Paper Pelage (standard:romance, 2754 words)
Author: Shamoil Ahmad	Added: Mar 23 2012	Views/Reads: 3115/2208	Story vote: 0.00 (0 votes)
Amna worked as domestic help in about four places.She wanted to get her son a quality education.

Click here to read the first 75 lines of the story

had descended. Bibiji had suddenly become so much occupied that she did 
not find any time for putting forth her demand. Amna had seen this 
sister-in-law from London earlier too. She was not this fat then. Those 
days she had long tresses and always had the extended end of sari over 
her head as a mark of deference to customs and traditions. But after 
going to London she had transformed herself completely. She had trimmed 
her hair and head was no longer covered in deference to customs and 
traditions. Amna was watching her activities from behind the door of 
the kitchen. She had put on a red gown. She had just stepped out of the 
bathroom and was drying her hair with a machine. Suddenly, the light 
went off, the machine went silent after a brief purring sound. 
Sister-in-law was furious. “My goodness...! Power is scarcely available 
here.....in our London it hardly ever goes even for a second...” Amna 
recalled those days when sister-in-law would dry her hair with towel. 
She would twist the towel giving it a shape of a rope and flail her 
hair to dry with it.... But now her hair was cut short. Sister-in-law 
placed the machine on the table and picked up a vial and sprayed on her 
body....and guffawed on something Bibiji said... “Really...?” “Oh 
no...!” “Good...very good...” Amna smiled...she had never seen 
sister-in-law thus speak in English. Devrani was seated close by. To 
Amna it appeared that she was not enjoying it a wee bit, but Bibiji 
seemed rejoicing it all. She was nodding her head in approbation on 
whatever the sister-in-law was saying. She had brought clothes for 
everybody from London. Suitcase lay open and the contents were on 
display. “In London no one wears the same clothe for more than six 
months...after six months they are put into dust bins.” Then one by one 
she began to take clothes out. “This for Munira...” “This for Usman...” 
“This jacket for Bhai Saheb...” Munira happily spread out her 
frock...and said with a start. “Mummy...look at this stain...?” Bibiji 
inspected it carefully. Sister-in-law said quickly, “Custom people have 
done that...they open up everything to check.” A fly was constantly 
nagging her by flying close to her face. She kept fanning it away with 
her hand. Finally, out of exasperation she said, ”My goodness...there 
are flies and flies here all around...you do not find any flies in our 
London...” Devrani could take it no more, moved into the kitchen and 
murmured, “In our London....in our London...as if she is a London 
born...the poor lady hasn't ever seen India...” Amna could not help 
laughing. She asked Bibiji. “What did you get...?” “I don't take things 
picked up from dust bins...” She really looked flustered. How could 
Amna have asked for her money in such a situation...? Bibiji was not 
rising from there. Finally, she returned without her money. This was 
what was happening for the past several days. She had remained unwell 
for quite some time in the recent past. If she happened to visit her 
for her money, Bibiji would cry hoarse lying on the bed making it 
impossible for her to make her demand. And on a day after recovery, 
when she went there to demand her money back, Bibiji was preparing to 
go out for shopping. “Don't you see the occasion...? Now when I am 
setting out for marketing, you have come extending your entreating 
arms.” It made Amna angry. Was she begging or was she demanding her own 
money? Amna was boiling from within, but she kept her cool and went 
back then. But on this occasion Bibiji claimed to have misplaced her 
keys. It was gradually dawning on Amna that Bibiji was not interested 
in returning her money. When she went back to the garage, she was 
thoroughly perturbed at the prospects. She was wondering...was Bibiji 
really not going to return her money..? Did she actually defraud her of 
her money...? Could she actually do that...? Did she have dearth of 
anything in her life...? She has such a sprawling house.... son too 
remits money from America....she gets her pension regularly....Why 
should she be interested in the money of the poor...? But she was not 
returning it either...Did she spend the money on her guests...? These 
are mere excuses...her intents are foul...whenever she went to demand 
her money back, she made excuses...and engaged her in doing this or 
that work...sometimes for washing linen...sometimes for grinding 
spices...sometimes for bringing myrtle leaves...It angered Amna no 
ends...why did she deposit her money with her...? It would have been 
better if Shubrati had caroused away her money...at least she would 
have had the satisfaction of having... Suddenly when Babloo asked for 
food, she got irritated. She planted a fistful on his back. “Always 
hungry...always hungry...” This unusual behaviour of Amna frightened 
Babloo and he strolled out sobbing bitterly. Amna threw herself on the 
bed and hid her face with her hands. Babloo kept sobbing. She heard him 
out for some time, then rose, took food in a plate and began to feed 
him with her own hand in the small garden. That night Shubarati 
returned late. He was in his elements. As was his wont, he sat beside 
Amna and began to massage her legs. Amna did not say anything. She 
closed her eyes. Amna felt she acutely needed Shubarati at this point 
of time...needed an outlet for her grief...she changed her stance and 
