Black Lotus
Shiuli stays exactly opposite her
room. She is sitting outside her room on a concrete slab. She is swinging her
legs and looking at the corner of the road. Probably she is younger than Anny.
She suddenly called her name,
“Anny Didi, when will you teach
me English again?”
Anny raises her left eyebrow and
says,
“What happened, Shiuli? You are
showing so interest in learning English.”
Shiuli blushed with a shy smile,
then says,
“Didi, Namita told me I can earn
up to five hundred bucks’ tips by saying some English word during the job. It
will impress customers.”
Anny loughs loudly.
Civilization has a very unusual
nature; it creates lots of big and beautiful cities. Such a shine, so many
colours but same time creates a dark trivial hidden world inside of each city.
Anny and all these girls belong to that world only. There are so many names
& faces but to our society they have only one unified identity. They all are
prostitutes. The oldest profession of human civilisation.
Anny when first came here she was
barely sixteen years old. She was barely ready for this daily suffering. She
had been sold by her mother itself. Her life was not supposed to be like that.
They had a small but happy family. She still recollects it like it was someone
else’s memory. Those green fields, in faraway those smoke coloured hills, a
small house & the smell of new raw rice boiling in the kitchen. A faint
sound still roves in her head during the sleep. Someone is calling her from a
very long distance, but she could not understand what he was saying to
her.
Anny gets up from the chair and
moves to the opposite side of the window. A low bed lying over there. Two
pillows, cottons of those pillows are already cramped and hard. At least these
are not a comfortable one for sure. One bed sheet tries its best to cover the
shame of teared mattress beneath it. The wall of the room is not finished well.
The chunks of cements are hanging discretely from there. Proper time and care
were not given to it, it’s visible. A rough feeling is always presence on the
surface of the wall. It’s simply signifying the life of Anny too.
There is very less furniture in
this room. After giving commission to the agent, police and local political
party, nothing much left in hand. Somehow, she just stays alive. Anny gets down
below the bed & bring a black old iron box. The little world of her. She
brings out a compact wallet and recounts some money again & again. Three
thousand seven hundred & fifty, repeated counting does not change the
figure. This is the balance amount left for Anny to live.
This worldwide pandemic and
nationwide lockdown put her in such a situation, she does not know how long she
in fact they can arrange food for themselves. There was no customer at all from
the last couple of months. So many people are doing charity for migrant labour
or homeless people but nothing for them. Because they are such a dirt. They are
utterly untouchable, unspeakable. They simply don’t exist.
Anny tries to stand up but her
head spins quick. She somehow hardly holds the corner of bed and able to avoid
the fall. Anny thinks in her mind, this is second time it is happening to her
today. She is not sure, but one doubt is floating in her mind. She sits on the
bed a little longer, putting her hand in back. She looks at the shade of
asbestos above her head. Then finally she makes her mind.
She opens the door and looks for
Bitto, the teenager boy roam around this area. He is the one person who brings
all the required items to them, obviously with the exchange of money. But each
girl loves him like their little lost brother. Bitto sits near the stationery
shop and watches the TV with full concentration. Anny shouts his name to grab
his attention.
It’s almost faded dark. Before
the first sun ray touches the thirsty earth, air brings the message. Dawn is
near. A faded, distorted square shape light of street halogen falls at the
floor through the window. A seepier tone monochrome effect across the room.
Anny is sitting folded leg above the bed. She is holding a brown envelope
tightly in her hand. The packet which was delivered by Bitto in evening. There
are many things to think about, but Anny is thinking about the light on the
floor. It is so strange, how a same source of light projects a different
texture of light in various times. The same yellow light of the halogen bulb in
the evening so energetic, so lively. As those lights are radiating life
particles, its wet, glossy & shining. Same light at dawn looks like a
thousand-year-old dust, tired & crumped. Is light really changes or we only
see what we wish to visualise from the inside? Surroundings are only our own
deeper reflection. Very far away, a wall clock proudly declares that it’s
already four o’clock of the morning. Anny puts her chin softly on her knee. She
knows this is the time to take the steps. She creeps to the tiny washroom and
closed the door.
The light of washroom is good
enough to see those two thin red lines inside that compact rectangular frame.
Yes, now almost it is confirmed that Anny is pregnant.
Her eyes are suddenly filled with
water. Life is so shady; it is almost impossible to distinguish that those
water droplets are originated from happiness or a pure grief. How many emotions
every day betrays us in such a way. Isn’t this the funny part of life?
