Umeed’s friend
Pragati was rushing through her chores. Today, she had to reach office early. For her, 9:00 a.m is early. Why? Because she has to make breakfast, lunch, get her son ready, get ready herself and then go to work. Her work timings were such that she could not hire any part time help. The question was, at what time would she ask the house help to come? Hence, she does household chores on her own. Pragati’s son Umeed is in grade 4th. Pragati is a single mom. Two years ago, based on mutual understanding she and her husband separated. Her husband moved out of town. Pragati got the custody of Umeed. Her husband does his bit for Pragati and Umeed. The divorce was not an ugly affair. They had realised that they were not right for each other and hence for peace and happiness of everyone, it was better to part ways. That’s about it.
Umeed was okay with whatever happened. His parents loved him, spent quality time with him and he was happy. Nonetheless, there was one thing that troubled Umeed. Going to school alone and coming alone. It’s not that he did not like the bus ride or school, it’s just that sometimes his is the last drop and he is alone in the bus while coming home. No doubt the bus crew was safe, but, travelling for 30 minutes alone only with the driver and the bus attendant was not something he enjoyed. He wished there was someone to talk to. In school too, he did not have many friends because he was an immensely shy kid. He wished he had someone to give him company.
Umeed had not told this to his mom lest she would worry, but, one fine Sunday he blurted out every worry of his to Pragati. Pragati was taken aback. She wished she could drop Umeed to school, but her work schedule did not permit that. About friends in school, she could not do much. Friends happen, making friends is not magic. She just patted Umeed and said, ‘I am sure you will get friends soon. Till then please tell me every little thing that happens during the day. Please baby. Don’t hesitate to share your worries with me. I am always there with you.’ Umeed gave Pragati a warm smile and said, ‘I love you mom.’ Mom and son hugged each other tight.
Pragati knelt before her Almighty ‘Goddess Durga’, joined hands and said, ‘Maa, you know what you are for me. You have supported me in every step of my life. Today, I need your help again, this time it is for my son. Please solve all the problems of Umeed. Please give him friends and company. Please don’t let him feel lonely. I am there with him at home. Please be with him in his bus ride and school.’
Days passed. Umeed seemed to be very happy. He went to school everyday, enjoyed the bus ride home, did all his work happily and never complained of being lonely in school. There was a project of Pragati which was going live soon, hence Pragati was unable to take out time to talk to Umeed. She knew Umeed. If there was something, he would definitely tell her. Umeed seemed so happy, Pragati realised Umeed must have got friends, friends who make him happy. She could also see Umeed talking to someone over the landline phone. The talks were primarily about assignments, cars, games and so on and so forth.
Finally Pragati’s project went live and things were perfect and Pragati was back to her routine life and she took out all her time for her boy Umeed. Pragati asked Umeed, ‘My baby seems very happy. What’s the secret? New friends?’ Umeed grinned and screamed, ‘Yes mommmmm. I have a friend and I am so happy.’ Pragati laughed and said, ‘That’s so cool. Tell me about him now.’ Umeed smiled and said ‘Not “him” mom, it’s “ her”’. Pragati looked at Umeed giggling and said , ‘Don’t tell me you got a girl friend? Ha?’. Umeed laughed out loudly and said, ‘Yes mommy she is my best girl friend. Her name is Aishani and I call her Aishani ma’am. She is so nice mom. You know what, she stays in an apartment in our adjacent street. Hence she comes in my school bus. She gets off at the bus stop after my bus stop. I don’t have to come alone now. Best part is, she comes to meet me at lunch as well. She helps me in the projects, assignments and everything. The other day, I nearly tripped, but, she came out of nowhere, held my hand and said, “be careful baby”. She teaches History in the senior classes mom.’ Pragati was all ears when Umeed spoke. Pragati could not stop smiling. She then said, ‘ Tell Aishani Ma’am that I have said “thank you” to her.’ Umeed smiled and said , ‘Right away mom.’ He rushed to the landline phone, dialled a number and said , ‘Ma’am this is Umeed. My mom says thank you to you.’ Pragati just smiled from the dining table.
After couple of months, Pragati told herself, ‘I need to buy a little something for Aishani ma’am. She takes care of my Umeed so well. I will go meet her in parents teachers meeting.’
Pragati went to Umeed’s school and looked for Aishani Ma’am. It was a huge school. She asked Umeed’s class teacher about Aishani, but the class teacher replied, ‘ She must be from the senior grades. I am so sorry I don’t know her. Maybe you can check at the reception.’ Aishani enquired at the reception. The lady at the reception said, ‘Oh yes, she is a teacher in grade 9th. Please be seated, I will call her.’ A lady with plump structure, curly hair, wearing salwar suit came. She was wearing thick glasses. Pragati stood up and gave her a warm smile and said, ‘Hi, I am Umeed’s mom. Thank you so much for everything.’ The lady was perplexed. She said, ‘I am sorry, I did not recognise you.’ Pragati said, ‘You are Aishani ma’am, right? I am Umeed’s mom. Thank you so much for giving company to my Umeed and taking care of him.’ The lady gave a confused look and said, ‘ My name is Aishani, but I don’t know your son Umeed.’ Pragati was confused. She then asked, ‘Do we have another Aishani here, who commutes to sagar road in bus number 205?’ The receptionist checked the database and said, ‘We don’t have any other Aishani and there is no teacher commuting to sagar road in bus number 205.’
Pragati was in a daze. When she reached home she dialled the number Umeed had given her to reach Aishani. The number does not exist. ‘Who is Aishani??? Whom does Umeed talk to??’…. Pragati was scared. She called Umeed and asked, ‘Can you please describe how your Aishani Ma’am looks like?’ Umeed thought for a while and said, ‘She wears colourful sarees. She has straight jet black hair. She has pretty and beautiful big eyes. She applies kohl in them. She puts a big red dot on her forehead. And the strange part is, above the red dot, there is something that looks like an eye. I was surprised because humans don’t have three eyes. When I had asked her, she had said that it was just a birth mark or something.’ Umeed then scratched his head and said, ‘Wait a minute mom. I will show you a picture which looks just like Aishani ma’am.’ He then pulled Pragati to the prayer room and showed her a picture and said ‘Aishani ma’am looks just like her. Ditto.’ Pragati stood there frozen. She knelt down, joined hands and with tears gushing out from her eyes, she said ‘Maa Durga, I knew you are always there with me and my son. Thank you! Thank you so much maa. Thank you!.’
