Pen

It must have been eight o'clock at night. There was a terrifying silence around. The sound made by night insects was irritating. One bullock cart passed by. The sound of a bell ringing in a bull's neck could be heard in the middle of the distant road. The reflection of the crescent in the sky was visible in river water. A little wave was forming as the fish moved in the water. Smoke billowed from the earthen stoves in the distant houses could be seen. Some lights were seen flickering.

I was sitting alone on the riverbank outside the village for about an hour. Time was running out and my mind was full of thoughts. I was convinced that no one in the family loved me. Although it was a little late to go home, my worried parents did not come to search for me. 

Now I was slowly getting hungry. I started to miss my elder sister very much. She got married six months ago. If she had been home today, she would surely have come to find me. She loves me very much.

I didn’t know what to do. I started thinking whether I should go home without waiting for anyone. But how was it possible? With great courage, I had left home after being angry with my mother. If I had gone back home easily, my 'ego' would have been horribly hurt. I was expecting that my mother would come or send somebody to find me. 

As time went on, my patience was running out. I was feeling that I would starve to death. Hunger, disturbing silence and the terrible surroundings made me cry.  “Let's go home.  Mother must have cooked a meal. Let's eat that and come back again.” My mind told me. Finally I came to the conclusion that I have made a mistake by being angry at my mother and leaving home at odd hours.  

You must be curious why I was brooded over the mother? Right? 

It so happened that after coming home from school, I asked my mother for a new fountain pen. I had a pen; however the nib of that pen was worn out and the ink started oozing out. Some of my friends had nice pens. Seeing that, it was natural for me to dream of a new pen now. Mom asked me to change the nib and run on the same pen for a few more days.

“We'll get a new pen next month,” she said. But I wanted a pen right away. Of course, the old pen could have been pushed for a few days. But I persisted. Finally, mother declared that I would not get any new pen. 

I got disappointed and I said, “If you don't give me the pen, I'll leave the house.” 

She responded back angrily, “Are you blackmailing me? I will not tolerate your behaviour. If you wish to leave a home, you may.”   I felt bad and I went straight out of the house.

After a while, I heard a known call.  He was my father. I saw him and ran to him without much hesitation. My father looked at me angrily for the first time. But then he got mellowed down when he saw my face.

“Let’s buy a pen.”  He took me to the market which was across the river.

When I came home, I hugged my mother. She was angry. "Few things shouldn’t be pushed beyond," she said. “Did I say that I will not buy a pen for you? I was going to give a pen, right? But you were to adamant.  It was too much to leave the house for such a petty thing.”  She said,

“Sorry mother.” I wiped my eyes and sat down to study.

Today I have many costly and different types of pens. Pens sold in any shop attracts me and whenever I see any different type of pen, I can't resist buying it. However the pen purchased by my father on that day is not comparable with any pen in the world.  

(Opinions are purely personal & does not represent my organizations, current or past) 

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