Anny wipes the tears by the back
of her palm and comes out from that tiny suffocative room. She asks her mind
why a tint of sadness every time embraces her in all happy moments. A drop of
blue why always spill over on the full bag of yellow. Why can’t we have plain
pure happiness? Unrippled.
She is not thinking about what
people will say. She gave that thought up when her mother sold her only for few
pennies. Her mother wants to live a baggage free life with her new partner.
From that day she knew very well to survive in this vicious world she needs to
be on her own. This is not so rare in their trade that you conceive and be a
mother. This is only a financial loss, or rather we can say it for some, it is
a long-term investment or a retiral benefit. But for Anny it is different. She
did it intentionally; she wants to be part of his lineage; she desperately
wants to carry his bloodline. All started a year before.
That day was as usual, as the
other day happened in this filthy street. Lusty eyes were checking options and
other end were looking for the hope to live another day on this earth. Stink of
country liquor was mixed with high-pitched perfume made the air intoxicated, as
it did every evening. Anny dressed herself little differently that day. No loud
colour or makeup. Barely a touch of lipstick along with a peach colour sari
with a deep maroon blouse, a light touch of eyeliner as dark as night. Honestly
Anny that day didn’t expect any customer even. She knew this is not the
appearance of her customers were looking for. She was not in a mood to
entertain anybody that day. She was standing at the doorway of her room.
Suddenly her eyes collide with a pair of unknown eyes on the road. A man, about
his late thirties. Mixed of grey and black hair. At least three days, he had
not saved. A blue jeans and black shirt tried to give a distinct appearance on
his darkish brown skin. But what grabbed her attention was his eyes. They were
not filled with desire; in contradictory, those were full of static vigour.
This was rare, at least here.
She downed her eyes but looked at
him secretly. He was checking something on his phone then lift his face and
started looking around abruptly. Putting his two hand in the jean’s pocket, he
was gently moving forward.
With her full surprise, he
stopped in front of her only, and requested to come in. Though she was not in
the mood she allowed him to enter.
After closing the door, she scrutinised
him properly from top to bottom.
“How would you like to pay?
Hourly or for the night? One thing more, there is no negotiation afterwards.
You need to make full payment in advance only.”
He looked a little surprised
initially and then smiled.
“Okay, that’s not an issue. So
how much I need to pay for a night?”
“Two thousand only.” She was sure
that he would bargain on price definitely, everybody did.
He was by then observing the
entire room, bed, even the toilet. It was like he came here for room rent.
He took away his wallet and
handed over a bundle of two thousand rupees’ notes. Then said,
“This is thirty thousand rupees;
I want to stay for coming seven days here. So, I am paying you for day &
night both.”
Anny thought it was a joke in the
beginning but after looking at his eyes, she understood that it was
not. Her eyes were becoming big and breathing faster. She held her
fist tight.
“Hey, listen, this is not a hotel
that you will stay here, and I don’t do my job twenty-four hours. So now get lost
from here.”
He had some confused expression
on his face mixed with a little sadness. He scratched her head, then cleared
throat by force. His eyes were agile.
“well, I understand that
totally.”
He then took back the pack of
notes and offered her one, two thousand rupees note.
“One night. Hope now that’s
appropriate to you.”
Anny said nothing but took the
money and like a ritual unhooks her blouse. In the beginning, he didn’t notice
that. He was startled by observing her actions.
“Hey. Hold on, need not do that.”
Now it was Anny’s turn to get
surprised. Was he belonging to those few people who want to do the undressing
by their own hand, fulfilling their fantasised desire? They were the most
damaging customer in all aspects.
She yelled,
“Look, no fantasy business here.
No tearing clothes or different styles. I don’t do all those. Either you have a
traditional way of sex or you can leave by taking your money back.”
He shrugged his shoulder and then
replied,
“Oh, God. Why you are so
apprehensive in each word I said. I didn’t mean that. I am only saying that
there is no need to undress yourself. I am not here for having sex with you.”
“Then why are you here for?”
“I am really wanting to stay
tonight here only.”
“Hey, you, now listen carefully.
Number one, it’s not a guesthouse. Number two, if you don’t like to have sex
with me then please leave with your money. I might be a filthy prostitute but
not a beggar.”
She continued,
“So please, take your money and
move yourself. I want no more problem here.”
