Nityam is in trouble, but this time due to his girl friend. She gets upset with Nityam on little misunderstanding but  there is no mistake of Nityam in that. While waiting for upset girlfriend, he met with two kids, one is crying due to hunger and other wants toys badly…what happen next…read the complete story…

Whenever she gets late, she has genuine problem like she is helping her mother in kitchen, her father is at home, her best friend come to meet,  her pet is not well or she apply face pack… blah-blah. But when I get late, it’s always my carelessness, recklessness and laziness. Same thing happened that day; it was 31^st December and we planned to go for pizza party in evening. She told me to pick up her from her friend’s home in evening. But what she didn’t tell me that her friend’s home is at Wardhman Nagar, almost twelve kilometer away from my place. At seven thirty in evening, I called to know her friend’s address and she annoyingly said to me that she waited for me at her friend’s place from an hour, and finally she left by city bus.  Now who argue with her that she should tell me in morning itself that her friend’s home is far away from here, so that I would start early. But not , she didn’t tell me in morning, she called me at six in evening  but unfortunately, I missed to pick the call as I was driving to drop my friend at railway station. And finally, she left her friend’s place and returning by city bus.

There is difference between fool and smart man; fool argues with woman and smart only hear them. But both finishes with same conclusion; foolish said at the end that you can never win with woman in argument and smart already knows it. I am not fool but also not very smart, I called and tried to convey my helplessness to her at some extent but she was not ready to accept anything. And as the adverse effect of my defense speech, she got angry and cursed a lot to me.  At the end of our conversation, I thought she would cancel pizza plan and go to her home directly. But no, she still wanted to go for pizza and told me to wait for her at Dominoz. One thing I could not understand that how can one party and eat pizza if he or she is really very upset. I tried to call her again to say sorry but she didn’t pick up my call later.

Sometime I really don’t understand her, I mean what is the point to get upset at such a small thing. I never mind when she ignore me and prefer her pet dog…yes…it happened 2-3 times with me, we planned to meet but she cancelled at the last moment as she wanted to spend time with her pet dog. I mean how can one ignore human over dog, and that too a man who loves you. I tried to talk her on this but she blamed me that I am insecure; I am trying to impose my order on her; I am felling jealous with pet. Yes, it’s true that I don’t like pets but I never feel jealous with them. All blames of her hurt me, and in the curse of hurt when I counter replied on these blames, it converted into a big mess. So to avoid such conflict this time, rather than playing blame game I sent a sorry SMS to her, and started waiting for her at Dominoz.

She was coming from twelve kilometer away and that too in city bus. It will take almost an hour to reach her at here.  There was no point to go home and come back for me as it will take one hour, so I better think to wait for her at Dominoz only. Weekend evening means prime time at Dominoz and that day it was New Year evening also. I didn’t want keep people waiting by occupying one table for long time without order anything, so I thought to wait her outside restaurant only.  I sit at the base outside the outlet and started watching road side to pass the time. One thing I like most about Nagpur is its roads. Broad roads filled with greenery from both sides, bright street lights, road side shops, moderate traffic, little chilled air and lovely people moving…its really pleasure to watch this. Though there are many holes and pits germinates on the roads now a days, traffic is still in control in spite of a big rush…no usual  jams …no blockages…like a river is flowing  on plain grounds…slow but steady. Rich, poor, middle class, traditional, liberal, bike wala, cycle wala, car wala, Marathi, Bengali, Gujrati,  South Indian, North Indian, East Indians…one can see people from all over India on the roads of Nagpur. From Audi, Mercedes to Maruti wan, from thunder bird to Luna super…Nagpur roads shows the display of all vehicles.  All alone or with friends, in a couple or with full family…each and every one is moving on the roads of Nagpur…not very fast, not so slow…but with moderate speed…enjoying and cherishing each and every moment of the path. I can surely say that unlike Mumbai where people are running in race, Nagpur is still jogging. And you know I like jogging more than race…race make you tired at the end but jogging is always recharging, refreshing and rejuvenating.

