Cherries Delight

What one percieves is just one probable result of a given situation, not always the correct one

It was a hot sunny afternoon. It was half past two. We were driving for the last 5 hours at a stretch. We had to make it in time to Delhi for the flight later in the evening. There was a thick fog when we left. Adwith was sulking in the front seat. We were searching for a good eatery( a dhaba) , motel or some place were we could rest. We were still on National Highway 24, on our way back from Corbett National Park.

Adwith always wanted to visit it. I wanted to make sure he wouldn't return disappointed this vacation. After all, we get to meet him only once a year, for less than month. He is put up in a boarding school in Lonavala, the place I lived all my childhood. A beautiful place where u know how to fall in love with nature. All of 7 years on this planet, he has already visited 4 national parks and sanctuaries. Thanks to his grandpa who cultivated the habit of him living in jungle resorts, tent houses. He spends most of his summer vacations with them and the winter vacations he comes down to us.

Sometimes I feel we missing out on a lot , as a family. Prathika is stuck with her projects and I am with my clientele. Half the time we are at project locations. With difficulty we meet up for a couple of hours over the weekends. Many a times I fail to understand if it is worth it all. In the end all this is for him, after all it is necessary to make sure my prince never lives a pauper's life.

We just couldn't speed up our journey. I couldn't travel more than a 25 kph till 1 in the afternoon . God save the traffic. Half the National highway was clogged too. Adwith has his flight at 8. Prathika is going to be furious. We had promised her that we would be back yesterday. We guys were having so much fun together we decided to leave early morning( which is nothing before 9 for my prince as this is his vacation time). Luckily we found a decent looking dhaba. I asked Adwith to go have a wash by the time I parked my car

Dad always does this. I love him for it too. Good we didn't leave yesterday. If we don't reach by evening then I can spend another day with dad and mom. Who wants to go back to that school. Darshan bhaiyya said that only children who are too naughty or whose parents are "dicosed" (read dicosed as divorced , just that Adwith is not so comfortable with vocab) are put into boarding school. But i am not so naughty and my parents live together. Then why me??Forget it. Nobody will ever tell me why. I just have to live this for the rest of my life. Let me go wash my face before dad comes , or else he will scold me for this again. How I wish mom was also with us. that would have been great. But dad says she wont get class first award if she came with us.

I am so hungry. Thank god dad stopped at least now. Dad wants all places to be like Hyatt. He wants it so clean, that's why he scolded me for eating gol guppa's ( snacks) at the hotel with Darshan bhaiyya

As I parked my car , Prathika called. She was worried where Adwith will miss his flight. Both of us are travelling tomorrow on work. So if Adwith misses his flight then who will take care of him. That would be a problem. She is still not lost her tendency of thinking the worst case scenario even when the probability of it happening is near zero. Well my stomach is grumbling. Let's see if we can get something decent and hygienic to eat here. This place looks good except for the fact that there are a couple of kids who are working here. Well there is nothing i can do about it now. I dare not ask Adwith to control his hunger a little more or else I wont be able to handle his tantrums. She is the only one who can control him when that happens. God only knows how she manages to do that.

"Table 4 tea has been served, the bada lorry chacha(big truck uncle) on the cot needs another roti( Indian bread). I hope no one else comes now, or else I will have to wait for Chotu to finish his lunch before I can have mine " --- Bantu was thinking all this as he was clearing the table. This was Bantwander Singh's ( Bantu for short) family run business. His dad was the cashier while his mom and grandma took care of the cooks in the kitchen. After morning school. he worked as a waiter as father felt, it will be doubly helpfull for him. One he earns his school fees and two, he will learn to talk to different types of people. Though he was just 7 years old , he knew what was happening. He was going to get a sister or brother by Lohri (a Harvest festival in month of January). He heard his parents speak one day of avoiding fizool karch( extravagance) so that they could save some for his studies and for the kid to come. While Bantu was clearing the table, Adwith 's car pulled into the driveway of the dhaba( Restaurant).

I sat down at the table the boy was just cleaning. Dad was on phone after parking the car. Guess he is sure of making it late for me to catch the flight... Yahoo I guess am not flying back to school today.