moved close to Shubarati. The following morning Amna made an early 
morning entry into the house of Bibiji. She had taken a vow this time 
that she would get her money back, come what may. But she could not 
open her mouth to say anything. Bibiji and Devrani were having fierce 
argument on some matter then. She did not think it appropriate to say 
anything. Amna returned. But she went back at noon. Coincidentally, she 
found her alone. Children were in the school. Sister-in-law from London 
had gone out. Devrani too was not at home. Finding the situation 
favourable, she made the demand. “Bibiji, my money...?” “What is the 
urgency for money...?” “Babloo's father is unwell. He has to be given 
treatment...” Amna lied. “Come in the evening...” “I need it now, 
Bibiji....it is urgent.” Bibiji stared at her for a while, and then she 
went inside the room and returned with an old TV set in her hand. This 
was a small black and white TV set of Texla Company. “You take this 
TV...” “What will I do with this TV...” Amna said in surprise. “I have 
spent your money...take this TV set in lieu...this is not less than 
rupees four thousand.” “Bibiji, I need money...what will I do with this 
TV...?” “Now how can I make you understand that I have no money right 
now...” Amna was stunned...Babloo's admission...? She felt like 
shrieking. But she controlled herself and said,”I had saved every paisa 
with great efforts and deposited with you for this day so that when I 
needed...” “What to do...? I spent it and did not remember...” Amna's 
eyes were full of tears. It was plain to her now that Bibiji had 
swindled her money. It made sense to take the TV set. She could 
retrieve some money by selling it. Finding Amna silent, Bibiji said. 
“TV will help you while away your time....your good-for-nothing husband 
who keeps loitering like a vagabond all the day will find some excuse 
to stay indoors because of this...” “My good-for-nothing husband does 
not steal others' money to make merry...” These words sprang out of 
Amna's mouth and Bibiji's face turned pale and placid. It surprised 
Amna that these words could escape from her mouth and in fact this also 
provided an outlet for some of her pent up feelings. Bibiji then spoke 
in confidence. “Look Amna....don't tell anyone that you took this TV as 
I failed to pay you your money...” Despite her intense anger, she 
allowed a sinister smile to spread out on her lips... When she reached 
the garage with the TV set, Babloo sprang with joy. “Amma...whose TV is 
it...?” Amna smiled. She laid it on the cot and switched it on. A film 
was being shown. Babloo was excited and happy. “Amma...! Is it 
ours...?” Babloo was unable to digest it. Amna nodded her head. Finding 
Babloo happy, Amna's tension began to ease. She sat on a cushion near 
the set and rested her legs on the cot....suddenly she remembered that 
this was how Bibiji sat while watching TV...a brief but mischievous 
smile emerged on her lips...It occurred to Amna that the gap that 
existed between her and Bibiji had narrowed down considerably and she 
had come to share her legacy and that she had become transformed into 
Bibiji herself. This TV that was once part of her property now belonged 
to her...Amna could not help smile at this realization. She felt a 
change in the ambience of the garage with this acquisition. She thought 
there was an occasion to celebrate this with a sumptuous meal. Amna 
rose and cooked Aloo Paratha (a North Indian delicacy), made khir 
(sweetened rice). She fed Babloo. Gave herself a good wash and changed 
her outfit. Combed her hair, applied powder on her face, made vermilion 
mark on her forehead and sat down on the cushion and waited for 
Shubrati to arrive. ‘He'll be taken aback....' He will think she had 
been stealing his money in order to save....but where was she going to 
get money from now....? After all Babloo has to be admitted in the 
school...she may have to take up more households...she will take 
advance from them...and she would keep her treasure buried in the 
ground... Babloo had begun to doze off after a while. Soon he fell 
asleep on the floor. She lifted him up and placed him on the bed. 
Shubarati came, but remained transfixed when his eyes fell on TV. When 
Amna told him smilingly that she had bought it, he stood 
stultified....he remained silent...he did not even enquire about the 
cost of it...He looked at Amna with some strange curiosity...he noticed 
a thin film of powder on her face and the sparkling mark of vermilion 
on her forehead. He had never seen her so well dressed when indoors. 
Shubarati restlessly loitered about in the courtyard for a while. When 
Amna asked if she should serve him food, he feebly said that he was not 
hungry. To her this behaviour of Shubarati looked strange. Amna's heart 
began to shudder at the thought of some unknown fear...why is he not 
speaking...? Why is he not happy to see TV...? When Amna came into the 
courtyard, Shubarati was gone. He did not return. Amna kept awake the 
whole night on the bed waiting for him. When he did not return in the 
morning too, Amna got worried. Just as she decided to move out to find 
him in the morning, she noticed him at the back of the courtyard. He 
was talking to Babloo. “Who are all those coming in the house...?” “No 
one...!” “What are the places Amma visits...?” “She goes for her 
work...” Shubarati went silent once his eyes fell on Amna. Shubarati's 
eyes were turning red and the face was getting grim...and it seemed to 
Amna as if someone had pierced an iron rod into her chest. She pulled 
Babloo into her bosom and began to sob bitterly... *** 


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