PET OF THE VILLAGE-short story
Anthony felt very happy and proud when he got third rank in the national medical entrance examination. His house was a hut in the seashore. His father, Joseph was a fisher man. His mother, Mary sold fishes in the market.
Anthony asked his father” Appa how can I go for the course? We may need a lot of money for tuition fees, books, hostel fees etc-How can we manage all these?
“Can’t we take loan from the bank? Hope of light glittered in the eyes of the old man.
“Yes father, we will try today itself.” thus both went to a bank nearby and met the manager.
The manager looked at the neat less old man with the smell of fish. His look with hatred pierced through the chest of Joseph..Manager asked in a sharp tone:” What is your repaying capacity?We want guarantee.Do you have any property?”
“Property???????
For a moment silence touched t his tongue .Then it moved slowly with a low voice
“Yes three cents of plot given by the government...In it I made a hut too...All my neighbours sold the property .But I didn’t do sir.”Joseph said to the manager. Same moment ,he was thinking about the damaged roof through which the stream of rain comes down and makes a pool in the middle of the bed room.
“Sorry...We can’t give the loan.”
“Sir we have read in the news paper that you are giving loan for students without any guarantee. "Anthony told in a low voice
“Yes. But most of them do not repay. So we can’t give the loan with out ant guarentee.”
"Sir please... my son got 3rd rank..I am sure he will repay the loan after getting a job"
“No..no...please...” the manager stood from his seat and 'vanished' to an inner room...They waited there for some minutes without knowing what to do and then walked towards the hut.
Both were very tired after the walk and sat in the veranda .Anna gave them buttermilk and said:
“Your face looks very sad. Don’t worry. A door will open for our kid.”Anna consoled them
“Oh we are poor. Who is going to help us? Joseph murmered.
Anna didn’t listen what her husband said. She was thinking the way s to get money.
“Can we approach the bishop for help? Once he was our neighbour. " She looked at the face of her husband with hope.
“Oh...you always think well than me. our son got the wisdomfrom you only .”
“You always love me .so why you find everything good in me...”
“Yes. I can give you love .It is free of cost.” He smiled and continued:
“But we can’t give love instead of fees..You know The Bishop’s sister Mariya was my best friend .We went together for selling fish and to the church .Our bishop was a thin boy then..He loved us so much.”
“Yes. He was the first priest from our village. We always feel proud of him”
“But Mariya is rich now. She got big house ,car, gold ornaments, silk saris and rubber estate. In the church she sits in chair. Now she won’t smile at me or talk to me. Bishop gave her everything .Now she is not Mariya ,Mrs John.”
“I know john from his child hood .Our father‘s were friends. They went together for fishing. It was the bishop who helped John to become a famous contractor The bishop is generous. Tomorrow we will go to the bishop’s house in the town.
The next day they reached the Bishop’s house. It was a palace. In front of the building there was his foreign vehicle which costs millions of rupees. Security welcomed them with a smile .He was a far relative of Joseph. His name was Vincent. He enquired the purpose of the visit. Joseph told his need.
Vincent looked at his face with sympathy.
“You know our old priest changed a lot when he became a bishop. Now he is a true business man. From LKG to MBBS he collects admission fees in lakhs.”
Joseph didn’t understand what he said. So again Vincent explained:
"That means we have to give two lakhs donation to get a an admission in LKG in St.Satan's school.
“Oh Jesus..”Josph stood widening his mouth...
“Even then there are sixty or seventy students in each class. The rich people come and throw money as easily as we purchase low cost fishes.”
“Why did he want such a lot of money? Hearing the question Vincent smiled.
He is generous .Nothing for himself. He divides it to a group of fathers. They purchase new foreign vehicles, plantations, new computer equipments, visits foreign countries, lives in star hotels, gives help to their own families. You know nowadays poor people are strictly prohibited from the premises of bishop's house”
”Is it? Then can we meet the bishop? he asked ina frustrated tone.
“Surely I will help you. Wait a little. Now there are some parents for buying MBBs seats. When they go out , we will get a gap.” hearing this Joseph relaxed with a smile.
