Second part of my short story.............THE TEA-STALL

Summer had reached the city and everything was boiling. Kalu could make out the irritation and heat in the words of the customers. The lazy chitchat, hands lovingly holding on to the heat of the glasses of tea had disappeared. It seemed everyone was in a hurry, rushing, rushing away to the cool confines of their homes, impatient to cool off wanting to take off the dust and heat of the sun.

Summer had brought quiet to the street, the buses no longer plying. No laughing children, no daily bells and closing of gates. Only the lone chowkidar at the gates.

Kalu looked up at the skies, steel blue and hurting, not a shred of wind. He yearned for his village, the riverside frolic with his friends. He felt alone, completely alone far away from the loud noises, the blaring music from the barber shop nearby, the shouts of the cart pullers, the cacophony of myriad voices…

“Kalu, Oye Kalu, come here”

Kalu woke up, it was his uncle. Swiftly he ran inside, “yes Chachu”

“Son, go to the school and deliver this jug. Be careful, it’svery hot” “Its coffee”

“ Go inside and ask the chowkidar where to deliver”

Kalu was stunned. Finally he will be able to go inside the gates! What luck. He couldn’t believe his ears.

Carefully balancing the jug with both hands Kalu reached the other side and walked timidly to the chowkidar

“Sir, I have brought coffee, where should I deliver it?” The chowkidar looked up, busy chatting on his mobile.

“Go inside the building, somebody will guide you to the pantry”

Kalu ran inside, his bare feet almost soundless along the corridors,eyes darting here and there,open in wonderment. So many rooms,such cool walls.Ah! what was that? Something written and bright like a splash against the walls. He could not understand but the colors seemed to speak to him,bursting into his soul.Kalu was mesmerized and stood rooted to the spot.

“Oye, beta…who are you? “Are you the tea seller? Did you bring the coffee?” One after the other, the questions brought him out of his reverie. Oh yes, the coffee. My goodness,what was he thinking?

“Yes,sir,here it is”

“Come,quick. You are already late, don’t dawdle”. Here is the money. Do not loiter,mind you.You may go now” the peon admonished.

Kalu went back along the corridor but his steps slowed down as he neared that wall. What could it mean,what did the words say? Should he ask somebody? A million questions seemed to crowd his mind. Tentatively he put out a hand, softly touching the bright colors

Kalu could not forego this chance of exploring. Slowly with trepidation he went along the corridors and looked at the closed doors wondering what could be inside.  “ What did they the kids do inside?” “what did they learn?” How he longed to find out.

He tried to look inside the windows but they were all barred making him think of his own barriers.

 Lying on the bed  that night, Kalu’s mind went back to that splash of colors like a magnet. The bright oranges,bold reds,the pastel greens reminded him of his village,the summer skies,the sunsets,the soft sunrises above the green fields. He could see himself running with his sister, hand in hand amidst  the yellow mustard fields. “Bhaiya,bhaiya” echoing off the hills.

Watch this space for the concluding part