Jalebis 2

A Short Story by G.S.Vasukumar

Ravi was seated near the window of the train compartment, listening to melodious songs from his apple ipod. He was also reading R.K.Narayan’s Malgudi Days. He was his favourite writer. The cool evening breeze was blowing from outside. He always loved village life as compared to the city life. The train was making occasional whistle sound. He closed the book and started looking outside the window. He saw a boy flying his kite high in the sky...a mother was feeding her child outside a hut... It was wonderful view to see greenery of paddy fields everywhere. It brought a smile on his face.

Finally, the train stopped at his destination. He got down with his luggage and looked in various directions for his cousin, Somu. Somu waved his hand at him with a big smile on his face.

‘I’m really very glad to see you after quite sometime’ Ravi said, shaking his hand.

‘Me too’ He said, taking his luggage and walking with along him out of the station.

Later at Somu’s house :-

‘Aunty, I have brought some sweets’ Ravi said, opening the sweet box which had assorted sweets.

‘Thanks…Ravi’ Somu’s mother said taking a mysore pak.

Somu had a smile on his face when he saw a Jalebi along with other sweets. He remembered what Raghu had told him a few days back. Somu picked up Jalebi from that box and rushed out of the house.

‘Wait! Where are you rushing to?’ Ravi shouted, keeping the box down and running after him.

‘I’m going to Raghu’s house!’ He shouted back.

‘Raghu’s house? Why?’ Ravi shouted back, running behind him.

‘To give him this Jalebi!’ Somu shouted back.

Finally, they reached Raghu’s house and saw him coming out of the house. Somu gave it to him with a smile on his face…both Somu and Ravi were panting. Raghu examined the sweet closely. He went inside and came back with the jalebi packed in a newspaper.

‘Come with me!’ Raghu said, looking at Somu.

‘Where to?’ Somu asked.

‘To Ramu Chacha’s shop!’ He replied.

Chandra joined them on the way. They all reached Ramu Chacha’s sweet shop. Raghu unwrapped the newspaper and gave the Jalebi to him. He took the sweet and examined it closely. Then he had a bite…then another one…finally ate the sweet completely. He started licking his fingers. When he looked at the boys, he had a big smile on his face.

‘Now, I know what I had been missing so long’ He said

‘So will you launch it in your shop?’ Chandra asked

‘I will! But the question is who will buy it?’ He asked

‘Everyone in the village would buy it. We will promote this sweet in the village. You take care of making it’ Ravi said

‘Who are you? I never saw you before?’ Ramu Chacha asked with a frown on his face.

‘He is my cousin Ravi from the city!’ Somu said proudly.

‘I am glad to meet you!’ He said, shaking his hand ‘Alright then. I will go to the town today and learn how to make it. Meantime, you guys take care of the promotion’

‘Thank you, Ramu Chacha!’ They all cried together. Ravi just smiled at them.

They went to the town the next morning. Ravi browsed and took a colour print out of Jalebi. He wrote ‘Introducing Soon! Jalebi – A mouth watering sweet!’ Also ‘At Ramu Chacha’s Sweet Stall’

He took colour Xerox of the same. They bought some glue bottles and reached the village. They started pasting the pictures at various places. The villagers became curious seeing these advertisements. They gathered outside Ramu Chacha’s sweet shop. Ramu Chacha smiled at them warmly and gave them plates of Hot Jalebis and Somosas. They ate them and started licking their fingers.

‘Well, Jalebis and Somosas are free for today. You all can have as many as you would like to have’ Ramu Chacha said, coming out with a chalk piece. He wrote 100 grams Jalebis = Rs.5.00, One plate of Somosas Rs.5.00.

The villagers started placing order for the next day. When everyone had left, he called the boys and gave them Jalebis and Somosas.

‘I thought they got over?’ Ravi said.

‘Well, I had kept aside something for you all!’ He said, smiling at them ‘It is with the assistance of you guys I am doing all this’

‘Hmmmm…yummy!’ Raghu said, having a bite of Jalebi for the first time. ‘How I had been waiting for this day to come!’

‘Well, I have packed some for your homes too!’ Ramu Chacha said, pointing at some packets.

‘That’s very nice of you, Ramu Chacha!’ Chandra said.

‘Well, anytime you guys feel like having Jalebis or Somosas the come to my shop. You can have as many as you want for free. I won’t charge you guys!’ Ramu Chacha said

‘But Chacha, that won’t be alright’ Raghu said

‘Well, it is because of you all that I am making extra profit and I won’t mind to share it in this way!’ He said smiling at them.

Ravi became close with Somu’s friends Raghu and Chandra. They used to spend their days in the mangroves. They went to watch a movie in the village tent. They used to swim in the village river every after noon. Like this two months of summer holidays almost came to an end. It was time for Ravi to leave to his city.

They waited for the train to come. Somu felt sad that Ravi was leaving him. He felt like crying. They both were so close to each other. They waited for Raghu to come. Finally, he came with something in his hand. Raghu gave Ravi a mango sapling in a plastic cover.

‘This is my gift for you!’ He said, hugging him and patting on his shoulders.

‘Thanks a lot! Raghu! I will plant it in my garden and take care of it’ Ravi assured him.

The train whistled and arrived at the railway station. Ravi got into his compartment. He waved his hand at his friends. The train started leaving the compartment. A drop of tear came from Ravi’s eye. He became so close to his friends and also to this village. He felt like pulling the chain and going back to them…..he took out the mango sapling, held it in his hand and had a glance at it.

It brought back a smile to his face.

The End