After some time they saw some upper classed men coming out from bishop's room. Laughing and talking loudly they came down and pressed their keys to open their vehicles. When they started their vehicles Vincent called Joseph and anthony to follow him. They reached a cool room. Joseph thought the bishop would identify him. They stood in front of his door and glanced at him. He was writing something in his diary. Without raising his head he raised his right hand and showed the signal to entre. They went in and bowed their head to their knees .Bishop extended his hand . They kissed the golden ring.
“What you want ?Tell me in brief .I am very busy with work.”
“May be you know me. I was your neighbour in the fishermen colony..
A flash light of shock passed through the face of the bishop. But suddenly he overcome the Situation and said :
“Sorry I don’t know anybody there. Years back we stayed there. But I can’t recollect anything? Now what you want?”
“My son got third rank in the national MBBS exam” Anthony stood proudly raising . He thought the bishop will appreciate him. But without raising his head from the righting pad he asked
“Is it? What you do?”
“A poor fisherman...FATHER , Would you help my son to pay the fees?
“If you can’t pay the fees why did you force him for MBBS? It is very risky. You take him with you for fishing and earn money. That will be better. Don’t live in dreams .Be practical and live like normal man. You want money for the bus ticket? Bishop raised his head and opened a purse..”
“No FATHER. We have the money. It is very kind of you to give your great advice.”He said with false courage and sweating.
“Ok God bless you “ He said and turned to concentrate on his writing pad.
Tears rolled down through the cheeks of Anthony.
They came out of bishops room with Panic overcoming faces.
Vincent was quietly waiting outside. After a deep silence he murmured “He is changed a lot...”He looked at Joseph as if he lost all his senses. Joseph’s face was hanging down overlaid with shame and misery.
“Trust in God...not in human Gods...”Vincent whispered.
Joseph nodded his head and said goodbye to him.
When they reached near the house they saw a crowed in front of their house.
It was a group gathering of the fishermen to congratulate Anthony. They determined to raise a fund for his study. But there was one condition , he should work for his village. Anthony agreed.
Years passed. Anthony passed the MBBS exam with first class. He got a Govt job in city hospital. But he requested transfer to his own rural village. His mind was longing to do something for the people who loved him. When he became a doctor in the home village hospital he became very happy..The aged ones lovingly called him ‘our child’ and he became the pet of his village
NIRMALA JAMES
Anthony asked his father” Appa how can I go for the course? We may need a lot of money for tuition fees, books, hostel fees etc-How can we manage all these?
“Can’t we take loan from the bank? Hope of light glittered in the eyes of the old man.
“Yes father, we will try today itself.” thus both went to a bank nearby and met the manager.
The manager looked at the neat less old man with the smell of fish. His look with hatred pierced through the chest of Joseph..Manager asked in a sharp tone:” What is your repaying capacity?We want guarantee.Do you have any property?”
“Property???????
For a moment silence touched t his tongue .Then it moved slowly with a low voice
“Yes three cents of plot given by the government...In it I made a hut too...All my neighbours sold the property .But I didn’t do sir.”Joseph said to the manager. Same moment ,he was thinking about the damaged roof through which the stream of rain comes down and makes a pool in the middle of the bed room.
“Sorry...We can’t give the loan.”
“Sir we have read in the news paper that you are giving loan for students without any guarantee. "Anthony told in a low voice
“Yes. But most of them do not repay. So we can’t give the loan with out ant guarentee.”
"Sir please... my son got 3rd rank..I am sure he will repay the loan after getting a job"
“No..no...please...” the manager stood from his seat and 'vanished' to an inner room...They waited there for some minutes without knowing what to do and then walked towards the hut.
Both were very tired after the walk and sat in the veranda .Anna gave them buttermilk and said:
“Your face looks very sad. Don’t worry. A door will open for our kid.”Anna consoled them
“Oh we are poor. Who is going to help us? Joseph murmered.
Anna didn’t listen what her husband said. She was thinking the way s to get money.
“Can we approach the bishop for help? Once he was our neighbour. " She looked at the face of her husband with hope.
“Oh...you always think well than me. our son got the wisdomfrom you only .”
“You always love me .so why you find everything good in me...”
“Yes. I can give you love .It is free of cost.” He smiled and continued:
“But we can’t give love instead of fees..You know The Bishop’s sister Mariya was my best friend .We went together for selling fish and to the church .Our bishop was a thin boy then..He loved us so much.”