She showed him the door. He did
not move at all. He looked at her with deep penetrating eyes, this time some
witty sparkles were there. He smiled and said,
“Well, the same I want too. No
more problem for tonight. I think I have the exact solution. Just listen one
time if you don’t like my proposal. I will go. I promise.”
Anny looked at him inquisitively,
He continued,
“See, I need to stay here tonight.
I really need that. I understand your problem too. But you know, we can talk
for the rest of the night instead of having sex. So basically, I am paying you
to listen to my rubbish thoughts as people do with their therapist. You
know.”
He shrugged his broad shoulder
for another time.
Anny giggled and said,
“So, you will pay me to be a listener
of yours.”
“Yes, you seem to be correct.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes. Undeniably.”
Anny felt that he was saying
truth. His eyes were fixed on her and there was no fickle. She never came
across such a customer since she is in this trade. It was quite unnatural,
unreal.
She said,
“So apparently what we are going
to talk about?
“Well, why not we start with your
name?”
It was a bit tricky for her. She
every time said the name to her customers what they wanted to hear, based on
their faith. It appeared like people could be unfaithful to their close one
even themselves; but in faith or religion, they always seem to be
uncomfortable. Anny each time guessed her customer’s religion, based on their
dress, pendants or any other ornaments and choose the name which made her
customer comfortable. Sometimes she is Ayesha, sometimes Amrita or simply Anny.
She could not remember anymore what her actual name was.
In latter part, of course few
regular customers enquired about that she was known as an Anny then why she
said that. She answered also quickly that Anny was her made-up name actual name
was what she had told him.
Lot of times she gets amazed that
what are these customers who want the pleasure like a trained professional but
protecting their purity of faith. So, she presents as they want it to be. But
there she was little confused; she was not sure what religion this strange man
belongs to. Her maximum vote was to Amrita only, and she was about to say that,
but he unexpectedly spoke out,
“Leave it, no need to say. Some
wise man once said once, ‘What’s in a name?’”
That one sentence suddenly
changed the entire backdrop in front of her. This unfinished wall, that dirty
bed, the pale-yellow lights, all evaporated like dust particles. Now there was
a white wall and a green board. Classroom of standard ten in the missionary
school. In a white chalk, one line written there,
‘What’s in a name?’- Romeo
Juliet–CA 1600.
Like an enchanted one, she forgot
where she was & started reciting, ‘that which we call a rose by any other
name would smell as sweet.’
That man strangely looked at her
and then moved forward few steps and then asked looking at her eyes,
“Who are you?”
She answered quietly,
“I am Anny, who’s blood &
flesh you just now bought, for entire night.”
At the top of the self there is a
minuscule rectangular opening, covered by a cement grill. Basically, that is
for air ventilation. A lizard is hanging there for long. It is laying as a
dead, not a single movement there. Anny is resting over her bed. Since she got
the kit test report she kept on thinking. She looks up blankly till the time
this tiny filthy lizard grabs her attention. She follows the eyes of it and
able to notice a grasshopper over the edge of photo frame.
Anny tries to understand why this
lizard waiting for so long. Eventually she realises that if it needs to catch
that grasshopper for lunch, it’s really tough. First, it is quite a long
distance for that poor creature. It needs to jump enormously to make that
happen. Second, a running ceiling fan in between is increasing the risk
manifolds. If it could not make the jump that long then it will be totally
sliced by the blades of high-speed fan. It’s like for food you may lose your
own life. After assessing the surroundings, Anny becomes more curious about
that lizard. What it will do, leave the food and turn back from that danger and
eventually die in starvation or it will do something different, something
radical.
That lizard is waiting patiently.
God knows what is going on inside its tiny head. It does an unexpected move for
survival. It jumps straight to the hanging rod of a rotating ceiling fan. Then
changed its angel and with one smooth and swift leap, it catches the
grasshopper.
Anny is astonished how a such
filthy lizard turns its greatest obstacle into an advantage. Quite impressive
of such level of animals. Hunger for survival is such a hard driver that it
sometimes got crazy. Like her mother, she just ate the flesh of her own
daughter implacably for her self-existence. Is self-love being the only thing
that all species priorities or only we.
Anny puts her two hands back of
her head and looks up to the ceiling. There is a storm of thoughts flowing
through rapidly within her mind. The shadow of each thought is reflecting in
her blink free open eyes. Suddenly she gets up from the bed. She needs to find
a way for her survival & her upcoming child and the rest of girls. She
must.
