A Gift for Mother

 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]