It's been probably 3 or 4 weeks old when I told a story to Neha. Probably it was not a complete story, which I had freshly picked from the lift of my society when coming up to my flat at 24th floor. it was a incident or a general conversation of a group of persons, that I listened in the lift. I keep on making Neha bored with my fresh observations, some stories, office work related talks and some mechanical stuff of cars and buildings. This story was also like any general conversation I had with Neha.
It was Sunday, around 12 in the noon. I was coming from a saloon after hair cut when I entered the lift after four maids in a age group 25-50 years old. It hardly takes one minute to reach my floor, which is top most of the building, from the ground and all maids had to get off somewhere in between as the button panel showed. So, basically it's a few seconds conversation of maids among themselves which I found compelling to share with Neha as I reached my flat.
conversation went like this:
Maid1: Tabiyat kaisi hai? (How are you? How's your health?)
Maid2: Tabiyat sahi kaise rehbe. time se roti hi nai milti. ye waqt ho gya hai (12 in the noon) par abhi tak roti hi naseeb nahi hui. (how can it be good! we cant get food on time. It's 12 in the noon, still I am empty stomach.)
Maid1: sahi keh ri ho. waqt se namki roti mil jaye to insaan kabhi beemar na pade. (you are right. If one could get minimal food on time, one would never fall ill.)
All agreed because all had the same problem. I also agreed upto some extent because same fact applies to my maid and I know she also comes to my home empty stomach. That's another thing that Neha offers her tea or something to eat sometimes.
"Yaar, they are struggling to get couple of roti timely. After so many years of independence, poverty is widespread." I said to Neha.
Today evening, when I enter the lift at ground floor, the maid2 and a boy, who looked 12-13 years old, also entered after me.
"Namastey aunty. kaise ho? (Good evening. how are you Aunty?)" The boy said cheerfully in heavy voice which was quite contrary to his physique. His voice was the proof that he had just entered the adolescence.
"Badiya. (I am good)" maid said.
He smiled, slightly looked towards me and said, "bas sab badiya rehna chahiye. Aur kya chahiye jindagi mein. (yes, all should be well. After all, what else one wants in life?)"
Such heavy words from a young boy!
"Mitti lag gayi hogi. (I think it's mud.)" The boy said when he found the maid scratching her torn out, old thick bangles.
"Na. pani ka kaam krne me kharab ho gayi.(No, it's torn out due to house hold work which involves water.)" she said and got off the lift at certain floor.
The boy looked at me and said, "kisi maaldar ki bethi hogi. chaandi ke kade pehan rakhe. (she must be some rich dad's daughter. she is wearing bangles made of silver.)"
I smiled, still his words buzzing in my mind. "tum doodh deliver karte ho. (you give home delivery of milk)" I said as he was carrying two packets of amul tond milk. I looked at his clothes which had multiple holes in it but his facial expressions full of happiness.
He nodded in approval.
"Tumhe kaise pata ki ye chaandi ki hai? (how do you know bangles are made of silver?)" I enquired.
"wo dikh rahi hai esi. (they seemed to be so.)"
Her bangles looked quite old, torn out. I smiled again and said, "wo chaandi ki nahi hai. wo artificial hai. (they are not made of silver. they are artificial.)"
"Hnm" he said convincingly. "chaandi ka pani hoga. (they must be having a layer of silver polish)"
I said, "Yes" and he got off the lift at another certain floor.
The boy unknowingly had completed the story. The concept of riches and poverty is just a parameter of relative comparison and perception while happiness is an absolute thing.
And then I repeated the incomplete story and shared the complete one to Neha.