As a unique packaging of writer and software tester, I always observe and think something, otherwise who the hell will think so much on terrible things like traffic and roads, and that too when he is so desperately waiting for his upset girlfriend. But that is me, always connected with world of my thoughts and emotions. My world is different but it’s not totally disconnected from real one. A sudden brake of car broke my thoughts world and brings me back at the front of Dominoz. A lady with her around ten year old kid came at Dominoz in that car. Her fair color, slim body and gorgeous look were telling me that she takes good care of her.  Same way her branded jeans, expensive jewelry and long shining car were telling me that she must belongs to the rich family. She looked a bit tired but her kid seemed very happy. May be they came at Dominoz at the wish of kid only.

They were moving towards the entry gates of Dominoz and the boy looked at the footpath; a lady was selling toys there. Suddenly boy stopped stepping and asked mother to take toys for him. His mother didn’t give attention to his request and also didn’t stop. But the boy urged again, and this time mother paid attention to him. She looked at the toys for a moment. It added a hope at other lady that she must purchase few toys from her. But her mother gave an ill look toward the toy shop at footpath, like it was a hell-hole. She rejected boy’s request to buy toys with big NO. But kid already lost his heart for toys. He again insisted mother with shout and cry this time. Face of toy seller lady again shined with optimism but rich mother again rejected the request. Boy seemed very disappointed, he removed his hand from her mother’s hand and started crying loudly now. Toy seller lady again started starring them positively but mother used brain this time. She told boy that they will take toys after dinner. Boy was not looked happy but agreed at this commitment. They went inside the restaurant and toy seller lady was started looking other people to sell the toys.

That was a bad day for toy seller lady. Nobody was stopping at her, no kids and no elders. But she was putting great effort to sell toys. She was singing folk song and urged each and everyone passing from there to purchase toys. Especially for kids, she was trying a lot to attract them by singing with funny facial expressions and hand movements. While looking at her act, I noticed that she was keeping an eye at restaurant door also. After every few minutes, she looked at the Dominoz. May be she was waiting for that kid and his mother to come out.

There were three people waiting there at that time. One is me, who am waiting for huffy girlfriend; other is toy seller lady, who is waiting for that rich lady and her son to come out from restaurant. Third is a little kid who sat aside the toy seller lady and the single audience of the lady who was enjoying her act. (He must be son of the toy seller lady). But now he started feeling hungry; he was telling her mother to go home now. But his mother was not giving attention to him and continuing her act to tease the people moving from there. The boy kept patience for some time but later he started shouting at her mother. He was keep telling her mother that he is dying of hunger and now they should go home and prepare dinner. His mother asked him to keep patience for next five – ten minutes more. Boy accepted her plea unhappily and waited silently for some time, but his mother was not ready to go even after fifteen minutes. He again insisted his mother to go home but this time again mother asked for few more minutes. Boy became red on this and started throwing toys from shop at road. He was shouting that he want something to eat now. His mother collected all thrown toys from road and shouted at him to stop acting like this. But boy was not affected by mother’s thunder as he was still shouting and throwing toys. Toy seller lady handled the kid softly now. She took him in her lap and kissed at the face. She told him that there is a memsahib came in big car at front hotel; she had promised her kid to take toys from their shop. Toy seller lady explained that they will go home once memsahib came and purchase toys from her. She also told the kid that this memsahib looked very rich so she will purchase many toys and it ultimately makes good profit to us.  She committed that after selling toys to memsahib, they will surely go home; and if it will make good profit, she will make halwa for him. Boy was really looking very hungry but he accepted this commitment with tears in eyes. He maintained silent and didn’t disturb after mother’s commitment. Toy seller lady again made her busy in her act to tease people. Now both son and mother were keeping an eye at restaurant, mother was looking after regular interval of few minutes but boy was continuously looking at the restaurant exit door only.

By looking city’s restaurant, it seems that no one cook food at home on Saturday. Everyone is heading to any restaurant like there is a silent policy made by government to eat out at Saturday; And that was New Year evening too, so markets and restaurants celebrate a good rush and hub. That rich lady and her son were taking a lot time in restaurant, and that was too obvious as there were many people in queue in restaurant. Toy seller lady was still entertaining people by her act and her son was still looking at restaurant doors. His eyes were moist and face changed yellow due to hunger. But in-spite of all, he was silently looking at exit doors only. His condition reminds me about the non-violent protesters who usually sits outside the government office at hunger strike.