“Purpose, Anny, Purpose. Why we
are here. The biggest question is that.” Indrajit said those words
compassionately. Anny put her head casually on his broad shoulder. It was
almost six months then they first met. He now came regularly here and stays for
three to four days at a stretch. Indrajit continued,
“We all are here for a purpose.
Anny, our paths do not cross each other’s with no purpose. But how would we
know what is the purpose? That’s the biggest question of our life. It chases us
all the time. We really kind of ignorant to that call. But the truth is that we
must answer that call one day, it is inevitable.”
“I don’t understand all those
such big words or greater philosophy of life. For me, it’s an endless fight to
survival. You don’t have to do that by design so hence have luxury to think
about it.” Anny replies calmly.
Indrajit turned his head towards
her gradually and then smiled. Somewhere Anny read that, smile of a person
represented his or her soul. It simply reflected the trueness of that person’s
heart. Indrajit’s smile was a perfect harmony with his spirit. He smiled from inside.
That comforted her, she forgot all other things in the world looking at it. He
said,
“I understand from where you are
coming.”
“No, you don’t. You are the
prince of silver city. Living in hell is not the thing of yours.” Anny said
with little agitation in her voice.
Indrajit continued,
“Hey, that’s not a fair
statement. We all have our own hell inside. Difference is only this, that they
don’t look alike. We all are prisoner of our own, even freedom is just a state
of mind.”
Anny this time chuckled and said,
“I know I can’t win over you in a
word game. I don’t know why I still start this again & again.”
Indrajit pulled her near him and
said,
“Remember one thing Anny, when
you can’t get out of your hell, then get the sharpest version of yours out of
it.”
Anny leisurely closed her eyes.
The beating sound of his heart the only sound around her. Each beat was
creating a ripple in the universe. She was feeling each vibration in her skin,
in her consciousness. A unique fragrance was coming from him. In one word it
was difficult to express that feelings. It was sweet and strong, but the most
striking was the purity of that fragrance. She never got that in her lifetime.
That Aroma had a paralysing effect on her. It engrossed her in a cold &
soothing peace.
It is a late afternoon. Anny
right now finished her lunch. She spreads her open hair over her back to let it
dry properly. A prickly silence is all over. A crow is sitting on the edge of
her window. It is looking at her distinctively. Anny tries to understand
what that looks want to express. What is in it? A blunt meaningless view of low
intelligent creature? No, it’s not. Entire dark eyes are full of one thing,
Anny knows that thing very well. She understands the meaning of that vision.
It’s hunger, the never-ending black hole. Anny brings some left-over food and
gives to it.
In the same moment, Shiuli runs
into her room like a storm. She is out of breath because of exhaustion; tears
are flowing nonstop from her eyes. Somehow, she catches her breath and says,
“Anny Didi, Namita!” She breaks
in to a loud blub before she says something more.
Namita is one of the few of the oldest
residences of this colony. She is now almost in her mid-forties. She has two
teenage kids. As she is over her youth already so earning in not so great
nowadays. Because of some old customers, she is still managing her survival
here.
Anny jumps on her feet and says,
“What happen to Namita? Tell me,
Shiuli, what happen?”
“I can’t, please come with me
now.” Shiuli by some means says these words mixing with her sobbing
sound.
They both run to Namita’s room
without a second thought.
Indrajit was lying on the floor.
Anny was in half sleep near him in crouching posture. Entire area was black
that day because of power line fault. Over the window a starry night. Indrajit
was staring towards that without a single blink. Anny did not understand this
man yet completely. He never opened himself up. She knew the name he told
that’s also not real. Still, they didn’t have any physical intimacy but repeatedly
he comes back here. Why? Anny opened her eyes and asked,
“Will you answer me a single
question, why are you here?”
Indrajit didn’t move or blink. He
kept on staring at that dark sky, filled with shiny stars. He said in a very
low voice,
“Do you know why you are here?”
“Yes, I know, because my mother
sold me, so that, she can buy some happiness of her.”
Indrajit turned this time to her
and smiled,
“That you believe. Belief of
yours are not necessarily the truth.”
“What do you want to mean? Why you
always create a diversion of incomprehensible statements. Why you eternally
running away from yourself?”
