Lunchbox

The scorching sunlight smouldered the ground but that had little effect on the kids who have just begun to enjoy their recess time. Entire playground was thronged with children, some were running to catch someone else, some were just trying to protect their lunch from their hungry friends, some were simply standing and complaining about how boring the previous period was and how even more exhausting the coming four periods will be, some were buzzing around the canteen for the delicious chhola samosa that Kiran uncle made. Amidst all this, in the shady corner of the ground near the staircase, Saurabh was sitting all alone watching the other kids play and fall. Shrey came running towards him and sat beside him, panting and all drenched in sweat. “You haven’t brought lunch today?” he asked trying to catch his breath. “No. My parents are out of station,” Saurabh replied without looking at him.

“Ohh! Where have they gone?”

“They have gone to Paris.” Saurabh looked at Shrey with a smug grin.

“Wow! They have gone there for tour?”

“It’s actually their anniversary. Every year they go to some exotic location to celebrate their anniversary. Last year they went to Switzerland.”

“That’s great! Your parents are so romantic! I have never seen even a glimpse of romance in mine. They are always busy in usual mundane tasks. I don’t even know when their anniversary is. Haven’t you gone with them sometime?”

“Always there are exams around the corner at this time of year so I haven’t gone with them on their anniversary outings. But they always take me to some place during vacations. I love that time. It’s always great being with them. When I grow up I wish I get married to a pretty girl and we stay happy like my parents.”

“Yeah, now even I want the same. Here, have some food; my Mom may not have travelled like yours but she knows how to cook some delicious biryani.”

Saurabh ate a spoonful of biryani. “Take my lunch, I am already full. I am going to play. Wanna come?” Shrey asked as he stood up. “No, I like to just sit.” Before Saurabh could finish, Shrey had already sprinted off. He looked at the lunch and couldn’t wait any longer. He made sure no one was watching him and then filled his hands with rice and gulped down the biryani like a caveman. He felt relieved as his stomach was no more aching because of hunger. He had only had a glass of milk that morning. The recess time was finally over. The bell rang and children scattered back to their classes.

After the school got over, Saurabh quietly went to the cycle stand, took out his cycle and slowly started riding back to his home. On the way, he found Shrey eating phuchka with his friend. Saurabh furtively turned his bicycle and took another way. He reached home, unlocked the door, went in his room and slumped down on his bed, gazing at the rotating fan and calculating how much time is left for the clock to strike seven.

Finally, it was seven and the doorbell rang. Saurabh scuttled to the door with a grin on his face and opened the door. It was his mom. “How was your day little champion?” She bent down to get to his height and hugged him. “Bad….very bad” Saurabh snapped. “Aww….what happened dear?” she asked as she put her hand bag on the sofa and took out water bottle from the fridge. “There was no lunch today, I was so hungry. Everyone else but I had lunch, “ Saurabh said in the cutest voice possible. “What? Your father didn’t give you money for buying lunch?” She asked in surprise. “No, he left while I was still bathing. Mom, please from tomorrow pack some lunch for me,” Saurabh said in a low tone. “Yes, why not beta, it was just today that I had to leave early because of this meeting. See what I brought for you,” she took out a brown envelope from her bag and gave it to him. Saurabh tore it to find his favourite cheese burger in it. This one hour, from seven to eight in evening was Saurabh’s favourite time in entire day. It was during this hour when he didn’t feel lonely. He felt alive as his mother pampered him. He wanted to live his entire day in this one hour because he knew, once the clock strikes eight, it won’t be the same anymore.

Very soon, the clock struck eight. The grin from Saurabh’s face disappeared. He slowly retreated back to his room and locked the room. He heard muffled sound of door unlocking and his father’s footsteps. There was a brief conversation and then there was shouting. “For god’s sake! Even you could have left fifty bucks on the table. Why make such a big issue?” he heard his father screaming.

“It’s such a big issue because he is your kid too and it’s your duty too.”

“I think we had agreed upon this. You will look after his daily expenses and I will look after his monthly expenses. I think food comes in daily expense.”

“I told you I would be leaving early, I asked for one simple help and you couldn’t even do it. It has been the same since you met that Disha.”

“Oh God!! Why do you have to bring her again and again in every matter.”

Then there was this sound of some cup falling followed by even more shouting and screaming. Saurabh covered his ears with his hands and tears started cascading down his cheeks. “I don’t want to grow up.” He said, trying hard to shut away those screaming noises. “I don’t want to grow up and get married.” He fell down on the floor. His seven-year-old brain couldn’t take it anymore. The noise was too much, his hands couldn’t shut them away. “I don’t want to grow up and become like my parents.” He moaned these words as he finally blacked out because of the migraine attack.