Original Konkani story: Zobazob–Zobazob
Author: Gajanan Jog
Translator: S.M. Borges
“Boss, have brought this boy”.
The boss stood up and bent forward to look.
“At what time are you expected to report?”
“Sir, I had gone home to my village. The bus was delayed.”
“Harichan, this cannot go on, come every Monday. I have warned you already.’
“Yes, Sir, I have brought this boy for work.”
“This one is a small kid. What work will he do? Could you not find a bigger one?”
“He is not that small, Sir. He is almost fourteen years old. He will clear the plates, wipe the tables.”
“O.K. Show him his work. Is he really from your village? These boys are completely rustic. They understand nothing. But in a few days, they will grow wings.” The boss was telling this to someone who just went away smiling and nodding his head.
Thus began Lavu’s first day on the job. He had to clear the plates, cups, saucers, tumblers etc from the tables. He had to wipe the tables with the duster, dip the collected crockery in a bucket. Harichan was bigger. His job was to serve tea and snacks, use the pencil tucked to his ear for writing on pieces of paper and placing these under the tumblers. He would come muttering something and, on hearing that, the men inside would noisily place some eatables on the counter.
There were many such people. Lavu tried to count them. But everyone was wearing the same type of clothes. Lavu was amused to learn that a restaurant also has a uniform like school. And who is the teacher in this school? Lavu looked towards the boss sitting behind the cash counter. So this is everyone’s teacher! And Lavu smiled to himself.
“Hey! That boy from Satari! What are you smiling for? Why are you standing there with your hands akimbo? Do you not wish to work? If so, you better start packing right away. We only get such rotters! And then we have to listen to the municipal inspectors… …..”
Lavu did not realize how the day passed off. Once, sometime, Harichan took him to the rear and served him his meal. All the boys would eat there. Lavu enjoyed the food. He had also relished the vegetable dish which Harichan had given him in the morning. But he did not like the bread; it had a peculiar bad odour. While eating, he began to think. He prepared a long mental list of those things which he would ask Harichan. But then Harichan was not free at all. All the boys were busy doing their tasks. The crowd decreased a bit when it got dark and the lights were turned on. Lavu found that the restaurant looked better at night than during the day. Shining tables. Nice, smallish benches to sit upon. Compared to these, the benches in the school were downright ugly. Behind clear glass, one could see ladoos– round as well as elongated, tied with thread and placed on trays in niches. For a while, he felt like asking Harichan to give him one of those ladoos. But he kept quiet out of fear. As dusk approached, he felt the fatigue in his legs. His feet began to tingle from repeatedly walking through water. His left ear was aching a lot. But even then, to avoid being scolded again by the boss, he would run about to clear the tables. He remembered Harichan’s words – Left, right, left, left, right, left… Deep within his soul, this diminutive stripling had lost a beat and, unknowingly, his mind had picked up a new rhythm for him – Left, right, left…… left, right, left.
Then, at last, the front door closed. And Lavu sat on a bench. His legs were twitching, his feet had gone numb, his head was throbbing. While the other boys were eating their evening snack, Lavu was delighted at last to hear the lingo from his own village. He felt as if he was in his own home. But very soon the realization dawned upon Lavu; from now onwards, no village, no home, no mother…… And Lavu’s eyes were filled with tears. Mhadei in spate… mud-red water…..flowing at great speed…….Left, right, left…….Left, right, left.
He did not like the night meal. He could not tell what it tasted like. He was not even aware that he ate his meal. He washed his plate and kept it in the place that Harichan had shown him. Then Harichan said, “Pick up your things”. He lifted his bag. All of them came out. Some had already left. The boss went in and inspected the place all over again. Then two fellows pulled down the door of the restaurant, amid great noise. Lavu was amazed by the iron door which could sit up there all rolled up. But he did not pose the question. All his questions just melted away. He felt some pain in his throat. He sat next to Harichan on the kiosk-owner’s crate. Some of them began to play right there.
“Would you like to play, Lavu?” Harichan asked. But Lavu did not utter a word.
“Don’t worry, Lavu! I am here with you. You will remember your mother just for a day. By tomorrow you will be a veteran. Right?”
“Humm”
“I shall take you to the cinema tomorrow. O.K.?”
By and by, all of them spread their beddings on the footpath and went to sleep. Harichan had a mat of his own. Lavu spread his bedding on the same mat. Adjacent to Harichan’s bedding.
“Lavu! Now you go to sleep without any fear. I am sleeping next to you.There is nothing to worry. O.K.? Does your ear ache too much?” At to this, some of them had a quiet laugh. Harichan touched Lavu’s ear. Then he stretched his head. And Lavu’s eyes were filled with tears again.
……Lavu had been cleaning the plates, the tumblers. He watched the people. Various types of people. Variety of apparel. Many types of gold watches. A couple entered. He was wonder-struck looking at the watch on the man’s wrist. A green light was shining inside that watch. As he was cleaning the tumblers, he kept looking at the watch. Mesmerized. And he did not realize that the glass had toppled and spilled its contents on the man’s clothes. There was a commotion but Lavu sensed nothing. The couple loudly summoned the boss. The boss arrived. But Lavu’s gaze was transfixed on the watch.
“What is this? Is your head in its right place? I shall crush and finish you”.The boss caught hold of his left ear and twisted it so much that Lavu was almost in the air.
Lavu remembered the incident and he was engulfed by shame. No customer, no person in the restaurant would even condescend to cast a glance at him. He tried to talk to a couple of customers but no one bothered to listen. During the entire day, no one exchanged even a word with Lavu. Nobody looked at him properly. And the boss had twisted his ear in the full view of everyone… Lavu began to sob. For the first time during the entire day, he fondly remembered his mother. Mother… the snow-white pathway along the river bank….. the Devil’s stone…. Mango tree…. Jackfruit tree and the hut amidst coconut trees. Mother is inside the hut. And in the light of the hearth, she is fondly serving the meal, to him….. to father… to Amruta…to Barkelo… (The end)
