Sunny runs away
Elmy | 18 August 2004, 10:39pm
A couple of months go by. Sharda is in the same routine.
Apart from the daily grind, what sharda looks forward to is taking Sunny for a walk. That is where she gets to meet her friends.
Today the girls are having a nice time. They play a chequered game, while one of them is playing on the chequer, one of the other girls holds her dog.
Its Shardas turn she gives Sunny in the care of the neighbours house maid. All evening Madan and friends have been planning this prank.
They have loaded 6 crackers ends tied to a can, and tied a smallish thread to it. They slowly tip the can where the maids are playing, and burn the other end and run away. The crackers blow up with a loud bang, and one of them flies from the can and blows just over the hand of the maid holding the two dogs.
Starled all girls let go of the dogs, and with the noise of the burst all dogs run helter skelter. One of the girls hand is bruised, Sharda looks at the girls hand, and then realises that the dogs have run away.
All the maids run out after the respective dogs, but sunny is not to be found.
Sharda "Amma, Madan Babu burst the crackers, we were starled all dogs ran away." " By the time I could realise Sunny was no where to be seen"
Savitri "You stupid wrench!! Do not blame Madan for it, what was the need for you to let go of Sunny. have you never heard a cracker in your life..."
With the news of the blast and the lost dog, the Police officer is back home early. He scowls at Sharda first.
Calls for the building security and blasts him, calls for a meeting of the building society
Officer "I call for the sacking of the security, due to his negligence the dog has run away. Tommorow it could be one of your children who could be in harms way."
An unanimous descion is taken and the security and his family are asked to vacate within a day.
(Job security, one days notice)
Officer is back home, Calls the police station " I need the dog in 24 hrs, employ whatever resources. You know its part of my family."
Sharda recollects when the sister just elder to her was missing, (Ramulus and Parvatis 4th child. Who is still not found).
Constables who came to enquire.
"Do you have a photo ?"
Ramulu " No"
Constables "Is your daughter a (cinemalu heroin) Actress, how do you think we shall trace her. Did she have an affair with somebody ?"
Ramulu :"No Sir, "
Constables " How do you know, would she have told you ?"
Constables "See we will do our best. Check and see if any guy around here is missing let us know, she must have run away with him."
"Recently there have been reports that a gang has been luring girls for a better life, and many girls are going away with them....you know where peddapuram or bombay"
"If that is the case very difficult to trace your girl"
The dog is found within 24 hrs !!! No Photo needed.
Next Ramulu dies .....
Current Mood: Bad Hair Day
Current Music: Jis desh me Ganga behti hain
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Parvati visits
Elmy | 17 August 2004, 4:14pm
The fortnight passes away and Parvati amma does not visit Sharda. A few days past fortnight and still no sign of Parvati.
Initially Sharda was worried and sobbed in the nights, but now she sobs even during the day, she does cry when cleaning the dishes and clothes and when no one is around. Her intensity to meet her mother grows.
The next day when she is down walking Sunny, she tells one of the other maids who works (7 am to 9 pm), in the neighboring block to tell Parvati amma to come down to meet her.
Parvati Amma comes in the next Sunday.
The moment Sharda sees her, she starts crying. They go down and sit in the play lot. Even before Sharda can start telling her travails, Parvati chides her "Why are you crying. I could not visit you as your father is admitted in the govt hospital !!!"
Sharda " How is he ?"
Parvati "I don't know, the doctors do not talk much. One of the nurses says that he has very few days left"
Both Mother and child cry for some time.
Sharda "Amma take me away from here, these people are horrible. I work from daybreak to mid night. Amma I miss home"
Parvati "Do not be silly girl. We cannot afford that, we now have an added burden of medicines. I cannot work too. Gradually the work will get easier. It
Current Mood: Cold
Current Music: Maa ho meri Maa...
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Night Shift
Elmy | 3 August 2004, 9:40am
Sharda, is back home after the evening trip.
Now starts the next shift. Sharda washes some of the dishes that have piled up.
Savitris husband is back home, Sharda helps in serving the dinner. Once the family has its dinner, she helps in clearing up the table. She washes the dishes after that.
Its time for Sunnys dinner, she serves the dog it food. Savitri lays out food in a plate and informs Sharda that she can have that food and take more if she wishes to. "But remember this is your plate. Do not use the other plates that the family uses."
Once Sharda finishes her dinner, she hears the TV go on. The entire family is watching TV.
She walks into the Hall and stands over Madans Chair, watching the TV. Madan gets irritated and says,"Amma is it going to be like this every day."
Savitri looks up, and says, "Sharda its family time amma, You sit in the kitchen. You can watch the TV from the reflection" " And remember keep the light of the Kitchen turned of to get a better picture."
Sharda walks past Sunny who jumps into Savitris lap and is cuddled by Savitri. She watches the TV from the kitchen.
Sharda recollects, the Dog is a part of the family not me. She remembers her family, though no TV she was a part of it atleast. She sobs silently.
At around midnight she is given a Pillow and bedsheet, She is advised to sleep in the small room next to the Puja room. (Looks like a store room).
From the store room Sharda looks across the hall and Sunny has got a cuddly little pillow to sleep on. Savitri puts a small rug on Sunny before heading to the bedroom.
Next Parvati Amma visits Sharda (First Fortnight)......
Current Mood: Amazed
Current Music: Jeena yahan marna Yahan Iske Siwa Jana Kahan
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Sharda Makes Friends
Elmy | 3 August 2004, 3:27am
Sharda goes down with the dog. She is releived to come out of the house though. The pressure was telling on her.
She walks down and does not know where to go. The buildings security directs her towards an open space, where she sees, a couple of more dogs and house maids.
She walks to the open space and is welcomed by the maids.
They question in a chorus, "You must be the new maid at, 402 D" She reluctantly says yes.
Where have you worked before this, asks Malini who more or less is Shardas age.
Sharda "This is my first job"
Malini "Oh lucky, first job and in such a good house"
To work independantly I had to accompany my mother to a couple of homes, work there for free. With the experience I managed to get work at the Gupta's place.
But all of us here, hanker to get to your house. Its just 3 little kids and they buy you a new dress every Diwali."
And everybody nods in acquiescence.
Not wanting to hinder on their inference, Sharda nods too. She wants to maintain a false sense of pride, which she has felt for the first time in her life. She drowns the whole days trauma in this sense of pride. "After all I am working in the best house on the block"
Poor soul she does not realise the headaches associated with this vanity and fame. It would have been better to cry all her grief out then to hold firm and hope for a better day.
Next Shardas day continues....
Current Mood: Confused
Current Music: Yaari hain Imaan mera yaar meri jindagi
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