Here is my first short story.......check it out. Do not forget to post your comments. Next part on Monday.


THE TEA-STALL
                 Ipsita Choudhury


       Kalu  stood in front of the shop, under the tree, watching as he always did, the bus disgorging its occupants. The children, tumbling out excitedly chattering and laughing as they streamed in through the school gates. Lines of buses all bringing students to the school. This was a scene he was never tired of watching. Then he heard the bell and the gates closed bringing him back to earth.

Kalu’s day had begun early, washing and scrapping the utensils, cleaning out the tables and shelves before the first customers arrived for the early morning cuppa. The owner, his distant uncle, had brought him from his village and put him to work. Kalu remembered that day well. How could he forget? The trauma of leaving his little sister, his friends back home and being thrust into the hustle bustle of the city. Now his life was confined to that ten ft by eight ft tea stall; his workplace and home.

Late that night Kalu asked his uncle, “Chachu, what do these children do within those high walls?” “Can I go in and look?”

Chachu remained silent, suddenly waking up with a jolt to the fact that Kalu too was a child, curious and impatient to discover. What could he reply. He said, “Go to sleep child, tomorrow is again a long day”

Silently Kalu turned aside and drifted off to sleep thinking of wonderful magical things inside those gates. Those high walls seemed to mesmerize him, making him yearn to discover the unexplored…..if only he could discover the key to this unknown magic world.