“Yes. He was the first priest from our village. We always feel proud of him”
“But Mariya is rich now. She got big house ,car, gold ornaments, silk saris and rubber estate. In the church she sits in chair. Now she won’t smile at me or talk to me. Bishop gave her everything .Now she is not Mariya ,Mrs John.”
“I know john from his child hood .Our father‘s were friends. They went together for fishing. It was the bishop who helped John to become a famous contractor The bishop is generous. Tomorrow we will go to the bishop’s house in the town.
The next day they reached the Bishop’s house. It was a palace. In front of the building there was his foreign vehicle which costs millions of rupees. Security welcomed them with a smile .He was a far relative of Joseph. His name was Vincent. He enquired the purpose of the visit. Joseph told his need.
Vincent looked at his face with sympathy.
“You know our old priest changed a lot when he became a bishop. Now he is a true business man. From LKG to MBBS he collects admission fees in lakhs.”
Joseph didn’t understand what he said. So again Vincent explained:
"That means we have to give two lakhs donation to get a an admission in LKG in St.Satan's school.
“Oh Jesus..”Josph stood widening his mouth...
“Even then there are sixty or seventy students in each class. The rich people come and throw money as easily as we purchase low cost fishes.”
“Why did he want such a lot of money? Hearing the question Vincent smiled.
He is generous .Nothing for himself. He divides it to a group of fathers. They purchase new foreign vehicles, plantations, new computer equipments, visits foreign countries, lives in star hotels, gives help to their own families. You know nowadays poor people are strictly prohibited from the premises of bishop's house”
”Is it? Then can we meet the bishop? he asked ina frustrated tone.
“Surely I will help you. Wait a little. Now there are some parents for buying MBBs seats. When they go out , we will get a gap.” hearing this Joseph relaxed with a smile.
After some time they saw some upper classed men coming out from bishop's room. Laughing and talking loudly they came down and pressed their keys to open their vehicles. When they started their vehicles Vincent called Joseph and anthony to follow him. They reached a cool room. Joseph thought the bishop would identify him. They stood in front of his door and glanced at him. He was writing something in his diary. Without raising his head he raised his right hand and showed the signal to entre. They went in and bowed their head to their knees .Bishop extended his hand . They kissed the golden ring.
“What you want ?Tell me in brief .I am very busy with work.”
“May be you know me. I was your neighbour in the fishermen colony..
A flash light of shock passed through the face of the bishop. But suddenly he overcome the Situation and said :
“Sorry I don’t know anybody there. Years back we stayed there. But I can’t recollect anything? Now what you want?”
“My son got third rank in the national MBBS exam” Anthony stood proudly raising . He thought the bishop will appreciate him. But without raising his head from the righting pad he asked
“Is it? What you do?”
“A poor fisherman...FATHER , Would you help my son to pay the fees?
“If you can’t pay the fees why did you force him for MBBS? It is very risky. You take him with you for fishing and earn money. That will be better. Don’t live in dreams .Be practical and live like normal man. You want money for the bus ticket? Bishop raised his head and opened a purse..”
“No FATHER. We have the money. It is very kind of you to give your great advice.”He said with false courage and sweating.
“Ok God bless you “ He said and turned to concentrate on his writing pad.
Tears rolled down through the cheeks of Anthony.
They came out of bishops room with Panic overcoming faces.
Vincent was quietly waiting outside. After a deep silence he murmured “He is changed a lot...”He looked at Joseph as if he lost all his senses. Joseph’s face was hanging down overlaid with shame and misery.
“Trust in God...not in human Gods...”Vincent whispered.
Joseph nodded his head and said goodbye to him.
When they reached near the house they saw a crowed in front of their house.
It was a group gathering of the fishermen to congratulate Anthony. They determined to raise a fund for his study. But there was one condition , he should work for his village. Anthony agreed.
Years passed. Anthony passed the MBBS exam with first class. He got a Govt job in city hospital. But he requested transfer to his own rural village. His mind was longing to do something for the people who loved him. When he became a doctor in the home village hospital he became very happy..The aged ones lovingly called him ‘our child’ and he became the pet of his village
NIRMALA JAMES
good one.
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