The playmates! (flash fiction)
The dusty squiggly written journal from the past was enough to get Pratik aka Purna nostalgic about his childhood। He was the fouth child of a toddy* gatherer. His father rose much before day break each morning and went about unloading the toddy collections in earthen pots that were tied to date trees. His palm climbing skills had earned him the name “Hanumanta” and people from the 40 odd hamlets preferred to engage him for their half yearly coconut plucking and preening to do away with dried fronds before monsoon set in.
Purna’s day started with his mother giving him the left-over rotis* from the previous night along with hot piping tea। He then had to run up and get a few ounces of milk from Bhola dada after which he was free to play with Pinti, the fawn that his father had found abandoned in the jungles on his way back home. Perhaps Pinti’s mother had ended as sustenance to another carnivore!
Pinti was a handful and in taking care of her, Purna had lost some of his own playfulness। He was constantly thinking of ways to provide milk for his infant pet. He stealth into his neighbor, Bhola Dada’s barn where Savitri the goat nursed a recent litter. Savitri had accepted Pinti as one of the claimants to her bulging teats. All was well in the barnyard as the oblivious Bhola dada went about adding water to the milk he sold to the villagers.
Purna and Pinti squeezed through the thorny hedge that separated the dwellings and would run hither thither in bridleless impulse to the sparse grassland that they had chanced upon. The secret pad cradled a few palm trees. The duo spent many a mornings watching the weaver birds build their nests and flaunt their brilliant yellow plumage in an attempt to attract the females.
Pinti had now grown two feet tall and wasn’t that pint sized anymore। She had a mind of her own and had charmed Purna to tow her line. Her appetite had improved much to Purna’s chagrin and had thus weighed down more responsibility on his little shoulders. They had now started on the reckless path of bold rampage of corn and cucumber fields.
The playmates would steal fruit and roughage from the orchards and fields। Then sneak into their secret hiding place and enjoy the booty resting on their backs against the palm trees. Once in a while, they ran into Ajgar the python who stared at them with emotionless eyes. Purna would quickly retrace his steps and find another place to play on such days.
It was the morning of Vijaya Dashami* and winter had brought in a few chills. Purna was surprised that Pinti had not come to wake him sniffing his ears and face. He pranced out to the courtyard calling out to her. She was nowhere around. His eyes then fell on Ajgar perched on the mango tree. She looked a bit pregnant he thought.
Word count – 498
Glossary -
*Toddy – An Alcoholic beverage made out of the sap of various species of palm trees.
* Hanumanta – Hanuman the monkey god
*Rotis – Indian bread
*Vijaya Dashami – Festival of Dussera which is celebrated to rejoice Lord Rama’s victory over Ravana।
Copyright © BuntysBanter 2008
Purna’s day started with his mother giving him the left-over rotis* from the previous night along with hot piping tea। He then had to run up and get a few ounces of milk from Bhola dada after which he was free to play with Pinti, the fawn that his father had found abandoned in the jungles on his way back home. Perhaps Pinti’s mother had ended as sustenance to another carnivore!
Pinti was a handful and in taking care of her, Purna had lost some of his own playfulness। He was constantly thinking of ways to provide milk for his infant pet. He stealth into his neighbor, Bhola Dada’s barn where Savitri the goat nursed a recent litter. Savitri had accepted Pinti as one of the claimants to her bulging teats. All was well in the barnyard as the oblivious Bhola dada went about adding water to the milk he sold to the villagers.
Purna and Pinti squeezed through the thorny hedge that separated the dwellings and would run hither thither in bridleless impulse to the sparse grassland that they had chanced upon. The secret pad cradled a few palm trees. The duo spent many a mornings watching the weaver birds build their nests and flaunt their brilliant yellow plumage in an attempt to attract the females.
Pinti had now grown two feet tall and wasn’t that pint sized anymore। She had a mind of her own and had charmed Purna to tow her line. Her appetite had improved much to Purna’s chagrin and had thus weighed down more responsibility on his little shoulders. They had now started on the reckless path of bold rampage of corn and cucumber fields.
The playmates would steal fruit and roughage from the orchards and fields। Then sneak into their secret hiding place and enjoy the booty resting on their backs against the palm trees. Once in a while, they ran into Ajgar the python who stared at them with emotionless eyes. Purna would quickly retrace his steps and find another place to play on such days.
It was the morning of Vijaya Dashami* and winter had brought in a few chills. Purna was surprised that Pinti had not come to wake him sniffing his ears and face. He pranced out to the courtyard calling out to her. She was nowhere around. His eyes then fell on Ajgar perched on the mango tree. She looked a bit pregnant he thought.
Word count – 498
Glossary -
*Toddy – An Alcoholic beverage made out of the sap of various species of palm trees.
* Hanumanta – Hanuman the monkey god
*Rotis – Indian bread
*Vijaya Dashami – Festival of Dussera which is celebrated to rejoice Lord Rama’s victory over Ravana।
Copyright © BuntysBanter 2008
posted by Bunty's Banter at 8:10 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home