Indrajit took a long pause. Then
said calmly,
“Anny, I have everything in my
life. Money, fame, reputation, success anything you name, I have it. Few months
back my car escaped a very fatal accident narrowly. That single moment changes
everything in my life. That split of seconds was like infinity to me. Only one
thought was at then in my mind. If I die right here what it will leave me
behind. Nothing much except a bunch of decorated, dry consolation message on my
desk. Believe me, at that moment I feel my entire life was nothing but a large
void, totally meaningless.”
Anny was listening to him with
her eyes wide open. Her eyes were shining in starlight like another couple of
stars. He continued,
“Yes, you are correct I am
running away but not from myself from that identity. Anny, I never want to
become all this. I always dreamed about being a writer; I want to pour my heart
in the ocean of black & white. I was lost, I didn’t know the reason of my
presence, my purpose. And then that day I came into this lane by mistake. I
really wanted to be alone. Tried to live with no trace of my that identity. And
then I saw you. A white lotus in the iniquitous garden of Eden. I don’t know
what happened to me, I suddenly felt a relief, a touch of peace, a comfort of
being home. As a sailor feels when he is lost and suddenly finds a light house
form far.”
Anny came over Indrajit’s chest
and lowered her face near his lips. Then said,
“Do you get your home now?”
Indrajit looked at her intensely
and then said,
“Yes Anny, I am home. I
understand my purpose. I will enlighten people by my writings. I will show them
path, relieved them from their misery. I don’t know I will succeed or not, but
my efforts will be genuine.”
Anny asked in a dense voice,
“And what about me?”
“Anny, though, you don’t know who
you are, but I know. You are the part of a great power. You are a warrior. You
can win any opposition; nothing can stop you. People will constantly look up to
you for solution. You are a born leader, a saviour.”
“I think, you have lost your
mind. That’s why you are saying all these.”
“Look at my eyes Anny, do they
say the same?”
“You know my entire life story,
from where you derive this I don’t know.”
“Anny, I am not saying what you
were, I am telling you what you can become. Simply listen to your heart and let
go of your past.”
Anny said nothing. She was
looking at Indrajit’s eyes, even in dark those were filled with thunders. He
continued,
“Anny, listen to your heart and
response to that call. You will see your life will be touched by light.”
Anny suddenly smiled
mischievously and then said in an innocent tone,
“Do you know what my heart is
telling me, should I response to that now?”
Indrajit understood what she
meant. He took a pause and then did something which never thought of
doing.
He pulled down Anny’s face down
by force and placed his lips tightly on her.
Anny was shivering, like the way
a butterfly flaps her wings when she finds nectar or a petal tremble with a
touch of moist cool air of spring.
Fire touched them; lights were
not far anymore.
“This is totally insane. How she
did it, I still can’t make that out.” Rosy murmurs to herself. Entire colony is
now waiting outside the hospital anxiously. Namita attempted a suicide by
cutting her hand. It was most fortunate that her daughter noticed that
accidentally and inform others. Entire colony is in shock. Actually, it was not
shock. This entire incident tapped the most fearsome point of each one. Deep
down, this is the biggest question to everyone. Is this the ultimate end they
must face?
Doctor comes out from the
operation theatre and says,
“She is fine now. You can see her
after some time. But only one member at a time, please.”
Everyone pushes Anny to meet her
first. They know no one can comfort a disturbed mind by her talk, as Anny
can.
Anny slowly pushes the door of
hospital cabin. Namita is laying on the bed. A pouch of blood hanging beside.
Drop by drop red blood reaching to her with a massage that you are alive. Her
eyes are closed, and she placed her one hand on her forehead. Anny silently
sits near her. When Anny enters the room, she received the odour of medicated
disinfection’s agent. But now there is no such odour, now entire air filled
with a smell of wetland where colourless & dead old leaves are piling for
ages. They decompose in water and create an odour which is very raw and broken
in nature. Anny knows from where this is coming. She takes a longer than normal
breath and then puts her hand over Namita’s hand.
Namita opens her eyes with lots
of pain and then removes her hand forcefully, then retorts,
“Why do you bring me here. Who
has given you such audacity that you can take a decision like this about my own
life?”
Anny does not reply. She remains
calm.
She continues,
“Why do you save my life? I don’t
want to live anymore.” She screams.
Anny puts her hand on Namita’s
hand and hold it softly. Namita could not control herself anymore. She breaks
into tears.