While Bantu was cleaning the table his grandmom came out and called him -" Bantu .. roti tyaar hain. Maa andhar tumhe bula rahi hain"( Bantu, rotis are ready. Mom is calling you inside). It surprised Adwith that this boys mom was around. The first look at him, he looked good- nice green t shirt and black shorts, a not so clean piece of cloth on his shoulder. Bantu went inside , got a few rotis in a plate and placed in the table behind his. Bantu then went and collected cash from the customers who just finished their tea. "Bapu, ye lo . 4 number table ka bees rupaik hue hain"( Dad, here are 20 Rs from table 4) . " Puttar. Ek kaam kar, chotu ke khane ke baad , jaa khana kaale aur so ja. shyam ko teacher jaldi aajavega"( My dear son, after Chotu's done with his lunch, go have yours and take a siesta. your teacher will be arriving early in the evening).

This boy is not bad. He lives with his family, teacher comes home and he gives food to hungry people. Grandad always said that is the best thing to do- feed the hungry. He gets to sleep in the afternoon too. I am hungry hope dad is finished talking on the phone. No he aint. Here comes the boy again. "Aapko English aati hain? " (Do you speak in English?) .

Bantu was startled. Right from the time the car drove into the parking lot he had been observing Adwith. When he first saw him he felt this boy was lucky - he got down from a big car. Something he always wanted. but there was something not regular with him. When the boy was washing his face and hands , his mom called him in and told him to take care of the new customers well as they seemed to be very well off. If they are happy then they will not only give them good money but will also ask whoever they know to visit their place.

"Yes. I speak in english, hindi and punjabi" bantu replied to Adwith's question. He whispered, not wanting to be caught talking by his dad. "You are alone here? You want to eat something?" Bantu asked him directly, not wanting to get into any other conversastion with the kid. "Yes, but i want to wait for my dad to come . He is there. You live here?Whats you name?" Adwith asked. He was fascinated by him. This was his first chance to speak to any one of his age who is not from his school or from the area they live in Delhi. He had never met anyone who worked and studied together. He always thought if any boy or girls works then they just work. Bantu was the first boy Adwith had met who knew English and worked in a hotel somewhere on highway.

"I know . Bantwander Singh is my name. I study in class 2 at the school in the village and the person there is my father. What is your name ?" Bantu asked as he pointed to his dad at the cashiers desk in the entrance of the dhaba. It took them less than 5 minutes to talk about the games they play and the cartoons they like. A small bond of friendship was born.

Phew!! It seems like hysteria has engulfed her . Hope we make the rest of the 100 kms in time. The traffic seems to still bad. It took us 5 hours for the last 120 kms . I really feel we shouldnt have made this stop. Now that tis kiddo is already well seated in a table, it will be difficult for me to change the plan. Hope they clean and tidy on the inside. I have already been on leave for a week this month. Cant afford anymore leaves. Who is this kid Adwith is talking to.?

"Hey you. Clean the table and get 2 glasses and a bottle of mineral water." Aaditya (Adwith's Dad) said in a harsh tone to Bantu. Bantu was taken aback.He was so busily chatting with Adwith that he didnt see Adwith's dad walk in. It also attracted the attention of his dad from behind the desk who gave him a cold stare. Bantu went in, washed his hands and then walked back with 2 glasses and a bottle of mineral water.Adwith sensed that he was a bit scared. He saw him carefully and sincerely do his work. The only mistake he did was to bring the cloth with which he cleaned the table alongwith him. It was on his shoulder. Adwith tried to alert him not to do so as he knew his dad might get annoyed with it. While he was pointing this out , Aaditya saw him. He thought Adwith was complaining regarding the dirty cloth . Aaditya was furious. He started shouting at Bantu and sent him in to keep the cloth back inside, wash his hands and bring two fresh glasses .While Bantu was inside, Aaditya went over to the cash counter and made a fuss over it. Bantu's Dad apologised and said he would make sure he will not get anymore chances to complain by the time meal got over. Still furious, Aaditya said he would prefer to have a quick glass of milk for Adwith and leave rightaway.

Oh no! I should'nt have done that. I can't even tell him what it was all about now. He wont listen. He will shout back at me for sure. Milk is all is it. There goes my lunch. Poor Bantu, he's gonna have it from his dad too I guess

I am done for good. That rich kid spoke so well to me when his dad was not there. Now he pointed out one mistake of mine. Bapu and ma are going to be very angry with me. I just forgot to keep the cloth aside. He could have told me about it instead of pointing it out in front of his dad.Just because his father owns that big car and my dad cant , he thinks he is great. Some day I will surely teach him a lesson.

Thank god. Now I can quickly get something light to eat , say some biscuits and chips and leave this place early before Prathika gets more hysterical. I was wondering how I could cut short this break. That cleaner gave me a nice chance and Adwith showed it out too.Now we can make it well in time .