"Chai-chai" yells Chotu as he totters along the streets of his neighbourhood. The sun shines brightly in the sky, as the young boys and girls line up to catch their school buses. But Chotu stands there and stares as the children hurriedly climb up soon. Seeing the children wearing clean uniform and shoes, and carrying their school bags makes Chotu ponder, "Why am I vending tea?". He feels unhappy.
But reality has made Chotu wise beyond his age. He introspected and realised that it is his parents' extreme poverty that has robbed him of his dream to live in the glittering world of education. This poverty made him earn money for the family at a time when the luckier ones went to the school. Nevertheless, he understood the situation that his parents were in and so quickly recouped himself to get going with the job in hand. Although he wished to be in the school, he managed to go near the bus-stop to sell his 'Chai'.
Some were kind, some really were looking for him. Yet there were some who looked at him with contempt, as if he were an unpleasant, undesirable alien creature. They looked at his tattered clothes and towards the filthy teapot he was handling, and shooed him away. Tears tended to burst out of his eyes, but he was a brave boy. He controlled his emotions. "Common is this situation. It has been years that some people havve behaved like this. I must be used to it by now"- he told himself as he went back to the tea-stall to continue his work. He forgot everything that had happened, pretty sure, He was brave. He took a piece of cloth, ag utensils and serving the customers. A cup suddenly fell off his hand.
"CHOOOTUUU...!!" Yelled the shopkeeper as he hurriedly caught the frightened boy by his collar.
He slapped him and kept beating him with a stick till he cried. The boy's back was burning with purple bruises all over, but yet he forgave the master. He didn't mind that incident. He didn't complain. He knew every poor had to go through this and also, how important his job was, for the poverty-stricken family. After a full day's toil and harsh words, he finally strolled towards his dwelling, dusty roads washing off his naked feet.
It was dusk. he was passing by a park, wherein plenty of children of his age were running and playing. He too wanted to join, but resisted the temptation. He knew others wouldn't like his presence there. Yet, he walked near the gate, and as he got to take a glimpse of the merry atmosphere there, the watchman pushed him away. "How dare you stand here without permission. People like you are not allowed here." He said cruelly.
Chotu backed off., his foot hitting up a piece of mirror lying on the ground. He looked at himself in it. The dirt on his face, filthy hair and torn clothes reflected in the dim light. He felt depressed. He saw the children happily moving about and dancing on their feet, but Chotu knew that they were strangers to life's harsh realities. They were not mature.
"God save them. Let them be the way they are." He prayed for them. Though only a ten year old boy, he was even mature than an eighteen year old. His childhood had already been snatched, and he accepted that his teens would never come. He realised how important it was for him to be educated. He wanted to grow up, earn a lot for his family, but he knew it wasn't possible without his education.
It was getting dark. Chotu realised his parents would be waiting for him and he hurried towards home. He was hungry, but was doubtful whether they would have begged for food or not, or shall he have to do the same.
Suddenly something struck his foot. A book of alphabets.
"Who is that silly to throw away a book on the road to be crushed under someone's foot" he thought as he picked it up and apologised o it for his foot accidentally touched it. The book, was his Goddess Saraswati. And he was delighted he got one, no matter whether it was discarded or not, a book provides knowledge. And he knew its importance.
He hugged it tightly as a ray of hope touched his bright eyes. He might get his wishes fulfilled. He might be rich one day.
He dreamt happily of becoming the 'enlightened', but another thought again shattered his newly awakened optimistic dream-
"Who would teach me???"
