Something to think about
Tamara got a lot of presents from her parents on her birthday. But she didn’t get what she asked for –
a digital camera and she was very unhappy. “You are still too small for a camera of your own. When you are big enough, we promise to buy you one,” her mother said. “Till then you can use the family camera anytime you want.” “But that doesn’t have all the latest features!” Tamara pouted. “But it works just as well!” her mother said. “Look at all the gifts you’ve got. All your aunties and uncles will be coming for dinner tonight. You have lots of presents to look forward to!” her mother said smiling. “But I won’t be getting any camera, so what’s there to look forward to?” Tamara replied
unhappily. She looked at the gifts given by her parents. There was a dolly in a pretty pink dress, a pair of new shoes, storybooks, some CDs of her favourite movies and games. But Tamara was unimpressed. She walked into the garden, pouting.
A nice smell of food was in the air. “Jane amma must be cooking for tonight’s dinner!” thought Tamara and she walked towards the kitchen. Jane amma – Tamara’s domestic maid was an excellent cook. Tamara went near the kitchen and peeped through the door. Jane amma was busy chopping something and next to her stood another younger woman, Tamara had never seen before.
She was stirring something on the stove. Sitting not too far from them was a small girl peeling some
potatoes. “Who are these two?” Tamara thought looking at them curiously.
Jane amma turned to get
something and saw Tamara.
“Chooty baby, do you want
something or are you hungry already?” she asked smiling.
Tamara kept on staring at the two strangers. The woman smiled and the girl kept on staring back at Tamara. “This is my daughter!” replied Jane amma, reading Tamara’s thoughts.
“And that is my grand-daughter. They’ve come to help me with the cooking for tonight!”
Tamara stood near the kitchen door till the small girl finished
peeling the potatoes. “Can I play with her?” she asked Jane amma. “If you’re done with that go and play with Chooty baby,” Jane amma told the small girl. The girl came out
wiping her hands on her frock which looked a little too big for her. It had all kinds of stains on it. “How old are you?” Tamara asked her. “Ten,” she replied meekly. “So am I. Today’s my birthday!” Tamara said in surprise. The girl was much smaller than her in size. She just stood staring at Tamara, looking very timid.
“Jane amma can cook really well!” smiled Tamara, trying to sound friendly. “Does your mother also cook for another house like Jane amma?” “No, she hasn’t done that before. But now she might have to…” replied the girl. “What do you mean?” Tamara asked sounding confused. “Since my father went missing, we don’t have any means of living,” said the small girl and tears gathered into her eyes. “What happened to your father?” asked Tamara, shocked at what she just heard. “The fishing boat my father and the others were in went missing because of the bad weather,” the girl said digging the ground with her toe. Tamara remembered hearing this on news a few weeks ago. It was one of those stories she heard, felt sorry and then forgot all about. But now she could see it was reality that some others had to live with.
Tamara held the little girl’s hand. “Don’t worry. I am sure he’s alright! He might come home one of these days,” she assured the girl. “I hope so…” said the little girl but there was uncertainty in her voice. “Are you the only child?” Tamara asked the girl. “No, I have two older sisters and a younger brother and a sister,” replied the girl.
“How can such a big family live on what her mother earns by helping in the kitchen?” Tamara thought
feeling very sad for the little girl’s family. “I had to stop going to school too!” said the girl. “Once Amma starts getting enough work, I am going to start going to school again!”
Tamara was too shocked to talk. Stopping school at such a small age was not a good thing at all. “What if she never gets to go to school again?” thought Tamara. “What about her sisters and brother? What will happen to them?” “I am so sorry to hear all this!” stuttered Tamara. “Don’t worry about us!” smiled the girl. “I believe that everything will be alright. I will be able to go to school again and things will get back to normal someday soon!” Tamara looked at the courageous little girl and felt ashamed of herself. Here she was fussing about not getting the exact gift she wanted when this little girl her age, who has lost almost
everything she had, stood in front of her with hope lighting in her eyes. “Come inside, I have a gift for you!” Tamara smiled pulling the
little girl by her hand. “I’ll give her one of my birthday presents… the pretty dolly in the pink frock! That will make her happy, at least for a while!” she thought. “I am going to talk to my Daddy and get him to help this little girl and her family!” Tamara promised herself as she walked into the house with the girl. “I am so blessed but I would have never realized it if I didn’t meet this little girl!” she thought.
“From now on, she’s going to be my friend and I am going to help her!”
A quote Tamara had read
somewhere came to her mind.
‘I kept on complaining about not
having shoes until I met someone who had no legs!’ “How very true it is!” Tamara thought holding the little girl’s hand tight.
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