Part 1.
“Daddy I want that pastry!” the ten-year-old Rohan told his father, who was busy talking to one of his business associates over the phone line. The expensive bakery had a huge exhibit of mouthwatering pastries & desserts on sale for customers coming from the elite part of the society.
Today was Rohan’s birthday. Aditya, Rohan’s father had brought him to the most expensive bakery in the city to order for his birthday cake. Of course, he had no financial worries in any way. One of the most successful businessmen of the city, Aditya had made quite a lot of fortune for himself and spent it lavishly over every occasion. Today was special though, his only son’s birthday and he wanted to make it perfect and beautiful for him in every way.
“Oh sure, kid,” Aditya said, looking towards Rohan, cuddling his pink chubby cheeks. He ordered for the specific pastry and gave it to Rohan, and again went back to talk to his business associate over the phone line…
Part 2.
“Dus, gyaarah, baarah…” Shyaama was counting the coins by the roadside from her rugged saree’s pallu. She was only able to make 50 rupees from selling balloons today. The only thought in her mind was that she couldn’t go back to her pavement with that much money. It was her son’s birthday today. If Shyaama might have had many children, it was possible she may not have remembered it and forgot it just like so many have been forgotten. But Bheem was her only son. The date was firmly fixed in her conscience. Today when she came out here in the morning, she had kissed Bheem’s forehead and promised him that she would bring him something nice to eat in the evening when she comes back. The happiness she saw in her ten-year-old son’s eyes meant the world to her. Now, she was standing under the slowly fading sun with just 50 rupees tied in a knot of her saree. It would hardly be enough for their evening food, let alone taking some delicacy for Bheem. Along with the thick sweat melting from her forehead till her chin, a tear also dropped and fell on the ground.
Part 3.
Bheem looked at the sky; the sun had gone down and had now turned into an orange crescent, soon to get disappeared into the horizon. He was really excited today and was waiting for her mother to come back. The fulfillment of her mother’s promise had brought a glow in his otherwise dark patchy eyes. But mother was nowhere to be seen anywhere near, the mother was nowhere to be seen even after it went dark and the sun was fully swallowed by Earth. And she was nowhere to be seen even a long time afterward. Bheem was very young but the hardships of life had made him prone to such disappointments. He knew her mother must not have gathered enough money to arrange for their food let alone bring something exotic for him. He picked up his plastic bag of shoe polish and brushes from the footpath and started walking away in the midst of the human jungle.
Bheem was wandering on the roads under the shimmering lights, looking for anybody who’d get their shoes polished. But the already shining demeanor of the so-called civilization didn’t need any more shining. And thus, Bheem was still empty stomach without a single penny in his pockets. His spirits were slowly going down as he covered his way on the concrete road with each step passing by the glittering shops, wealthy people grinning their gold teeth out. Why was he, why could he not be one of them? He thought when all of a sudden while walking, his sight went towards a beautiful hotel. A kid, just about his age was walking out of it with an ice cream cone in his hand. His father held one of his hands in his own and his mother looked at him with love pouring out of her heavily made-up eyes. ‘They seem so happy…’ Bheem thought as something within him tried coming to terms with his own life…
Part 4.
It was a big day for them. Rama Had asked Aditya to take them to the most exotic place in town for dinner. She had dressed Rohan just like a cute little prince. Rohan was indeed looking like a little prince. His already pink skin was radiating even pinker because of all the pampering he got on his birthday. Rama, herself, wore her best saree for the occasion. They were sitting in one of the most expensive hotels in town eating their hearts out. Obviously, they had nothing to worry financially
Rohan was enjoying every inch of this day till the bottom of his heart. All throughout the day, so many gifts, presents, surprises, treats, visits to amusement parks and so much more. His heart was content when his father brought him an ice cream cone and they started to leave the hotel. ‘Today is the best day of my life!’ Rohan thought, when all of a sudden his stare went towards a frail-looking kid, just about his age with a dirty looking plastic bag held in his hands standing at one side of the road and looking back at him... For a brief second, something within him was questionable about his own life
The two kids of the same age, Rohan and Bheem looked at each other from a distance for a while and then went their separate ways with their respective lives…