Part -2
Vishnu wanted to see his mother and himself in grand new
apparel on ‘Vishu’ (a seasonal festival). So he had a plan to buy an
apposite gift for his mother. He was in
possession of a substantial amount of money. He had collected it just as honey
bees gather pollen to shape honey-comb. He had turned to be a slick mason
within a short span of time. Mother was gratified at the concern of her dear
son for her. She heaved a deep sigh of relief to
be untied from the hectic manual labour. Since she herself had to find pecuniary source after her best half's demise,she hadn't thought of new apparel.So her mind weaved web around the dream
of her new garb even in her forties.
By evening Vishnu left home for ‘Vishu’ shopping. His mind
wandered around the lad and so his lower limbs chose the direction of the
hospital. From the expanse of the corridor he could see Thomas walking towards
and away from the room repeatedly. He had clasped behind his fists together. From
the contracted facial muscles and unrest movement of Thomas Vishnu read in
depth some uncertainties.
“What worries you?
Could I help you?” enquired Vishnu?
With much reservation Thomas opened the door of his dilemma.
“ Eh! I am.. new to this place. I am a.. salesman in a shop in this city. I
have acquired a small house here. So my hands are….. emp…ty. I find no path to
generate mo..ney for the hospital expen…diture.” He stammered and fumbled. As
Thomas blocked his tongue, tears made rivulets on his cheeks. Vishnu’s mind imitated
Thomas’s tears. Two kinds of thoughts -gift for mother and hospital expenditure- clouded Vishnu’s
mind. Finally empathy for Thomas cleared the cloud of his mind.
Thomas, though he was reluctant ,accepted the help from
Vishnu who literally turned to be his son’s savior. Thomas lifted his eyelids
and viewed the God in Vishnu who rescued his son from both the efflux and
hospital. Thomas’s spouse who was seated at the bed of her son joined both her hands
and greeted Vishnu with effusiveness. Their visual organs were full of
boundless gratitude, which no kind of measuring jar could measure.
“You have done a
great thing that a timely hand-lending
is worth countless currency-notes. It is a real treasure to be cherished and
nourished in my life,” voiced Thomas indebted. Thomas’s strong determination
articulated thus, “You will obtain the money from me within a few months. Let
me get my son reach home now.”
Mother saw her son with no packet with him after an hour or
two. Her mood collected the moss of
discontent and displeasure. Her mouth grumbled a bit about her son’s
empty-handed return. She chided him in soft voice, “ Give word only if you can
keep. Keeping no hope is better than desperation. I knew that you might not
have money enough to buy dress for both of us.”
On hearing the whole story she felt herself ashamed of her
misunderstanding about her son. “You have given me, my son, a gift very much worthier than any other son’s gift for his
mother. Human weakness i.e. the longing for new attire had blindfolded me for a moment. Oh! My
beloved, you are right and you are only right, not me.”
“Little act of kindness makes this earth an Eden.,” she
cuddled her son.
sarala [The End]