After waiting for almost forty five minutes, that lady and son came out from the restaurant. Unlike while entering, lady looked fresh now. Good meal with loved ones always erases the tiredness of the day and refreshes the mood. They might recharge now with satisfaction of good food, but there were some hungry eyes that were desperately waiting for them outside. Toy seller lady started singing and acting loudly while looking them to tease the kid. Her son was still silent but one could easily sense the hope and excitement at his face while looking memsahib. Kid of memsahib looked at the toys and it reminded him that his mother made promise to take toys while returning.  He rubbed his mother’s elbow and asked her to go at toys now. Rich lady looked at toys and again made hell look. She told the son that they will buy toys next time. But kid was not agreed and he reminded his mother that she made promise to him. His mother lean toward him and said that these toys are so cheap; she will bring a new video game for him. But this was not accepted to boy and he again reminded the mother that she had made promise before moving inside. Mother made a new promise to bring a new video game this time, but now son was not relying on her. He cried and cursed a lot but mother didn’t hear anything. She started the car and shouted at son to sit inside. Poor boy had no options left except sit inside, but he was cursing the mother till the time car moved from there. Whatever one should do but never make false promises to children; the kid looked more upset on not keeping the promise rather than toys.

One kid returned from there with tears in eyes and complains at lips, and he also left another kid with disappointment at face and hunger in stomach. Toy seller lady stopped her act and started wrapping her toys now. Lady toy seller silently hided her disappointment but her kid lost patience and that is too obvious as he was waiting for them from a long time in the state of hunger strike. He started shouting the mother that ‘why she didn’t hear him and go earlier’, ‘what she gets by keeping him hungry from long time’. He also cursed the lady and his son who came in restaurant – ‘these rich people are heartless…what will their go if they purchase some toys from us’. After shouting loudly for few minutes, suddenly his throat choked for a moment and it made his mouth shut. His words may jam but his eyes had taken charge now; he started weeping by rubbing his both eyes by hands. Boy was crying but lady seller was not looking at him. She was still busy in collecting toys and shut the shop. Her hands were moving in very fast mode and she also looked in hurry. May be she agreed with the son’s complaint and now wanted to go home and prepare food for him as soon as possible.

This world is full of strange facts; the rich boy whose appetite is full, crying for toys and the boy who has entire toy shop, crying because of empty stomach. Human desire always come in circle, you have the key of someone’s happiness and same way someone has the key of your happiness. It’s just the matter to find and shakes hand with him and this is how circle completes.  The whole struggle of one’s life comes in completing this circle only.

I may get philosophical and create theory with circle and hand shake, but in reality food is the basic need of every human being; toys come secondary. Boy was crying by hunger and I don’t know why I felt burden of it. This baggage should go to either mother and son duo that left the restaurant few minutes ago or toy seller lady, but why I was feeling something bad. Some decisions of human heart are always indigestible, and the worse thing is we can’t manipulate heart at such occasions. With the curse of heavy heart, I went to close the toy seller lady’s shop but I was not sure what I will do there.

‘What do you need?’ toy seller lady asked me. I was not sure what to say so I just looked at her toys so that she will assume that I am looking toys, and till the time I could think of something. ‘Do you need toys?’ boy stopped crying suddenly and asked me. During my whole stay there, first time boy was speaking with any person other than his mother. It’s only his mother who was dealing with customer earlier. ‘Yeah, I need a toy’ I think boy had sorted my problem and gave me way by which I could help them. ‘Which type of toy do you want?’ boy got confidence and he was talking freely with me, but his mother again started wrapping her shop; May be toy seller lady lost the hope that someone take toys from her now. ‘Which is your favorite one among them’ my age of playing with toys had gone and now I had no interest in toys, so I better thought to ask the boy only. ‘I like this puppy…it’s so cute’ he handed a white colored puppy toy with curly hairs all around body. Boy was smiling while I was observing the puppy toy. I felt strange how could one talk with so much interest when he is feeling hungry badly; may be hunger converted into habit when stretched for long time. ‘Do you know it sings also…just keep hand on his tail’ boy said with naughty smile. I stroke tail and it started singing ‘Sheela…Sheela ki jawani’. This particular feature of puppy made me smile, its fun to watch puppy singing while someone strokes that tail. Also, I find something adult in the toy made for kids only.

