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Prashan t Rajkhowa manages a creative writing company, and writes fora humour e-zine in his spare time.

TELL Me ASTORY

he best part about going to Aita's was the animals. Bombaycan teach you a lot, but unless you're bitten trying to feeda horse, you haven't built character. And do not believe thecartoons because real pigs are vicious. Aita's pigs wouldsnarl and growl if you came within five feet of them. Ididn'teven know pigs could growl! Porky Pig's violent nature was

definitely based on some fact. But they never ever growled at her.It was like they knew that while every other human saw them aswalking ham and sausages, she didn't.Her lunch time stories would have sold millions of copies if ever theywere compiled into a book. At least that's what Ma used to tell us.I was too lost in the food to hear much of what she said. Her storiesabout Koka were the only ones I remember in detail till today. Infact, those I should pu t down in a book and sell a million copies.Koka was an Air Force pilot, and he was as much a daredevil ashe was brave. At least, that's what Aita had us be!lieve. Because shehad countless stories about his missions and adventures, but shenever had one about how he died. Which battle? What were thecircumstances? Who was with him? Nothing. "It was time for him

To Growto leave, and he did:' Since Ma was too ----.......----- . , . . . . . . . . - , . -..........,..,.,'-".--...... - - - ~ - - - - -young when it happened, this was allshe knew, too. I was fascinated how sucha great man could have just vanished.Every summer from the time I could28 Me july 1, 2007

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remember, to the last time I went there,we would ask her about him. And it wasalways the same answer. I was fascinated!The last time I saw Aita was the summer beforemy 10th Boards. Ma and Papa couldn't make it,so it was just Ronny and me there. One night,there was a huge commotion outside. Theanimals were going bananas at the back. In allfairness, it didn't take much for them to do thatbut still. Aita's animals were ali loons was whatwe used to say.So there was this huge commotion, peopleyelling and calling Aita outside. Ronny andIwere up and outside in a flash. I ran into thebright glare of somebody's torch a ~ was blind.By the time Aita made it out, my eyes hadadjusted to the glare. With one hand over myeyes, Icould just about make out Rohu dadafrom next door. He was holding Lokesh by thescruff of the neck. Lokesh was Aita's all-purpose

house boy. Cooking, cleaning, scrubbing cages, he dideverything. And by the looks of things, he had justadded something to his skill set."Aita, Icaught him snooping around behind my house.When Icalled out, he tried to run but Icaught him andIfound this." Rohu dada was holding a gunny bag in hishand. And it was stuffed with money. My eyes widened.There were big, fat wads of notes. Hundreds of them!"Is all of it yours, Aita?"That was all Lokesh could take and he broke down.A flurry of words about dying parents and expensivemedicines followed, interspersed with hard slapscourtesy Rohu dada. After about five minutes ofbawling, Aita spoke for the first time since the episodebegan: "Rohu, thank you very much for your help. Iwillmake sure Lokesh's parents get the money. And Iwillalso make sure Lokesh works off the money before

it badly. Heprobably wouldhave preferredthe punishmentto Aita's simpletouch of kindness.Ieven saw himcrying once,quickly wiping histears away when Ientered the room.

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Aita spoke to Lokesh for the first time three weeks later.We had finished dinner and were sitting with cups oftea when she called him into the room. Turns out hehad worked off the money he had "borrowed" and wasfree to go. If he didn't leave, Aita would call the police.Lokesh nodded and left without a word. A part of mefelt bad for him. His simple heart had suffered enough.I heard movement from Lokesh's room that night. Hisroom was just by the animal pens and Icould see hissilhouette moving around from my bedroom window.Icouldn't help watch him pack and clean out the roomhe had been living in since Idon't even know how long.Right then I wished 'I was far away from that place. Mythroat went dry. Aita opened the hut door and steppedout into the moonlight. A breeze picked up and Icouldhear her humming a rune. I watched her sling a gunnybag over her shoulder. Iwatched her walk over to thepig pen. Iwatched her dump the contents of the bagin front of the pigs. Iwatched her throw the empty bagin as well. Iwatched her watch the pigs begin eating.1 watched her walk back to the hut. I watched herrepeat the steps wi,th another bag. Iwatched herdo it one more time with another bag. And then onemore time after that. Icould taste bile in my mouth.Ronny broke the ice at breakfast the next morning:"Did Lokesh actually leave?"

I send him away:' Aitatook the bag of money,walked back inside,and that was that.None of us spoke toLokesh for three days.He went about hischores, but he took

My eyes fl,icked, down to my

breakfast plate. "It was time forhim to leave,and he did:'

Me July 1, 2007 29