Fiction

I am not Hungry…

By Monica Bakre 

The key turned in the main door and it swung open with force. Aniket was in. At seventeen, he was of medium build with a physique that was successfully maintained trim with moderation and discipline. Today was Aniket’s last examination and he had come home in an auto, a mode he used to facilitate ease of travel on important occasions.

His mother had been relaxed since morning as the end of exams would also mean respite for her in terms of her habitual and needless worrying. For, Aniket was a conscientious student, given to sensible ways of having fun and relaxation, one of which was his favourite pizza eating with an absorbing DVD in his room that had all the comforts of a child born to fairly well-to-do parents. “I have ordered your pizza…” said mother in haste as she believed her primary duty in life was to be at the beck and call of her only child, particularly in the food department!

“I am not hungry today…” said Aniket, as he slid his back-pack down his shoulder, and proceeded to his room, looking thoughtful. Alarm bells rang in Mother’s mind! “Anything wrong? Are you feeling well? Was the examination tough? What happened?” she threw a volley of anxious questions at the youngster who was used to such responses.

“No…nothing…just not hungry…I will sleep for a while…” said Aniket as he closed the door to his room. Mother sat literally twiddling her thumbs at the dining table, where plates and cutlery had already been laid out. Just then, the door bell rang.

Up she sprang…more for want of activity than a necessity to rush to the door.

“DVD, Ma’am…!” she could hear an adolescent male voice outside.

Swiftly opening the door, she took the DVD, signed on the card that the young delivery boy proffered, and closed the door. “Aniket…your DVD has come…come out and take it…” she called out near her son’s door. The door opened, Aniket came out and settled down on a sofa in the living room. Mother instinctively sat edgily on the corner of the sofa opposite him. Aniket was ready to talk, it appeared. Faint anxiety twisted in her heart as she waited for him to speak. She knew only too well that her son spoke little and only when necessary.

“Here’s the DVD. I have signed…” said Mother, eager to get the conversation started.

“Yeah…okay…”, mumbled Aniket, looking uncomfortable.

“Anything on your mind? Anything worrying you?” asked Mother.

“Mom, there’s one thing…listen…I was coming home in an auto, having ordered the DVD yesterday evening itself. I was planning to order the pizza in after getting home and asking you which kind you wanted.”

“Yeah, right…but I have already ordered…”

“No, that’s not it…listen…”

“Suddenly, I happened to glance out of the auto. Riding alongside my auto was the DVD delivery boy… I got a thought…”

“Hmmm…”

I thought, “Here I am, having finished my exams…on my way home to a grand lunch alongside watching a movie in the comfort of my bedroom…and here is this young boy, almost my age, riding in the hot sun to deliver the DVD to me…Mother…” Tears shone unabashedly in Aniket’s eyes. There was no need for any more words. Mother knew she had done something right in raising her son.

About the Author: Monica Bakre is a qualified counselor/psychologist, with interest in reading, writing, cooking, music, and pets. She describes herself as an observant, absorbing, thinking, speculating, and sensitive individual.

Comments are closed.