Dream

Chuni was walking on the road alone without diverting her attention because she had to arrange food for that day. She was exhausted carrying the heavy load on her back. On the way, children were going to school with their school bags. There were laughing and talking with each other. Chuni looked at them and then she proceeded to find something from the heap of garbage. She had so much interest in English. When she was recognizing English newspapers she was trying to see the pictures and gazing at the colourful stuff on the pages with so much interest.

  She returned on that day to home. Maa! Maa! She called. Her mother came out and she handed fifty rupees to her. She was so much hungry and tired. She ate the served food and went to sleep. But she could not sleep as the images of school-going children were frequently coming to her eyes. The day passed and night came. She was sitting on the courtyard and watching the sky intently as she was talking with that. Her eyes had great dreams as she wanted to do something extraordinary but her circumstances were compelling her to wander on the street to meet her hunger. Her mother shook her and forced her to sleep. 

Next morning Chuni went out for her expedition. On her way, she recognized a heap of newspapers was lying in front of a house. She stealthily went to that place as that heap attracted her as a magnet. When she was about to touch that heap a voice came from inside, " Who is there? "Chuni was frightened and an old man came out. He asked, " What's your name? " she replied with stammering c.. h...u..ni. He said, "Do you want to take these papers. " Chuni became friendly and replied, " I want to take because I love to see the letters and pictures on them. "  

The man became happy listening to her answers and said you could take those. But her curiosity emerged an interest in the heart of the man. He asked about her education but sorrowfully Chuni said she had no education. Her financial stringency had forced her to collect polythene and sell at throwaway prices. Her words made that person cry and he said he would help her with her education. Chuni was so much happy after listening to those words. She was so much excited. Ram babu was a retired lecturer. He was alone. His wife had died. He had no children. He took the address of Chuni. Chuni happily took all newspapers and conveyed her obligation to him. She happily departed from there. That night Chuni kept thinking about school, school bags and books. 

Next day Ram babu reached Chuni's house. That was a tiny hut. Chuni was sweeping and when her eyes fell on him she became happy and instantly gave a mat to sit. Her mother came out. Ram babu handed her a cheque of five lakh rupees to provide education to her daughter. She could not understand anything. She started to cry seeing the cheque as her dream was to see her daughter as an educated lady. 

 Chuni started learning and she used to visit Ram babu. He was always conferring his unstinted affection and inspiration to her. With the tides of time she moved towards her goal. When she completed her master's degree and attained a gold medal for her excellence she remembered Ram babu. Without any second thought, she came to her village and rushed to Ram babu's house. She knocked on the door. There was no voice again she knocked on the door and a lady came out. She was Ram babu' s sister. When Chuni asked about him, his sister wept bitterly and said he was very much serious and he was extremely missing a girl who had gone outside for her study.

Chuni was shocked and suddenly ran towards him. When she reached near his bed she could not control her tears. Her drops of tears fell on his feet and he woke up. He opened his eyes and when recognized Chuni with her gold medal he became so happy and she gripped his hands suddenly and started to shed her tears. Unknowingly she addressed him as "Papa"! and again cried expressing her obligations. She took the gold medal and put on his hand and said that was the return of his cheque. He woke up from his bed and hugged her and he also cried. His sisters also shed tears unknowingly. Chuni said to her I was that girl whom he was missing. I was like a beggar on the street whom he saved with his kindness. "Whatever identification I have achieved today only because of him. " She said sorrowfully. Chuni' s own mother had come there to see Ram babu but when she recognized her daughter she got amazed. Chuni ran towards her and embraced her with immense joy. She said to her mother that her dream got a practical touch because she could speak English, write English and understand English. Ram babu was so much happy for his noble deed. His health condition became well recognising Chuni's smile.

 When destiny favors, nothing can be an obstruction on the way of success.