A tight slap

Ojha’s white safari shone a little more, his golden chain sparkled a bit more, the smug grin on his face was a bit more complacent as he entered his house after parking his Ford. Sure, his grandeur was questionable considering the fact that he was a babu in Lucknow Nagar Nigam. “Sushma cook butter chicken for today,” he said as he entered his living room. A corpulent woman with huge love handles dangling above her waist came out of the room drying her hand with the anchal of her saree. “What’s so special today?” she asked with an anticipative grin. “Nothing much. You might remember Jankipuram wale Verma ji, right? He got the plot he was asking for and I got what I was asking for.” Smiling from ear to ear, he took out a jewelry case from his briefcase. “Pure gold!” He exclaimed. His wife opened her mouth in awe. “This time Goddess Laxshmi has been extra benevolent. Wait I will put it in the puja ghar first so that her blessings remain on us.” Saying this she went away to her Puja ghar.

“Sunny…..come here.” Ojha called for his son. After a while his son came with lethargic footsteps. “What Papa….I was studying,” he said trying hard not to yawn. “Ok then, go and study I will give this iPhone to someone else,” he winked. In a second Sunny’s demeanor changed and he beamed up. He snatched the phone from his hand. “You are the best papa in the world,” he said as he slumped down on the sofa in excitement. Ojha ruffled up his son’s hair and said, “I am going to change. Ask your mother to keep the briefcase safely, there is some cash in it.” Saying this he went away. After a while Sunny also got up and went back to his room.

An eight-year-old boy was watching all this from the corner of the room. Wearing only a ragged t-shirt that came up to his knees, he was cleaning the floor. His curious eyes were watching the ecstasy of Sunny and Sushma on receiving a gift. He hasn’t received a gift in his life. He wondered whether receiving a gift is really that satisfying. He thought of the things that satisfied him and only a full stomach before going to sleep came to his mind.  With heavy steps, he moved towards the briefcase. His eyes burned on seeing so many hundred rupees notes inside the briefcase. He looked around, no one was there. He again remembered those happy faces of his employers on receiving the gifts. He thought of giving a gift to his mother. Probably, she also has never got a gift in her life. He just imagined her happiness and almost automatically his hands went inside the briefcase. Just then a big blow startled him and then one more. He fell down like a broken twig. It took him a minute to realize it was Ojha slapping him. “Chor sala!” He screamed. The slap was so brutal that the boy’s cheeks were bleeding. He couldn’t lift himself up because of shock. “Just hand him to police now,” Sushma came rushing to the scene on hearing the noise. She also slapped her several times. Ojha lifted him up, looked him in his eyes with a fierce gaze. “Will you do it again?” he asked. The boy didn’t blink his eyes. His gaze was as fierce as his. “Not if you don’t.” His voice was crisp. Slap!! “What do you mean?” Ojha screamed, now in complete rage. “How was my stealing different from what you do? Probably, only in the sense that I got caught!” The boy replied coldly. Ojha and his wife both stood there stunned. The boy has slapped them without raising his hand.