One Of The Few Things I'm Proud Of...
This Is The Revised One...
Dear God,
Hello! It's Mahesh here. But I guess you already know that, you being God and all. How’s it going up there? I bet the weather’s great! This kid Shravan at school says there’s a huge bowl of ras malai ( you know, that yellow sweet) up there. Is that true? Well if it is I’m coming up there for sure!
Since it’s been so long since I’ve written to you (About 3 years I think) I think I’ll start off with telling you what’s going on in life for me. I’m five and half feet tall now! I guess all that cycling to school did help out after all! I was wrong to shout at mom for making me ride dad’s old rusted bike to school every day! Half an hour of riding is no joke! But money’s been tight since dad left (Not that we ever had enough when he was around but now it’s just so much harder) and I should try to save money and take care of everything. After all, I am the man of the house! I’m 12 years old now! I’m not a kid! That brings us to another cool new thing! I got a job! Every day after school I go to school instead of playing with the other boys I go to the local grocer’s store to help out. He pays me 50 rupees a month! Though don’t tell mom about it. She thinks I play with my friends. She’d burst if I told her I was working. No! I don’t keep the money for myself! I just slip it into the box she puts the money she makes into. She doesn’t even notice! Wait till she realizes there’s extra money when she calculates it next month! She’ll be so amazed! Don’t worry! I’ll give you all the credit! Oh and mom left her old job. She got one at some factory. She makes lunch there. It’s funny really, she makes lunch for so many people but somehow forgets to get us some of the food for dinner. Ah well. Dadi’s condition isn’t any better than before. The doctor gave her two weeks. Well at least it doesn’t hurt anymore. Her moaning at night was getting annoying... But let’s not get into that! The gram Panchayat elections were held last month. What a mess they were! There were people shouting in protest and then there were police and there was firing and it just made me sick! People are so useless. They ruin everything! I was hoping that this time Sameer Chaha would win. He was such a sweet person! A good leader too! He could’ve taken our village to better places! He had even promised to make a school! No more going to the next village just to attend school. Oh wait, but then I’d have to quit my job! No way would the grocer here give me a job! My mom would kill him! Well anyway, it’s about time I get to studying. I have to give that scholarship exam! If I get through it, mom will be able to pay Munni’s college fees easily! Otherwise she’ll have to get to working at some rich man’s house in some god-forsaken city! Thank you for everything God, thank you for mom, thank you for my Dadi. Thank you for taking away her pain. Thank you for helping me get taller and for the bicycle and thanks for the job. I promise I’ll make you and Mom and Munni proud one day! I promise!
Please take care of everyone. I’m sure you’ll do it. You always do. Life’s hard, yes, but it could be a lot harder. Thank you. Say hello to dad for me, tell him I miss him, we all do.
Yours lovingly,
Mahesh.
