THE MAN

It was a humid summer afternoon in the month of April. The temperature was nearing 50 degrees. I was trying to run some simulations in my laptop for solving Maxwell's equations using Finite Difference Time Domain method. It was kind of complicated and new to me. I had books, notes, papers lying all around on my desk along with my laptop. Work was moving slow.

My little cousin brother got up from sleep and came into my room rubbing his eyes, walking slowly.

“Dada, what are you doing?”

“Trying to find out the imaginary part of effective permittivity of a multi layered metal dielectric composite structure excited by a plane wave having approximate Gaussian profile” I replied absent minded.

“I see. Can I play NFSMW on your laptop?”

I looked up from my notes. “Didn’t you hear what I just said! I am trying to work here. Go watch TV or something.” And I resumed my work.

“But you are reading form your notebook. I want to use the laptop”. He persisted in his innocent cute childish voice.

“Maybe you can play in the evening? We will have a competition to see who finishes a race in the shortest time. Okay?”

He seemed happy with the suggestion. “Alright” he said.

He went off to the drawing room to watch some TV. I resumed my work.

After around half an hour he came back.

“Dada?”

“yes.”

“I am hungry”.

My parents and Riju’s parents went to a marriage in Dehradun together. Initially they wanted us to go with them but I was tied up with my work in institute while Riju was not feeling well so they left him in my care and went ahead. I being the DADA was supposed to cater to all his wishes.

“Right now?”

“hmm mmm”

I got up from my desk. I too needed a break. I went to the kitchen and made some maggi.

We were having it together sitting in our room.

“dada”

“Hm?” I replied with a mouthful of maggi.

“Who is a man?”

I was kind of taken aback.

“What do you mean? Man is a male who is matured” I answered it in the most general way possible.

“When is a male matured?”

“When he can take responsible decisions”

“What is a responsible decision” he prodded further.

Now let me tell you my cousin Riju is not your regular 5 year old. He likes to think deeply regarding all topics even on issues like what could be the origin of alphabets, why dogs are better than cats, what should be the amount of water used for making the right magi! And mostly I was supposed to have answers to all these questions. So I was kind of used to having such discussions with him. !

“Responsible decisions means taking the decision which you feel is the best in a given circumstance” I tried to explain it to him.

“Are you a man?” his question was so honest I almost flinched.

“Yes... I am taking care of you and doing my work at the same time. In the institute I handle a costly lab. So yes I do think that I am capable of taking the best decision, hence I am a man” I tried to justify it to him.

“hmm. How do you decide what is the best decision?”

“Best decision is the one which is in the best interest of the concerned party” I was hoping he will be content by now.

“I don’t understand”. He stated simply finally giving up on the topic.

“Neither do I” I murmured.

Next morning was Sunday. Today our parents were supposed to be back. It was 8’O clock in the morning. A man used to come to our society to take away the garbage on a daily basis. Everyday sharp at 8 he used to ring the bell asking for the garbage. Today when the bell rang as usual I was expecting him at the door, instead I found a lean young boy, probably around 13-14 years of age standing at the door.

“Yes. ?” I asked.

“Saab, I have come to take away the garbage”, the boy replied.

“But everyday Raam singh used to come.”

“haan saab. I am his son. Raju”

“oh. What happened? Is Raam singh okay?” I enquired while handing over the dustbin to him.

“Haan saab. Actually few months back we found out that my elder sister has got T.B. For her treatment we will need extra cash. So my father took up the job of a night watchman in the neighbouring society. Last night when someone was trying to break in a flat he went to stop them. They fought back and hit him on his head. So for the next few days he won’t be able to come.”

“Oh. Is it serious?”

“He got a nasty cut on his head. The doctor put stitches. Hs says it will take roughly 1 month for him to fully recover”.

“I see. So now that Raam Singh is injured what about the job of night watchman?”

“They appointed someone else.”

“But then how will you guys manage the treatment for your sister?”

“We will have to manage sir. Maybe I will try to find some work in Annapoorna dhaba, they need someone to wash the dishes. Maybe they will take me as a part time worker. My mother was saying she will try to findwork as a maid in some more houses”

“I hope they do. And what about your school? You go to school?”

“haan saab. I am in class 6^th. No worries there. My school starts at 10 , by then I will finish taking garbage and after school i.e. 3 pm, I can work in the dhaba. The main crowd in the dhaba is in the evening anyways. I won’t miss school for anything”

“good” . I was feeling sad for him. “Do you want some advance? “

The boy folded his hands “Nahi saab”

I was impressed. “Are you sure? We can adjust it later, it is no problem”

“Nahi saab. It is enough you asked. My father says god never gives us any more trouble than what we are capable of handling. I am sure we can handle this. Moreover my father won’t like it if I took advance form you”

I was pleasantly surprised at his sense of self respect. Here was a kid not more than 14 years in age, but was ready to slog it out with his family against all odds. Despite living in such dire conditions, he still had firm belief in god. 

A streak of sunlight from the rising sun was falling on his face; he looked matured way beyond his age.

He finished putting the garbage in his gunney bag. “Achha saab” He started to go.

“Okay. Take care” I replied.

Riju was up and was rubbing his eyes sitting on bed.

I went to the balcony. After a while I could see him coming down carrying the gurney bag. He put it on his rickshaw. He got up and tried to move it by pedalling, but he was not able to do it. He got down and tried pulling it, with his right hand beneath the seat and left hand holding the left handle. The rickshaw moved slowly.

I called Riju out in the balcony.

“Bhai, see there.” I pointed at Raju  “He is the man”. 

By that time he was out of our society.