Mamta Kalia

“At times they charge so much for
saving your life that you have to rethink
about the purpose of your living,
and then even this camel with wings
becomes helpless as Sheikhs of middleeast
keep them in their custody.”
“You are right Thomas, these Sheikhs
are everywhere may be with different
names.” — Pankaj said.
“Even Banias are Sheikhs and Sheikhs
are Banias, this is something
complicated.”
“But sir, what about my double-shift
allowance? You will fight for me isn’t
it?” — Sozen had pleaded once again.
Thomas had flown away on his camel
with wings; morning was approaching.
Doctor had to come on round. Sozen
was back on her wooden stool. Pankaj
was also lying down on his bed intact
with syringes in both his arms. No one
knew where he had gone in the midnight.
He was looking at his running electrocardiogram.
He could not read that script.
he was not sure whether Sozen will get
justice for her double-shift rates or not
but he was sure of two things — one
that he will attend the marriage ceremony
of Sozen and Thomas on the day of their
wedding and second that a day will come
when he will eat the food i.e., gahad
ki daal and bajre ki roti cooked by the
woman at Chakrata hills, where he shall
have his piece of land as a likely gift
to his daughter.
All of a sudden he felt the touch
of a warm hand on his forehead. It was
Anupama, his wife who was telling Pankaj
that God had saved his life for her. He
looked at her innocent face and recalled
the words of Sozen. Then he thought
that Sozen was right. He will fight for
her double-shift rates, once he is out
of this hospital.
Tejinder, novelist and short story writer with books like Kala Azar
and Hello Sujit to his credit. He is Director, Doordarshan, Ahmedabad.
April-June 2010 :: 105