Dream under a pillow cover...

I was restless and couldnt sleep much last night.Unusually,  I woke up before sunrise. May be because of  the tension I had about today’s work. I have been assigned a bigger responsibility and I have to keep up to it inorder to survive in the business,
Afterall Life is a race.. !

I’m little too young to work  but I am happy,as long as I get to earn and I am independent. Well not really independent, But atleast my mother feels so.Well, I dint tell you where I stay right? I live in Hyderabad,
The City of Love... :)
Since generations we have been in Hyderabad. Over the years, now everyone in family knows each and every corner, every gully, road and buildings of whole hyderabad, except me. When we lived around old city, it did not help us much. The economy was ok kinds; well there is no monetary strength to be frank.
After shifting the business area to the heart of the city everything bloomed, our family business and economic strength. I have better friends now. Though initially we struggled a bit,later on I was able to cope up.

"Gopi....", My boss called me. "Haa Bhaiyya","jaldi se kuch khaa le aur jaane ko taiyyar hoja, Aaj tujhe badi important signal pe baithna hai.. "he said, smiling at me and holding my face in his hands.My eyes could only gleam on hearing it. My bhaiya, (My Boss ), says that since he started with his business with a group of beggars, I have been the best kid among all those he had trained. This makes my mother really
proud of me. My uncle is now in a better position. He does not go for begging now; he
trains new guys coming here and collects the money from them and then divides their
wages according to the collection.

“It has to be a great day’’, I told myself on the way to Hitech city.
It seemed like a very good place. I have never been here before. I really liked the big buildings and people around walking in a hurry, all of them working in those big buildings with bags on thier shoulders and in nice clothes.We soon changed into our begging clothes and daubed some mud on our faces and
sprinkled water to look totally tired. Bhaiyya made a fake mark of an awful looking
wound on my hand. But it looked so close to a real scar that it scared me looking at
it, as if I really had it!

We went to the first signal. It was the first as we entered in.
Knock knock. I knocked at the window of one of the cars at halt.  The lady just did
not pull the glass down. I begged her four times, still there was no reply. Heartless!
Bhaiyya signaled me to over act by saying I am hungry.
Now, time for next car. This time ,I did eating action too. The man was kind enough
and gave me 5 rupees. I prayed to god for his well-being.There came the next target on a two wheeler; then next in a shining big car. The whole two hours before lunch break went like this and I made good money. Then we went for lunch. Bhaiyya had arranged special treat for the two of us. He got chat, cold drink,
biscuit. I enjoyed it. Now it was time to go back and start with the work. The initial
one hour went little lazy. This was the after effect of good lunch, I presumed. This
car, then that auto and a few two wheelers with a few people walking by. It was a
tiring day and we decided to wind up by 4 o’clock. The vehicles drove by and I made
almost a fortune.

Bhaiyya shook his hand, asking me to come to him. This sign of his meant ‘pack-up’ for the day. Relief! From the scorching heat. While walking across the road, the signal

went red and I thought to myself that let me make use of it. But I had decided in my

mind that I will not give this money for the day’s collection. And call it my luck, an

auto with a kind looking girl stopped little behind from where I was standing. I

rushed to her and started with my job. I did not say much except for calling her Didi,

to get her attention; she turned to me. And I made the gesture that I am hungry and

begged her for money. She at once opened her brown purse. It looked very simple. She,

in fact, looked very simple. I guess her economy was not so good, but better than

mine. She took out a ten rupee note and gave it to me.

“TEN RUPEE!!!!!!”
This rang like a bell in my head and I was unable to move my hand to get it. Then Didi
said, “Take this.” Her voice was as sweet as my grandmother’s. I took it
in hand and with a feeble smile told her that this is the first time in life that
someone has given me such a big money note. And a tear rolled down my eye. She smiled
back at me and just then the signal went green. She left and I quickly hid that ten
rupee note in my shirt.

‘Ten rupee’, on my way back home, this was all in my head, all over my head, hands and
stomach. Bhaiya looked happy today. But at that moment, there was only one thing in my
mind.I rushed towards my place and shouted, “Maa! mera pillow cover kahan hai?” My
mother came in and opened her cupboard and gave me the cover. I looked at her and she
replied with a huge smile as she knew I was going to add money to the saving. She went
to check if anyone was standing near the door. Since this is a secret between me and
my mother.

She covered the entrance and came in to hug me.
“Maa,Dekho aaj meine kya kamaya? I pulled out the note.

Maa was extremely happy and replied to me by kissing my cheeks and hands. I have never heard my mother but she is the only person I understand the most and the one who understands me. She does not know how to talk.My uncle told me that she cant talk. But it does not matter to me. I love her.

Today, when I look back I can only think of the ten rupee note. My first ten rupee note. I know god will always help my mother in keeping my pillow cover safely. Once a good lady gave me this pillow cover when I was in Old city. Her son came running and said that she must not give it to me along with other clothes since he thought the pillow cover was lucky for his studies. And when I asked him how, he said he had it

since first standard and he used it during exams and got good grades. I did not know anything about standard and grades but I knew studies, as once my uncle told me that people, who study, live a good life. Since then I believe this cover will prove lucky for me too. Someday even I will be studying. I will also carry a bag wear nice clothes and walk around those big buildings in a hurry. :) Uncle says it will require money

and so I am saving for it, secretly. I do not know when I was born or how old I am but I know I will start living when my dream will come true. One day it’ll be my lucky pillow cover...!!! :)