Sweater!

Yipiee, yee, Winter Holidays. I hurriedly got into the bus, thank God! it was about to leave. I cursed myself again for waking up late because of which I could not reach the bus stop on time. The conductor collected the ticket. Promising myself to wake up early from now on, I took the window seat and sat down comfortably after placing the luggage, making sure to take out the sandwich from the bag. I sanitized my hands before hogging on to the sandwich, believe me I was that hungry as I had slept yesterday without having dinner. After rinsing my mouth, making sure that the water did not spill on the precious sweater that my mom had crocheted for me, i dozed off. Suddenly, I could hear the jerk, the driver had stopped at a tea shop. I got down and got a cup of hot tea for myself and poured the ginger powder that my mom had given me into the hot tea and offered it to the lady who sat next to me, she liked it too. Thanking my mom, I enjoyed the ginger tea. The lady seated next to me was in awe of the sweater that I was wearing. I felt proud of my mom and told her that my mom was an expert in crochet and she had stitched it for me. As the bus moved on, we got acquainted with each other very well. I fell asleep in between and could hardly open my eyes till I reached my destination. I could hear the lady bidding me bye. I forced my eyes open and told her bye. 

I got my luggage down and thanked my brother who had come to pick me up. I hugged my mom as soon as I reached home after which I freshened myself up and ate stomach full the sumptuous meal prepared by my mom. My mom asked me about the precious sweater, I could feel butterflies flying in my stomach. I slowly remembered taking the sweater off as I was feeling hot in the bus. After that, I could not remember if I had put the sweater back in the handbag or.. or was it the lady who was sitting next to me.....My mom's voice pierced my ears. I made up my mind and lied to her that I had left it in the hostel and that next time I would wear it and come. My mom believed me and kept quiet. I felt sad that not only did I lie to my mom, but also had lost the handmade sweater that was precious not only to my mom, but also to me. On the pretext of washing my face, I went to the bathroom, and cried and cried.

Days passed by, and I was done with my winter holidays, I had to travel back to my hostel. My mother had packed all the goodies and my luggage too, so neatly. She also gave me a new shawl, as it was cold. I could not refuse it, but I promised myself to keep this shawl safely and bid my mom bye. My brother dropped me back to the bus stop. I waved my brother off and sat in the bus. I bought the ticket from the conductor and to my luck, got the window seat. The bus started moving slowly and I could see a lady in.. I rubbed my eyes, it was my precious sweater that she was wearing. I rushed to the driver and was about to scream, stop!!!!

I could understand the local language, the driver was telling conductor on how that lady who was wearing my precious sweater was thanking the driver every day for giving away the sweater, which had kept her warm during this winter. I walked back, and could hardly hear the driver thanking the owner of the sweater as that lady was badly in need of a sweater because she had just given birth to a baby. I wiped my tears off as I could see the lady in the precious sweater carrying the newborn. On seeing me, the conductor asked if there was any problem, I replied to him saying that I wanted my change back to which he murmured in local language "as if I would run off from the bus, keep your change for yourself, you educated people act like idiots sometimes." I just smiled at him back, thanking him and the bus driver immensely, called my mom back and thanked her too. I could hear my mom asking the reason as to why I am thanking her, I couldnt reply to her and felt that indeed the sweater was so precious, not only to me who lost it, but to the lady who got it too!!! The precious sweater was a gift from my mom to another mom to keep the baby warm too!!