A Lonely Childhood

Childhood can’t be merely expressed in words.... It is an experience that each and every individual have in their lifetime, whether it is joyous or full of disappointments.... but as we say if there is someone to share, your sorrows can decrease..... But it is ironical that some children despite of having a loner childhood also face the hardships of life.....

 ONE FINE DAY.......

I was returning from the office and my family was not at home.... I had to manage the dinner on my own... So I thought it’s better to have dinner outside rather than to make on my own... I went to a nearby restaurant and saw it was not open.... As I was having a fetish for some spicy food that day so I went to a street food vendor to have some lip smacking food... to what I saw there it made me think again....

Although I knew that child labour is practiced but somewhere in the mind I started thinking that due to a lot of awareness these days throughout the world especially regarding this, that it will be in its deteriorating phase... But this too have another perception, sometimes children are not made to practice labour, in fact to earn a daily meal it becomes a necessity for them to work.... it is not right to always blame the person who have not necessarily compelled a child to work.... But if a child works, it definitely reflects the poverty of a nation and its helplessness to raise its children and to give them at least an adequate childhood...

After having the food I stayed there for some more time.... The only reason was to speak to the child working there... As he finished up serving other people, I called him.... Initially he wasn’t willing to come but when I asked again, he came to me.... I assured him that I had taken permission from his owner and now he can interact with me without bothering....

 And we began to converse....

Me: what’s your name?

He: ‘Raman’...

Me: such a nice name.... from where you have inherited this name? Your mother must have given you... Am I right?

He: No, I haven’t seen my mother... I m alone and brought up on the streets.... But I like reading a lot of books... So, I read somewhere about C.V Raman and want to be like him.... Therefore, I gave a name to self....

I was stunned with his answer... A kid who hadn’t seen his parents and works with a street food vendor knows about C.V Raman...

Me: so don’t you feel lonely without your parents or any person whom you can regard as your relative?

He: Initially I used to, but since I have started reading books, I have found everything in them...moreover all the relations are till an individual’s death but wisdom is something which lasts with an individual even after his/her death....

(I was touched with his thoughts of life)

Me: Its good...so how old are you?

He: I don’t know and perhaps I don’t care... you can assume me as a 12 year old boy....

Me: Do you go to school?

He: No... I don’t have enough money to afford school fee, but I like studying very much...

Me: So, how do you study?

He: The money I earn here, I spend all of it on purchasing books...

Me: And what about the food? You don’t eat anything...

He: The owner provides me with the meal...

Me: and where do you stay?

He: In this shop... after finishing the work, the owner locks me in the shop and then leaves for his home...

Me: so for how long are you working with him? Does he compel you to work with him?

He: no, not at all... in fact he is a very good human being.... he stood for me when I was alone, used to roam on the streets in search of food and shelter....Once I got unconscious and fell down... He saw me, took me to the doctor, and provided me food... Then I myself asked him if I can work with him...

Me: hmmm.... don’t you like to play any sport?

He: Yes, I do like... The thing is that I don’t get time for these activities.... but yes, whenever I get time, I play football with my street friends...

Me: So, do you want to work here for the rest of your life?

He: absolutely not... I told you, I want to be like C.V Raman... I m a firm believer of God and is waiting for a person who will guide me in being the same...

Me: Have you eaten something today?

He: yes, a piece of bread in the morning...

Me: just sit here for a while; I will get you something.....

 He was so undernourished that his skeleton was quiet visible on his skinny body... Its mere a coincidence that I get to talk to one of the abandoned kids but there must be so many other kids in the world who are going through the same phase and so many who already have died facing this and some who survived must have been facing the daily trauma.... It’s ironical that to whom we regard as the future of any nation suffers these conditions and don’t even get proper diet for days....

I went to his owner and asked him to provide food for the kid which he makes for the customers, and told him that I will pay for it... I took the food to the kid and resumed the conversation...

Me: hey Raman, this is for you...

He: thanks but I don’t need any favour...

Me: I respect your sentiments but it’s not a favour... today is my birthday... so I just like to give treat to people...

He: thank you for this....

 He began to eat the food... The smile he was having while eating that food was worth preserving... It seemed that he got what he was waiting for a long time... “A proper diet” perhaps.... He finished the food...

Me: did you like it?

He: yes, thanks again... and well I forgot to say, Happy birthday...!!

Me: oh thanks, so sweet of you.... now listen to me... If I will admit you to a school, will you like to study there?

He: see I don’t want any kind of monetary favour from any one... but as I told you can you be a guide to me?

(The kid was such high on his integrity that he didn’t even wanted a penny of help)

Me: I can definitely do it but for that also you need to go to the school...

He: but that certainly means I have to take your help monetarily... Is there a way out if I can pay for my own education?

Me: yes... but for that you have to give the scholarship exam... and for the exam you have to pay the fees... from where will you arrange the money?

He: I will arrange that... but I don’t know from where to buy the form?

Me: don’t worry about all that... I will manage all that stuff for you...

 And again the boy was smiling as he got the world full of happiness... he was excited to hear all which I told him and it seemed that he started imagining all of his dreams... and I was happy to see him realising his dreams....

He: sir, I don’t have words to thank you... I was waiting for a guide... didn’t know that I will get one soon...

Me: don’t need to thank... I am happy to help you... just take it (I gave my cell phone no. to him)... and I will come to you tomorrow... now it’s so late and you go to sleep now... your owner is also going... and if you find any problem, just call me on that number... just go now...

He: (with a smile on face) thank you again....

 And he went to his shop... I too left the place with happiness in my heart so as I will be instrumental in someone’s life... but on the same hand I was feeling how a life can be without a family, without your parents and most importantly without a proper meal of a day... when you don’t have a roof on your head and a path to follow how can you lead your childhood and imagine of a brighter future... this seems pretty easy to be tackled but in the real world, it’s only ‘A LONELY CHILDHOOD’...