The Biscuit
The Biscuit
Kishen Lal was an old man now. He could not go out and sell the produce of the farms in the market. This job had now gone to his daughter in law. His job now was to tend to the two buffaloes in the barn and a six month old baby who lied all day on a small cot. The baby used to cry at all the wrong times. Kishen Lal once had to leave his "morning rituals" in between because the baby had started crying and Kishen Lal could not do it in so much noise. For all Kishen Lal cared, the buffaloes were better than the baby.
Kishen Lal's daughter in law was a very gentle lady, though after the day Kishen Lal had declared that he was old and could not work any more she had changed her ways a little. Now she used to call Kishen "a no good old man", when she talked to her husband about money. Kishen Lal never said anything in response but would start coughing rather loudly. This sometimes irritated her even more and she would start throwing utensils on the floor and start crying. The baby more often than not would also start crying. On these days Kishen Lal had to eat food with too much salt or sugar instead of salt. He still would not say anything because he was afraid his daughter in law might put something else in his food tomorrow.
Kishen Lal never complained about the changes that had come in his daughter in law, however he did miss one thing. She had stopped serving him biscuits with tea now. Kishen always had tea with biscuits but now even if he asked she would just say that there were none left. But Kishen knew, there were always some in the basket hanging from the roof of the hut. Kishen Lal had to spy on his daughter in law to get to the location where she had hidden them. He felt a little stupid when he realised that they were in front of his eyes always. Now he only had to wait for the next morning to get them. Kishen Lal kept looking at the basket all night and fell in sleep with contentment on his face.
Next morning after his son left for the fields and his daughter in law to the market Kishen decided to make a move. He quickly finished all his morning duties. Gave fodder to the two buffaloes and checked on the baby. The baby was asleep. "Thank God", he Sighed loudly.
He was now only minutes away from one of the best things in his life. He put some tea on the stove and a song on his lips. After five months he thought and smiled like a kid. Kishen Lal checked on the baby again. The little miscreant was asleep. This must be his lucky day, Kishen thought. He picked up a long stick and toppled the basket hanging from the roof. A red packet fell on the ground.
"Yes", he cried not too loudly. There was a little devil sleeping. He picked the packet but found only one biscuit inside. He still thanked lord almighty and promised to give him his share from the next loot.
Kishen poured his cup of tea and sat on the little cot in his room. He dipped his biscuit in the tea and thought, "what a wonder".
There was some noise from the baby's room. It had started crying again. Lapse of concentration and the tea soaked biscuit fell in the tea cup. "Aww, Fuck, Awwww", Kishen said and went to pick up the baby,
Kishen Lal's daughter in law was a very gentle lady, though after the day Kishen Lal had declared that he was old and could not work any more she had changed her ways a little. Now she used to call Kishen "a no good old man", when she talked to her husband about money. Kishen Lal never said anything in response but would start coughing rather loudly. This sometimes irritated her even more and she would start throwing utensils on the floor and start crying. The baby more often than not would also start crying. On these days Kishen Lal had to eat food with too much salt or sugar instead of salt. He still would not say anything because he was afraid his daughter in law might put something else in his food tomorrow.
Kishen Lal never complained about the changes that had come in his daughter in law, however he did miss one thing. She had stopped serving him biscuits with tea now. Kishen always had tea with biscuits but now even if he asked she would just say that there were none left. But Kishen knew, there were always some in the basket hanging from the roof of the hut. Kishen Lal had to spy on his daughter in law to get to the location where she had hidden them. He felt a little stupid when he realised that they were in front of his eyes always. Now he only had to wait for the next morning to get them. Kishen Lal kept looking at the basket all night and fell in sleep with contentment on his face.
Next morning after his son left for the fields and his daughter in law to the market Kishen decided to make a move. He quickly finished all his morning duties. Gave fodder to the two buffaloes and checked on the baby. The baby was asleep. "Thank God", he Sighed loudly.
He was now only minutes away from one of the best things in his life. He put some tea on the stove and a song on his lips. After five months he thought and smiled like a kid. Kishen Lal checked on the baby again. The little miscreant was asleep. This must be his lucky day, Kishen thought. He picked up a long stick and toppled the basket hanging from the roof. A red packet fell on the ground.
"Yes", he cried not too loudly. There was a little devil sleeping. He picked the packet but found only one biscuit inside. He still thanked lord almighty and promised to give him his share from the next loot.
Kishen poured his cup of tea and sat on the little cot in his room. He dipped his biscuit in the tea and thought, "what a wonder".
There was some noise from the baby's room. It had started crying again. Lapse of concentration and the tea soaked biscuit fell in the tea cup. "Aww, Fuck, Awwww", Kishen said and went to pick up the baby,
The End