Anny still not says a single
word. She now places her hand over her head. Tears are rolling over her cheeks
too now.
Without asking a single question,
Anny understands why Namita did this. A mother can tolerate infinite pain to
herself but watching the hungry face of her own children helplessly, days after
days, that is something beyond control for any mother. Anny knows that.
Two days already passed, Namita
recovered physical damage but mental trauma is still there. Today, in this lazy
afternoon, all girls are united in Anny’s room. They are sitting in a scatted
manner, inside room and some are outside.
It has shaken them all till their
core. Namita is only the beginning. If there is no income then one by one, they
all will end there, sooner or later. They don’t know what the way is
out of this. But survival is the only one instinct which pushes us to cross our
limits beyond our imagination.
Saleha is a mother of a three
years old daughter. She suddenly cries loudly by gripping her daughter.
Anny startles and moves to her
and asks,
“What Happen Saleha?”
Saleha says loudly,
“I want to live Anny. I want to
live.”
Those lines are simply echoed in
this entire room, which is filled with so many hollow hearts.
“Anny don’t let us die. Please.” Saleha says this with a dense ardour by holding her hand.
Anny slowly flops beside Saleha.
Her eyes are blank. She does not notice so many painful individuals look up to
her with a hope. The thoughts are running in her mind like a sandstorm. Why
her? Why everyone looks up to her for this. She is not a leader. She is also
one of them only. Then why each one expects that she will get the solution of
it. She even doesn’t know what she will do with herself and her unborn child.
Why that old hunger each time come in front of her? So many empty stomachs are
quietly crawling towards her. She closes her eyes. A fetid odour of burning
human hair embracing her from the back and edging forward.
A loud music of mobile tone
breaks the silence of room. All turns towards the source. It is Shiuli. She
hanged the call and smiles uneasily. Rosy puts her hand over Anny’s shoulder
and says,
“Anny, what we will do now?”
“I don’t know. Nothing comes to
my mind.” Anny says in a slightly rough tone. The frustration is no more hidden
in her voice. Frustration is very infectious. The entire clan of this colony
understands that their last hope is fading out. Even they understand that they
may expect an impossible from Anny. Still looking at her for a miracle. Again,
mobile rings loudly. Yes, it is Shiuli again. Anny yells this time,
“What is this, Shiuli? If this is
so important than go out of the room and talk or else shut this up.”
Shiuli nervously smiles and puts
the phone in silent mode swiftly.
Saleha murmurs in a low tone,
“Then there is no more hope for
us this time.”
Death does not make our life so
miserable that a loss of hope does. Anny scans all the surrounding faces. Dry,
skinny & vulnerable faces are floating somehow, hope is not ready to die
yet.
Emptiness also has its own style
of presence. Nothing is truly empty. Anny is lying over on her belly. Meeting
is over a few hours back. Anny is alone in her room. Summer is not showing any
sign of giving up. Entire room of her is frowsty. She forcefully drives her
mind out from current problem. Keep on thinking on that same issue does not
help her, anyway. She is missing Indrajit badly. He never gave her any
solution, but constantly illuminated her mind in such a way that she found the
solution by her own. She exhales a long breath; she does not know when again
she will meet him.
Her chain of thoughts suddenly
breaks by a light touch on her back. She swiftly turns, it is Shiuli. She is
standing near the bed with a poignant face. Anny asks in a bitter voice,
“What happen Shiuli?”
Shuli tries to say something, but
it’s like someone holds her back. She bites her lips harder. Anny again says
calmly,
“Tell me, Shiuli, why you are
here now?”
Shiuli says with a hesitation,
“Didi, I did not want to disturb
at then, that Raju was the culprit. He was calling me madly continuously.”
Anny smiles faintly. She thinks
this girl remains child inside her grown-up body, still. For such a minor
issue, she should not have felt guilty. She says,
“It’s okay, Shiuli. I didn’t
mind. I am sorry too for shouting at you. I lost my temper momentarily, dear.”
Shuli says nothing, but a broad
smile spread over her face.
Anny wants to ease her so asks
casually,
“Who is this Raju guy and why he
was calling madly?”
Shiuli chuckles and says,
“Don’t ask me Didi, he is a crazy
person altogether.”
“Well, then why you are blushing
so much when talking about that crazy person. So, tell me more. I insist.”
