That Eight Anna Coin

"While I was collecting bright stones in the courtyard, a voice was heard.

Suraj – “This is my mother's voice”. When he rushed inside, his mother was lying on the floor. How could I care for those bright stones, they fell from my hands...

“What happened, mother?” She could not speak anything. The breath got stuck at my throat, why would it not?”

“There was none for me except my mother. My father had passed away two years back. I am only ten years' old. Do not worry, mother, I shall come with doctor uncle. What is therefor the poor, just the wealth of relationships?"

Every one leaves us when we are in trouble. So we do not hesitate to create relationship with unknown people.

“Doctor Uncle was one such relation”

I ran as fast as possible towards the hospital with broken slippers, tied with thread.

“Doctor Uncle, Doctor Uncle”

“What is the matter Suraj?”

“Uncle ….mother”

“Sit down, drink water. Tell me what happened.”

“Uncle, mother is not able to speak. Please come.”

After reaching home "Hey, you scared me, nothing happened. Due to weakness she became dizzy. Come on, get this medicine, do not give on empty stomach, and feed her before giving medicine".

“Feed her?”I looked with sadness. I do not remember to have seen a Chula (hearth) lighted in my house. Mother used to eat from the left overs of the houses where she worked.

“Where am I lost?”

I started to search items of ration in the house with the hope to find something .But something had fallen just then and I found it shining. It was a coin of eight annas kept by mother carefully.

I ran towards the market as if her life was in my hand. But I slipped and fell down because my mended chappal gave away .The eight anna coins flew off. Luckily my hands fell on something. I grabbed it with a lot of hope. It was a purse soiled completely .The moment I opened and saw my sadness had vanished. The purse was packed with currency notes. I had not seen so much of currency notes ever before.

“On one side was the empty stomach and hope but on the other side was self respect and honesty. Body dies of hunger, but the soul dies of dishonesty”. The struggle was going on inside and I was fighting from both sides.”

Dishonesty was overpowering honesty. Just then something prompted me from inside” We have the right only for things which we acquire through hard labor ".I remembered mother’s words. My hands were still trembling. I took courage and opened the purse and found a picture inside. OMG! This is the same person who got down from the rickshaw and went towards the shop. Immediately I ran towards the shop and found the person frantically searching his hip pockets for his purse.

“Sahib, is this yours?”

“Where did you get it?”

“I found it lying on the road “I said.

“Sahib please check whether you have all the money inside.”

“What is there to see? Had you wanted to take something would you have brought it to me?” saying this he offered me twenty rupees.

“No Sahib, it was my duty”. I said.

“At this age you have so much of self respect and good manners, what is your name?”

"Suraj “I said.

“Suraj means light. You burn yourself and give light to others.”

“I was surprised to see the meaning of my name”. I thought.

“In which class do you study?” Sahib asked.

“Two years back, I was in 5th standard, Sahib.

“Two years back?” Sahib asked surprised

I have not gone to school for the last two years. The amount which mother earns is hardly sufficient for our food. We manage somehow.

In a depressed mood I came back home. Mother was eating something sitting on her cot.” Mother, are you well?”

“Yes, I am well”.

“Where from you got the food?”

Mother pointed towards a person, sitting with great difficulty on a broken stool.

“Are Sahib, how are you here? How could you locate the house?”

“Do you know him?” mother asked curiously.

I nodded my head.

“Suraj you will be going to school and your mother will not work anymore in other’s houses. You have a great responsibility to justify your name. I would not allow such noble thoughts to go in vain". Saheb kept his hand on his head and said.

Tring …Tring…The phone rang. I came out of the journey of my childhood. Today I am a District Magistrate. I try to work befitting my name. I thought that mother’s sickness was a blessing but a much better blessing was the eight anna coin.

"Every human has limitless talent. But one has to wait for the time when the call comes and ensure that it is heard and not ignored".

“If you have courage none can shake you in difficulties or in poverty. They only write their history who select the right path to success".

THE END

Original Story in Hindi - "Vo Attanni" By Rajesh Sain

https://storymirror.com/read/story/hindi/griz7bsz/vo-atthnnii by Rajesh Sain