I don’t like dogs and I have many complains about dogs – Dog creates mess in one’s home; people who keep pets in their home, take them in front of other’s house or empty road for releasing their wastage;  dog  lick their owner’s feet like they are slave. One more important reason to hate them is my girlfriend has pet dog, and as I said earlier many times she ignores me due to her pet. I may hate dog but I didn’t want to say NO to the boy at the moment. Also, I didn’t want to go into searching toys as I said my age of playing with toys had gone. So I said yes to this pappy toy and asked for price. ‘Whatever you give’ the boys said immediately. I don’t know why he said this but her mother immediately corrected him ‘its ninety rupees.’ I knew this puppy will not cost more that forty or fifty rupees but I don’t want to bargain with them so I gave hundred rupees note and took the puppy.

‘I don’t have ten rupees change’ toy seller lady searched in her money bag and replied. ‘Take this two balloon…it will balance everything’ boy suggested the solution immediately. I opened the heart for the boy and now boy was taking full advantage of his favor.  I took puppy and two red balloons and moved back to my original position. Toy seller lady wrapped her small shop and went away from there. Throughout the time toy seller lady was collecting toys in big box, boy was looking at me only and that too smiling and happily. Even while they returned boy waved his hand and said good bye to me. The smile at boy’s face filled me with the satisfaction that I made someone happy on the eve of happy New Year.

I was looking at the toy seller lady and son moving from there and someone touched my shoulder from back. I moved back and saw my girlfriend was finally arrived. She looked at me with surprise eyes but I looked silently to her. I was not sure what to say at the moment …should I say sorry to her …or let it be; why it’s always difficult for men to express his emotions. But before I said anything she said cheerfully ‘Oh my God…is it for me.’ For a moment, I didn’t understand anything but soon I realized she was looking at the puppy toy in my hand. ‘Yes…yeah …it’s for you only’, I haven’t decided the puppy’s fate yet so I didn’t hesitate to say yes. ‘You know I like pets and balloons…so you took these for me…right…how caring are you…so romantic…I like this’, My girlfriend got emotional but I didn’t understand what made her emotional…the puppy with me or me with puppy.

Nobody knows when women get red and when they melt. I never thought that she cursed me for such a small understanding that I missed to ask her the pickup point, and also I never imagined not even in thoughts that a puppy toy purchased from road side made her mood happy. Men may taunt a lot to women but there are certainly few good things about women. They may annoy frequently but they also get mollify very easily. People have wrong assumption about them that they like only expensive gifts like diamond necklace. Reality is this girl like gifts or anything that hints them that man is caring about her…it may be men’s praise, time or attention.

We entered inside the restaurant and my girlfriend moved to order counter, and I hold a table and sit there. My girlfriend was etching her head in order menu and it gave me time to think again. I really wanted to thank that boy as he made my New Year eve very special. He also proved my full circle theory of human desire true. I made him happy and he indirectly made me happy by giving me the right toy at right occasion. It’s true that everyone hold the key of someone’s happiness in this world; It’s just matter to identify that someone who has the key of our happiness. And you know, our heart is always pushes us towards that someone but we ignores him and later complains about happiness.

I was in thoughts and my girlfriend came and sat in front of me after placing the order. She started playing with puppy toy, and this is the thing I hate most about her; she gives attention more to pet then me. But at that time I was also in love with that puppy toy, after all it was he who made the mood of my girlfriend and ultimately saved my evening. My girlfriend was playing with puppy toy like he was alive; sometime she was rounding his ears, sometime rubbing hairs…and suddenly her hands reached at tail. She touched the tail and suddenly it started singing – Sheela…Sheela ki jawani…everyone around us was looked and smiled at my girlfriend, and it made her embarrass for a moment. In spite of her discomfort, I was laughing loudly at her like it was my intentional prank.  She looked me with her big round eyes and suddenly I stopped laughing. Now you could think of what she would tell me…why this song…you boys are so cheap…blah…blah. But don’t worry; now I know how to handle her…little care, little praise, little attention…and this is how circle completes…