Bought Out Son

I was trying very hard to hide. Very scared!

It was very difficult to be hiding in a bus. Though I was small, bus window height from the seat is not much. 

When bus was travelling, I sit and cover my face with hands.   When I see some person looking in my direction, I would get jittery and get relaxed when bus passes the person. I had motion sickness but the fear was too overwhelming.

When the bus stopped, I ducked down. I was visibly shaken by any movement of persons near to our seat. Like cat closing its eyes when drinking milk, I closed my eyes and hid under Amma’s (my mom) saree cover. 

Amma was constantly asking me, why I am doing so. 

…….

I was told, whole family will be catching train from Yadgir (Currently a taluka headquarters in northern karnataka). We will leave early in the morning by bullock cart to Hundekal and from there we will be catching bus to Yadgir to catch train to my uncle’s place in Shahabad.

I had never travelled in train till then and was excited and keen to experience the travel in train. I had heard from Saheb and Naganna, the train is made up of number of buses and it travels on railway track at high speeds. Unlike in bus or bullock carts, one can roam around little freely and would have toilets in each of the bus units of the train. You can go to toilet without having to get down from the train. In moving train! 

I hate buses and bullock carts. As preparation to travel in bus/ bullock cart, I never used to eat much and Amma used to give some pill. Still I used to feel stirrup in my stomach. Whatever little I would have in it was trying to come out with each jerk and smell of bus. I used to struggle to keep the contents of stomach intact. Please help me God, I cannot stand the smell and feeling of food coming out of my stomach.  I used to get totally helpless. So the train journey was planned. I was really excited.

Early in the morning of the day of travel, Saheb told me: Shyam, you have been bought by your Amma from a rag picker from Naikal in exchange for abundant trash she had stored in the house. I met that lady in Yadgir. She was asking your whereabouts, when I was there. She is missing you and wants to buy back. If you keep harassing your Amma like this, you would be given back to that lady free. 

I smiled at him and went about my nagging.

You are not serious? Better be. Else you may be picking rags with your real mother; Saheb told me authoritatively.   

This kept me little worried and probably I stopped repeating my demands. Saheb used to take me to various new places frequently, used to treat me with sweets (I have sweet tooth) and show new places. He was a senior student of my father. I loved his company and was very close to him. 

…..

Suddenly I felt a hand on my head and heard “how are you my son?” I felt wetness in my chaddi (half pant). 

Why your pant is wet? You would catch cold. Change the pant, I will wash the one you are wearing to enable you to go to school, tomorrow. It would be new and big school in town. Not like the small cramped school you were going in Kadamgeri. The lady speaking to me was stranger. I was looking around for Amma and I asked her, where is Amma. She told me, she is real Amma and she is so happy to see me back after long time.   The stranger was trying very hard to please me with various offers of sweets, toys... I had no appetite. I never played with toys. I used to have my own imaginary/ real playing items. I felt cramps in my stomach.  I want Amma. I do not want anything else. Whatever was offered to me was thrown away with full force. My distress was total…..

…..

I heard a familiar, highly soothing voice. Doctor, please look at him. What happened to him? He has high fever. He was perfectly healthy and nagging me in the morning. Suddenly he became silent and is not responding at all. I felt familiar hug. When I opened my eyes, I saw Amma. I hugged her tightly and went on mumbling, I will never nag you. Do not give me back to that lady. Do not go anywhere, nowhere…..

Even now, when I remember this, my voice gets choked and my vision becomes blurred due to tears.