With my Kettle

Cluttered in clads…. he walked down the pavement….with a small tea kettle in his hand and glass stuffed behind.. a strip of cheap chews on his left shoulder… pondering, peeping in the otherwise conversations/chats on the seaside…. gush of the humid wind came across the child…. with a steady pace.. the bare footed moved with a hope… “To sell”…

Marine Drive has witnessed and nurtured many childhoods… thereby it stood with a grave heart… seeing people  shattered and lost… happy and cheerful… and longing in the vast sea …. with sheer faith….someday we will leave and not breathe……

“Oi! Sunny Champion… ithe aa!!”

“Aaaya sirjee”

“Chai pila yaar… do pyaali…. O ji tussi bhi loge??”

“Haan pra ji … assi bhi lahanga.. “

“Teen karde yaar”

A steamy kettle poured the simmering brown drink to the disposable plastic…

“Sirjee… chips/popcorn/wafers/peanuts??? “

“Ek popcorn de de… bacha nu waaste”

“Kitna we gaya??”

“11 sirjee.. “

With the currency stuffed down his greased pocket … the boy moved on… with thousands of twinkling lights jewelled alongside the seaside… the pavement was the lifeline of numerous souls….

It was almost past 10 in nite when the boy finished with his daily business…he came to a nearby bench… pulled the cash out.. started on the count… ” ……………………  450….. 470… 480… 490….. 492…493. .. … ..506…507″

With a smile on his face… the kid moved happily to the nearby chai stop…”Chacha aaj 507 ka bik gaya…. ” Handing the cash over to a burly man with a moustache…the man spotted a wheatish complexion.. a weary look… brown kurta with black lowers… and hands busy on the stove.. ..

“Sab thande ka asar hai beta… “

“Chacha… aaj jaldi jaana hai…. maa ki tabiyat kharaab thi subah.. main chalu chacha..?? With a longevity in eyes one hand move towards the man…

Man put Rs 51 on his hand… ..

The boy counted … and left….

~ by clayovertan on January 1, 2009.