“He is the supervisor of the
nearest construction site. Probably he is from Bihar and have wife and two kids
there. You know Didi, the funniest thing about him is that he thinks he loves
me. He all the time saying the same.” Shiuli loughs loudly.
Anny observes her quietly.
Suddenly Shiuli says,
“Tell me, Didi, isn’t he a crazy
person? We can be a pleasure for men but can’t be a love. We are the
untouchable, murkiest soul in the world. Thinking about being someone’s love,
wife & family of our own is a sin for us. That idiot does not understand
that.”
During the conversion, Shiuli
wipes her corner of eyes for upcoming tears drop. Even she does it swiftly and
secretly, but it does not go without notice of Anny. Anny understands that
feelings. We humans are strange creature. We put everything on bet to get
someone’s love and attention. Anny asks politely,
“So, he was calling you
repeatedly to tell that only.”
“No, he is now at his native town
with her family, still nagging like a child to have a talk with me over the
phone. Even he said he is ready to pay me online my rate too for that.”
She smiles shyly and then
continues,
“And you know Didi, he is not the
only one. Almost my all regular customer has a same kind of request. You know
what they want to talk about. They are desperate to do that.”
Anny’s eyes are suddenly
sparkling like thunder. She tells Shiuli,
“Shiuli, please asks everyone to
assemble at my place in half an hour.”
Storm is over now. The monotonous
noise of rains is also fading out now. Rain has its own whiff, very light but
very distinct. It has a mixed aroma of green grass with morning dew. It has the
essence of hope. Anny is sitting near her single window. Because of the storm,
there is no electricity. A candle is burning himself in the corner of room. The
flame of the candle is dancing with the wild wind. That creates a collage of
unfamiliar shadows on the wall. Anny is thinking how interesting it is. Shadow
and light are playing with each other so proficiently, coexisting
beautifully.
It really amazes her why they are
at their best when they are together. Dark is inevitable to give purpose of
light. Without a calming dark night is a bright day is meaningless. So, when
they hold each other’s hand, the magnificent time of day arrives, mesmerizing
evening.
The Air becomes heavy post rain;
it streams like a pregnant cat. Anny feels the difference in the smell of air. It’s
almost three months since that evening meeting. Anny called all the girls that
day and explain the survival plan. She said that day clearly,
“Sisters, this is our survival
fight. We simply can’t give up. Before I share my plan, tell me one thing
honestly.”
Everyone looked at Anny’s face
with interest. Anny continued,
“How many of you have fixed
customers and how many of them are in touch with you till now?”
A humming noise spread over the
group. They found it each one had an ample number of loyal customers of her and
most them are in touch with them.
“Well, then reach out to them and
convey the message, you are ready to take care of them over phone call or video
call over a charge.”
Entire group was siting like a
statue, they looked dull. Anny swiped her eyes all over them and then said,
“I know it’s not enough. Even
don’t know how much it will help all of us, but trust me, we have to try. This
is our one way to survive. It will not be easy, but maybe it will help us to
provide food to our children.”
They started discussing the same
amongst them. Suddenly Saleha Said,
“I am ready to take a chance.”
“Me too.” It was Rosy. One by one
they all agreed to try this way of earning money.
Shiuli then said,
“Then let’s decide the rates
together.”
Anny said,
“My suggestion five hundred for
phone and thousand for a video call for an hour. What you say?”
“Rate is okay compared to labour
involved but one hour, I don’t think they can stand for that long.” Shiuli said
the same in a very serious face.
Entire room broke into a huge
laughter. After so many long days, smile was back in their faces. Anny sighed a
relief.
No one noticed when Namita came
to the room and sat silently in the corner. She slowly came to Anny. It filled
her eyes with tears. She held her hand and said,
“Anny, if you were not younger to
me then today, I would have touched your feet.”
“What are you saying Didi?” Anny
said in a shock.
“Yes Anny, today you really
appeared to us as a goddess and saved us by providing food.” An excessive sob
choked her voice.
Anny is sleeping. She is inside
her dream. A smoky colour mountain in background. A green paddy field is in
front. A lousy breeze creating waves over there. A young girl is
running within that paddy field. She is wearing a red frock which is flying
like a victory flag in air. A middle age man is calling her from far.
“Come home, dear. Hot rice is
waiting for us. You take the first portion of that. My daughter. My Annapurna,
My Devi of food and nourishment.”
Anny now knows her real
name.
Nice
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