I was
deep in sleep when the vibration of my phone woke me up. I looked up at the
time and it was 3pm. considering the fact that it was a Sunday, I had the basic
human right of not to be disturbed on a holiday.
It had
been a rough week. I had worked straight through the week; 10 hours per day [even
Saturday] at least I deserved some mercy, but no! They were cruel. Didn’t I know
that already?
I looked
up at my cell. It wasn’t a number that I had taken the pain to save in my cell
phone. I ignored it. Call from known people was more than enough to piss me
off. I didn’t need an extra topping from unknown people now. The call ended.
Adding
to the flavor of working all week, I had received a dessert of “guilt trip”
from mom who had been chanting the mantra of “you do not have time for me”
during lunch. As expected I had stormed out of the dinging room, skipping my
lunch.
It was
just after a minute that my cell vibrated again. The inaudible trrr trrr of my
little, cute, hugely irritating phone made my head explode. Finally I picked it
up…
“Whoever
this is... I am going to kill you for ruining my sleep” I said, mentally of
course.
In real
I said “hello”
From the
other side I heard a familiar voice “hello Aditi. This is Subhalakshmi.”
M. Subhalashmi
or simply Lakshmi aunty worked with me at office. She was the reason I didn’t
mind spending all days of week at office. She was short, fragile with a bit of
grey hair, beautiful nonetheless. There was something about her face that
radiated warmth. Whenever I got time in office, I go to her and we would sit
and chat. Despite her age, she was quite modern in her thoughts and I loved
that about her.
“Sorry dear if I disturbed you on holiday”
“Its
okay aunty. Is everything alright?”
“Actually
I need a bit of help from you. I am standing in front of the city hospital and
calling from booth”
I
panicked. “Are you alright? What happened? Are you hurt?”
“Calm
down Aditi. I am fine. If it’s not too much asking, can you pick me up? I have
my grandson with me and he can’t walk as he broke his leg this morning and now it’s
plastered. I was waiting for taxi but I just heard that today is some sort of
strike”
“Its
okay aunty. Just stay there. I am reaching within 10minutes”
I picked
up my purse, car keys and left my room. Mom was watching TV in the hall.
“Maa I
am going out. I have some work. I will return in an hour” no matter how mad I
was, I never forgot to tell her before going out. It had become a custom after
dad was transferred out of state.
“But you
didn’t even had lunch!” she exclaimed.
I was
hungry. But anger outlived my hunger.
“My
stomach is full... actually overflowing with the conversation that you fed me”
I didn’t
hear what she was saying. I left. I found Lakshmi aunty standing in front of
the hospital gate. She waved at me. Beside her, was a kid? He was Perhaps
8years old with a plastered leg.
I got
out and helped the kid to get in the back seat. Aunty sat with me in the front.
After putting on seat belts, I asked, “where to?”
Aunty
never mentioned where she stayed.
She smiled
and said “I will tell you the directions”
After
driving about half an hour, she suddenly said “just two houses ahead is my
home”
I
stopped after two houses. I looked at the house and then looked at aunty with
confusion. She smiled. “Is this where you live?” I asked in confusion.
“Yes.
Would you like to come in?”
I wasn’t
sure if this was a joke. She got out and helped the kid. I joined her. And then
we went inside a house, the board outside read “HOPE – a home for orphan
children”
The
inside of the house was not like any orphanage. It looked like a normal home.
The only difference was that there were many children… of all age groups,
moving about the house.
On
seeing Lakshmi aunty, they all ran towards and formed a crowd around her.
One
thing I noticed was that all the kids referred to aunty as “maa”. Some kids
told aunty about some fights they had, some showed her the paintings they made,
books they read and much more. After a while, aunty said,
“Kids I
want you to meet someone. This is Aditi didi”
Everyone
said “hello didi “in unison. I smiled back... aunty said again “kids we should
ask didi to sit and have something Na? She helped us today”
No
sooner she said the words… that the kids welcomed me. One kid bought a chair.
Another got me a glass of water”
I sat
there nibbling at the cookies I was offered while aunty went inside with all
the kids. She returned after few minutes.
“So
dear… do you like my house?”
“I don’t
understand aunty. You stay here? Really?”
“Yes.
What’s wrong with this place?”
“As far as
I know, you have two sons, right?”
She
laughed. “Yes. I do. They visit me every Saturday”
“Did
they ask you to move out?” I asked. That’s what’s happening these days.
She
laughed some more. “They didn’t kick me out, if that’s what you are asking. I
like it here.”
“Why?
Why an orphanage?”
“Dear
it’s a home, a home with lots of kids. This is the first house that my husband
and I bought. We turned it into HOPE after my younger son left for college.
after my husband passed away, I took charge of running it.”
“And how
does it run?”
“With my
salary. And my husband’s pension. Some people donate funds at times”
“I still
don’t understand aunty.”
“Aditi,
not all of us are fortunate enough to be born in a family, or get the basic
necessities of life. I was brought up in an orphanage myself, though that place
was very different from this one. They used to make us work. Food was
miserable. We got new clothes once a year on annual day when people used to
visit to donate money. That was when I decided that one day I will make a home
for kids like me who will have normal life like every kid living with parents”
“I
noticed they call you maa”
“I am
the only family they have beside each other. They do not know what mother and
father is, and what affection is. I am both to them. That’s the reason they
call me maa. I am their mother, father, grandmother… everything. When I see
children fighting with their parents, I think of these children. They would do
anything to have even a bit of love and care, but the ones who have parents do
not care. They should stand in these kid’s shoes for one moment. They are
lucky.”
“Yes
they are.” I said and got up.
“You are
leaving? Please stay for evening prayers. It will start in sometime”
“No
aunty. I have some urgent work at home. I have to leave.”
She
smiled, “as you wish dear. Thank you for helping me”
“No. thanks
you. I owe you a lot” I said and hugged her.
When I came
outside, the children followed and came near me. Standing there among so many
kids, I felt like a kindergaden teacher.
A small girl about 5years old pulled my hand.
“Didi
will you come back?” she asked with eyes full of expectation.
“What is
your name?” I asked.
“Khushi”
“Khushi”
I said bending down on my knees“I promise I will be back next Saturday” she
planted a kiss on my cheeks.
I went
to my car. I turned to look all kids waving at me. Standing beside them was
Lakshmi aunty. Together they looked like the most perfect family in the world.
I came
home and said “mom… lets go shopping”
She was
puzzled. “What?”
“Yes.
Let’s go. It’s been a long time since we had some girl time together. Shopping,
then dinner. Get ready”
“But you
said you had a long week and you want to rest”
“I will
take the day off tomorrow. Just get ready. I can’t wait. I am hungry”
“I knew
you would be hungry. I made kheer”
I went
to her and hugged her. Silently I prayed “thank you god. I love my mom”
