read part 1 part 2 here
Baba was back to being his usual self once again, the grief
of losing a son having suddenly dissipated. The whole family except Alok, sat
around ‘Shyam’ and shared memories of the times gone by. Alok carefully watched
the young boy regaling the elders with anecdotes of his younger days.
“Baba, do you remember the time when I first stole a 10
rupee note from your purse?” he asked.
“I do Shyam, You were about 10 or 11,” he said, “and when I
found out that you had stolen, I whacked you till you collapsed” his voice was filled
with regret.
Shyam put a knowing hand on baba’s shoulders, “You don’t
have to feel bad baba. It was for my own good and taught me never to steal
again.”
With that money, Shyam
had brought a bagful of gooseberries and two guavas for Kamala, his childhood
sweetheart. The thrashing had been every bit worth the happiness on Kamala’s
face. And wasn't it she who applied a paste of sandalwood on his sore back the
next day?
“Mai, do you remember the prank I played on Raman dada’s engagement?” he asked Mai, and the whole family burst out laughing.
“Mai, do you remember the prank I played on Raman dada’s engagement?” he asked Mai, and the whole family burst out laughing.
“You were the naughtiest in the family! Where on earth did
you get that thing that you mixed in your dada’s food? Poor Raman, he couldn’t
sit down for a moment without having to rush back to the toilet. You always
insisted it was your own idea but I was sure it wasn’t.”
Shyam looked at Alok, and suddenly, Alok who had been keenly
observing the boy, knew that look. He cracked his knuckles nervously shifting
uneasily in his chair.
“Trust me mai, it was my
idea. Why would I lie to you? Ask Alok dada if you want to,” he said turning to
face him completely, “You saw me grinding the Jamaal gota and mixing it in Raman dada’s glass of milk, didn’t you
dada?” he winked.
“Eh? Umm…” said Alok surprised and relieved at the same
time, “Yes, yes, I did…” A nervous laughter.
Alok ground the seeds
and mixed it into the glass of milk meant for Raman. “What are you doing dada?’
asked little Shyam. ‘ Go, give this to Raman dada, and watch the fun,’ said
Alok, ‘and remember, not a word of this to anyone’ he said, putting a finger to
his mouth. How dare Raman slap him in front of his friends, he needs to be
taught a lesson. And what a lesson it was!
“You couldn’t be Shyam,” Alok later told him, “Shyam would
have known.”
“You mean, I should have told everyone that it was you who
mixed the seeds, and were trying to avenge Raman dada’s slap?”
“Shhhh…” he placed his palm over Shyam’s mouth.
Many such stories were shared over subsequent days and it
left no doubt in anyone’s mind, including Alok’s, that the boy was indeed Shyam.
******
“Hello....Yes mom, I’m fine….I don’t think so…..he does too….I told him the Jamaal gota incident today…..hahaha…yes, he was scared that I
would tell…..no, you don’t worry, I’ll be careful…..you take care too.”
******
