The Indispensible Onion (standard:Fan Fiction, 775 words)
Author: Juggernaut	Added: Jun 06 2011	Views/Reads: 3281/2084	Story vote: 0.00 (0 votes)
A story on "Onion Raju", an onion vendor in daily market.

Click here to read the first 75 lines of the story


meat.  When all said and done, the thick tasty, yellow, spicy, gravy 

dominated the meat dish with little or no meat aroma. 

Juggernaut on a rare visit to his old country, visited the 

daily market to see ‘Onion Raju' from whom he used to buy onions.  Raju 

was his name but everybody called him ‘Onion Raju' since he sold only 

onions. His father and his grandfather before also sold only onions 

from the same location. The market underwent many changes, and 

Juggernaut had tough time to find his way to Onion Raju's stall. 

Eventually, he asked a fruit vendor whereabouts of Onion Raju. “Onion 

Raju's stall was relocated to another section of the market,' said the 

fruit vendor and gave the directions to his stall. 

“Do you remember me,” asked Juggernaut addressing an old man 

sitting behind a mountain of red onions. 

“Sure, sir, I remember you; you look just like your father,' 

said Onion Raju with a broad smile on his face.”  He wore a white 

turban made from a long piece of white coarse cotton to protect his 

head from summer temperatures that can go up to 110 degrees on some 

days; his white bushy mustache covered part of his mouth, and his face 

was severely weathered from exposing to the harsh elements leaving deep 

wrinkles; the smell of dry onions filled the air around his stall. 

“It is good to see you after so many years,” Juggernaut was 

genuinely happy to see Onion Raju. 

“Well, your mother still visits me to buy onions, not that 

often though.” 

“OK, what about your children?” 

“Well, both my daughters are in America now studying computer 

science,” Onion Raju looked proud. 

“I am so glad your daughters doing well in education.” 

“Well, all of my life I have been selling onions and with the 

money saved I sent them to America to better themselves; I am satisfied 

that they were doing well there, hopefully they get a job and settle 

there permanently, you know.” 

“Sure, they will get a good job and you can visit them too.” 

“With God's grace it could happen.” 

“You know onions are cheaper in America than here.” 

“Oh, really?” “Do Americans eat lot of onions?” 

“Not really.”	“Here unlike other vegetables, onions are 

always in demand in all seasons; how much a kilo of onions today?” 

“Sir, for you it is only 60 rupees per kilo,” Raju was 

scratching his head. 

Juggernaut knows it was over-priced and yet he bought few kilos 

just to satisfy Onion Raju. 


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