Evanescent Luxuries

1.

Like many eight year olds, Sinbad played around till late evening dismissing his mother's warning words - "return home before sunset". It had barely been precious few days since he had moved into his new home. However, that by no means intimidated young Sinbad's fragile mind. Perhaps he was now accustomed to the fear and insecurities kids like him faced when they transit into new phase of life. But again, Sinbad's life was already an adventure. The thrill he got from meeting new people and boasting about his new house never seemed to bring satisfaction. He boasted and boasted and boasted until his peers were reduced to ashes by the fires of jealousy. Then he blew them away with a subtle sense of cockiness by telling them that he would be on the television one day with Shahrukh Khan and if he gets really lucky, then Salman too!

"Bhaiya, Bhaiya! Ma tujhe ghar bula rahi hai... keh rahi hai ki aaj teri kher nahi!" (Brother, brother! Mother is calling you home... she says that today you won't be spared) says she in a worried yet adorable stutter of a four year old. The colour of his face which was once violet with vanity had already flushed to a pale pink color when he saw his younger sister trotting towards him. He knew he had to brace himself from his mother's roar and a spank or two perhaps! As he returns to a sudden realization of reality, he grabs the wrist of his little sister and runs towards his new home. His rubber chappal claps on the asphalt of Abdul Kalam Road as runs along the accelerating cars whizzing past him. His eyes are lost in the thoughts of his mother's rage as he enters the bannered gateway of his home - "The Orchid Hotel". Everybody who went past the structure dreamed of spending nights in the place, you could see the lust of luxuries in their eyes. The only difference was that they would check in once the small sign post beside the main gate would not be there anymore. The sign post was vital in many ways. The watchman took cover behind it when he was asleep. It also excited the posh businessmen who wanted to give their clients a sophisticated reception. For Sinbad however, it was a sign of his home which said - "Under Construction". 

Upon entering the door-less gate of the concrete structure, Sinbad expertly dodges a deadly 'belan' (rolling pin) thrown towards him. Far away from the 'kitchen' he hears angry mumbles of his mother's curses. Bereft of any light whatsoever, the cemented rooms are illuminated by the firewood flames of the makeshift stove. On one side of the hall lays his father on the sheet-covered, untiled floor. His branch-like hands over his bony body which is expanding and contracting. He is more of a corpse than he already looks, the life of a construction worker can be tiring... Not just physically, but mentally. It was the same with his mother, and if not the same, it was a step higher. She had been a strong soul, had drowned her dreams in obligations of her family. "I wonder why mother is so irritated always" Sinbad thinks to himself. 

He was proud of his father's work; he was an artist for his son. All the famous television, movie and sport stars walked on the bricks that his father had lain. Although Sinbad wondered why they would never come to meet them, rather would shake hands with those people wearing black coats on white shirts with a fancy tie! Was it the nibbled tank top he wore that drove them away from him? - He wonders. 

He goes to the abandoned house near the masjid where his friends come along with their dusty schoolbags. The teacher is an old woman who has retired from being in a government school. Her health had taken a toll on her capabilities to impart her knowledge, so she had decided to use her depleting capabilities to good use and teach the children who her relatives referred to as 'urchins'. She didn't like that word. It gave her an impression that her students were pests in the society, an abomination. However, it did not stop her from teaching them; she was in love with the fact that she was giving back something which life had given her... or at least trying to.