in his thought when he saw something between the two stones of the pavement. He stopped there and reached to find out a hundred rupees note rolled up and lying there. He picked up the note and watched around to find nobody there. He put the note in his pocket. He ran away from that place and stopped only after crossing two complete lanes.

He was breathing heavily. He took out the note in his hand. He looked at it like it was a world to him. He could save his life today if he would give that note to his father. Then he thought probably it would be even worse if he gave hundred rupees to him because father would expect the same amount daily. He was hungry since morning and a hundred rupees note in his hand increased the intensity of it. The famous big restaurant where he used to dream of having food was nearby. He decided to eat at that restaurant first and give his father whatever money would be left. A smile came on Karim’s face and he appreciated himself for this smart idea. He changed his route and headed towards the restaurant, which was just a mile away opposite to the direction of his home. He was dreaming of all the dishes he wanted to have in dinner. His taste buds, which were bored of having same Vada Paav, started tickling.

Half way thru he thought why not he buy a shirt for himself. The shirt he wearing was the only one he had and it had two big holes on the backside. He decided that he would eat Vada Paav and buy a shirt rather than having an expensive food in a restaurant. He would give the remaining money to his father. A bigger smile appeared on his lips and he patted himself twice for this better idea. Karim’s route changed again. He was now moving towards the market area to buy a shirt for himself.

After a while he was in the market. He was just a couple of steps away from the cloths shop when he saw a boy playing with a toy gun. That reminded him of the toy gun that he always dreamed of playing with. He saw the gun a couple of times before at a shop near bus stand where he worked. The gun played different types of sounds which always attracted him. It remained out of his reach because it was as costly as fifty rupees. Seeing that gun at a time when he had a hundred rupees note in hand changed his mind again. He thought “I still can manage with this shirt. I will buy the gun and eat Vada Paav. Remaining money I will give to father”. Karim was happy with his new idea and very much excited with the feeling of possessing the toy he always wanted to have. Now, he was finding a toyshop in the market.

After a while he found the shop. He was so delighted to see the gun hanging outside of the shop, just a few steps away from his reach. With a bigger smile on his face he moved towards the shop.

He was about to enter the toy shop when he saw an old man sitting at the neighboring closed shop. Karim stopped there. He saw that the old man was very lean and looking weak. He was sitting his legs crossed, which were not strong enough to carry his own weight. He had a wound on his right knee. It was bleeding and he was trying hard to keep flies off from it. Though Karim was just ten years old but seeing old man’s pale face it did not take him much time to know that the man had not eaten for a couple of days. He paused for a moment and then like all others he also moved forward.

Karim went inside the shop and bought the gun in fifty rupees. He was so pleased to have it in his hand. He came out of the shop, had another look at the old man and left for his home.

A little later a different thought came into his little mind. Old man’s pale face appeared in front of him. His mother had taught him to help others in whatever way one could. The very thought changed his mind again. He turned back, went straight to the toyshop and returned his toy. He came out of the shop. He went close to the old man.

Karim took old man’s shaking hand in his little hand and put the hundred rupees note on it. With tears in eyes the old man put his hand on Karim’s head. It made Karim delighted as he got some blessings on his birthday.

He was so happy while on his way back to home. He thought, “Had I bought the toy, it would have been broken in couple of days. I will not die if I stay hungry for one night. Tomorrow I will definitely find some customers and will get enough money to eat Vada Paav. I will buy the gun some other day.”

Karim was beaten up by thick wooden stick that night. He could not sleep the whole night because of pain in all parts of his body. But the pain did not bother him that night because deep inside in his heart he was still happy to make someone smile with his kind act.

The old man was too beaten up that night by his own son. He snatched the hundred rupees note from the old man. He hit him hard on his wounded knee, which started bleeding again. Then he kicked him in the stomach and said, “Tomorrow you will sit near City Vinayak Temple.”

The old man too could not sleep the whole night. Not because of the pain in the body but the pain he felt in his heart to remember the small boy’s innocent act who was happy to make him smile but could not change either’s destiny, not for even one day.

*********************************************************************************************