The Eid Fair(Episode #6) After toys, it is time for sweets. Somebody has taken rewris, others have taken gulaabjamun or sohan halwa.(All these are names of much loved Indian sweets) They are eating merrily. Haamid remains aloof from the community. The unfortunate one has only three paisa. Why doesn’t he take something and eat? He looks towards everybody with greedy eyes. Mohsin says— ‘Haamid take this rewri, see how good it smells!’ Haamid suspected it to be a cruel joke, Mohsin is not so generous; despite knowing this, he goes near him. Mohsin takes a rewri out of his bowl and advances his hand towards Haamid. Haamid spreads his palm. Mohsin puts the rewri in his mouth. Mahmud, Noore and Shammi laugh and clap merrily. Haamid pockets the insult. Mohsin— ‘This time I will certainly give, I swear on God, take it!’ Haamid— ‘Keep it! As if I do not have money!’ Shammi— ‘Only three paisa! What all would you buy with this sum?’ Mahmud— ‘Take gulaabjamun from me Haamid! Mohsin is very mischevious.’ Haamid— ‘Sweets are no good. Many of their bad effects are written in the books.’ Mohsin— ‘But in your heart you must have been wishing to eat it. Why don’t you take out your money?’ Mahmud— ‘I know his cunning. When all of our money is spent, then he will eat, while taunting us.’ After sweets are some shops of articles of iron, gilt metal and of false jewellery. There was no attraction for the boys here. All of them move ahead, Haamid stops on the shop selling articles of iron. Many pairs of tongs lay there. He remembered that grandma does not have a pair of tongs. Her fingers get burnt when she removes chapattis from the tava (a kind of griddle used in South Asia). If he takes a pair of tongs home and gives it to grandma, how pleased would she be! Her fingers will never get burnt then. An article of need will come into house. What is the use of a toy? It is a waste of money. The happiness is momentary. Then nobody looks at the toy. These will be broken beyond repair before these reach home. A pair of tongs is very useful. Remove chapattis from the tava, bake in the stove. If somebody comes asking for fire, just take it out of stove and give him. Amma does not have time to go to market and even if she has where the money shall come from? Daily she gets her fingers burnt. Haamid’s companions have moved ahead. They are drinking sherbet on that shop. Look how greedy are they! They bought so many sweets but nobody gave me even one piece. Then they say, play with me. Do this for me. Now if anybody comes to me for something, then I will ask him to remember this day. Let them eat sweets, obviously their teeth will decay, their bodies will have abscess, their tongue will be used to such delicacies and will ask for it. Then they will steal money from their homes and will get beaten. They have not written lies in the book. Why would my tongue ask for delicacies? Amma will run as soon as she sees it and take it from my hands and will say – My child has brought tongs for Amma! Such a nice boy! Who will bless them for their toys? Blessings of elders reach directly in front of God and are heard immediately. And why should I hear their taunts? Even if I am poor, I do not go to beg from anybody. After all, Abba will come back someday. Ammi will also come. Then I will ask them how many toys do you want? I will give each of them one basket full of toys and show them how to treat friends properly. It is not fair to buy rewris of one paisa and eat while taunting. Everybody will laugh that Haamid has bought a pair of tongs. Let the laugh! I do not care!
Posted on: Tue, 10 Sep 2013 10:45:39 +0000
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