5. Maestri ready to go to city

CHAPTER 5

Maestri ready to go to city

          Maestri was fixing all the milk cans to his cycle. He was getting ready to go to the city to sell milk. His sister Ganga was helping him. Maestri’s brother, Madesha was still sleeping on the cot in the varandah.

Mother Sakamma was getting angry to see him still sleeping. She went and shook him to make him get up. “Eh, you lazy fellow! Get up. Why can’t you help your brother Maestri?”

She started shaking him.

But Maestri stopped his mother. “Mummy, why are you troubling him? He is a college going kid. Tomorrow he is going to become a big police officer.”

Sakamma said seriously, “You have so many dreams about him. Four cows would have been enough for us. But for his sake, you have increased the number of cows to 10. You work hard to pay his fees. But look at this fellow. He sleeps even after the sun rises.”

Maestri patted her back. “Don’t scold him. Leave all the scoldings for me.”

He climbed on his cycle. “Ganga, heat water for Madesha’s back before he gets up. And don’t forget to pack tiffin for him to take to college.”

Watching Maestri leave, Sakamma said, “He is a good brother to these children and a hardworking son to me. And he is a hero to the villagers.”

Just then Vasanti entered the compound. She was sad to see that Maestri had already left. “Yes. He is good to everyone but me. He has not yet married me.”

Sakamma looked at Vasanti and said, “You were born for him. And he was born for you. He will definitely marry you and bring you home as my daughter-in-law.”

She looked at the sleeping Madesha. “God knows when this sleeping fellow becomes a police officer and when I will get married to Maestri.”

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          Madesha was sitting to have his breakfast. Ganga served ragi balls and sambar. Madesha looked at it with disgust. “You keep forcing me to eat ragi balls every morning.”

Sakamma got angry. “We all grew up eating ragi balls. It is life to us.”

“As if you know how to cook anything else.” Said Madesha angrily.

Ganga kept the tiffin carrier in front of Madesha. He opened it and looked inside. He was shocked to see ragi balls. “How can I eat ragi balls infront of my friends in college? They bring chicken biriyani, palao, etc. I feel so bad. I have to sit in a lonely place and eat so that they cannot see me. I cannot even go to the canteen because you give me just 10 rupees. That is not enough even for a cup of coffee in the city.”

Sakamma got angry. “How can you say such things? Your brother works so hard to earn money for your education. If it was not for you, he need not work so hard. But he has taken loan and purchased cows just for your education. He feels proud that you are the first to get educated in our family.”

Madesha pushed the carrier away. “I don’t want tiffin carrier. I will die of hunger but not eat those ragi balls. You can keep the 10 rupees too. I know how much milk is produced and how much brother earns. He gives all the money to you. But you are too stingy to give me any money.”

Sakamma was shocked and sad to hear this. “Your brother works like a donkey. He is not educated. He gives all the earning to me. He purchased the cows by taking loan from bank. I have to pay interest on the loan every month. Also, I have to keep some money for household expeses. Your sister is now growup. We have to get her married. You go to college. Have I not given you everything you asked for? I pay college fees and also get bus pass for you. And I never send you to college without tiffin carrier. God given ragi balls are always there for you to eat.”

Madesha pointed to his clothes. “I have been wearing this lungi since one year. You never got me another lungi. And I have only three pants and four T-shirts. What else do I have, tell me. You must see my friends. They wear different types of dresses. I feel ashamed in front of them.”

 Maestri was standing at the door and listening to him. He has tears in his eyes. “Madesha, please forgive me. Also, please forgive our mother. We never went to college to know all this. I will go to Brahma’s shop in the evening. He has opened a new clothes shop. I will request him to give clothes now and I will pay in instalment everymoth.”

Madesha was not ready to listen. “In such a local shop, only your level of clothes will be available. I don’t want any.”

Maestri was shocked. “Tell me how much money you need. I will get borrwo from somewhere. You can purchase what ever you want for where ever you want. I want you to be like all other students in your college.”

He took out 500 rupees from his pocket. “Eat whatever you want at the canteen.”

He looked at his mother. “Don’t give him ragi ball again. Cook what ever he wants. I will bring all the ingredients you need.”

Madesha took the money happily and left. Maestri felt happy to see him go in happiness.

Maestri looked at his mother. “I can now understand his problem. I wonder how long he suffered due to those old fashioned dresses.”

Ganga looked at her brother. “Brother, you are spoiling him. You say that we must prepare whatever he asks for. Tomorrow he will ask for rasagulla, chicken biryani, etc. He will refuse to eat if there is nothing special.”

Maestri patted her head lovingly. “I never paid attention to all this till today. I had left everything to mother. He has spoken today. You just prepare whatever he wants. Let him be happy. I will get 4 more cows. He is going to become police tomorrow.”

“If you keep feeding him, he will become a bodybuilder and you will become thin due to the hard work.”