‘How is it beta? I have been preparing this for you since morning.’ asked a curious mother to her son
‘Ma please do not disturb. The match is going through an interesting phase. Let me enjoy it. I will eat it later on and let you know.’ he replied, eyes glued to television
‘Ok beta. But do have it. You must be hungry. You did not eat properly the last night also.’ said the worried mother
The boy was completely silent and his eyes were still on television .His mother left smiling and was busy again with her household work.
After about half an hour;
‘Mamma, Just make this, whatever you have made, a little warm. It has just chilled out.’ He shouted from where he was sitting
‘Oh! You haven’t eaten it yet? Give me where it is. I will do it.’ She was still worried. She took it and re cooked for a few minutes to make it eatable for his son.
‘Take it and now eat it on time and will you please let me know how long are you going to watch the match?’She asked in a very low pitch
‘What is it mamma? Today I have taken a leave from the office just for this match.’ He was feeling irritated and frowned at his mother.
‘I was just asking as I need your help to bring the household things.’ She again said in a very low voice.
‘Please you manage it .Just think that I am still in the office and do it the same way you do it the other days.’ He gave a very straight answer.
His mother left smiling but she was upset from within. She took her purse and left for the market.
He had already turned the room into a complete mess and was calling his friends to come at his place and watch the match together. Soon a huge bunch of about 5-6 bachelors came to his place .The bunch had directly landed from the office .All were badly stinking and were pretty tired. All insisted to move in his room instead so that they can lie down on the bed and rest with the AC on. Everyone got busy making himself comfortable.
As the lady of the house was not present, the guys themselves took up for the kithen.They tried preparing coffee, but failed. Everybody was hungry so they ordered some pizzas and other fast food from outside.
It was almost evening but his mother had not yet returned and the boy did not even try to call her once. When he picked up his phone to have a look at the time he saw his mother’s 5 missed calls. He tried calling her, but it did not respond so kept the cell and did not even try once more. He was again busy with his friends.
When she returned it was quite late and she was tired. She was feeling a bit weak and made herself comfortable on the chair. She rested only for ten minutes and then went to her son’s room.
By then his friends had left and the breakfast she had cooked with so much love was still kept aside along the sofa leg and he was having something the bunch had ordered. They turned the house into a complete chaos with empty plates here and there, cold drink cans kept upside down, popcorn bowls with the left over nuts, the carpet full of dirty footprints.
The match was over by then and he was busy on laptop.
‘I called you many times to know if you want something from the market. But…ummm…You did not receive the call.’ She said wiping her forehead with sari.
‘Nahi ! I did not want anything and why did you came so late? My friends had to help themselves and I felt so embarrassed’. His volume was bit high this time.
‘What’s the point saying all this now? They all have already left now. As for now can you please have a bite with me of this food? I am unable to finish it and don’t want to waste it. It’s so costly and I cannot afford to throw it away.’He said munching a pizza piece.
‘No Beta, I cannot.’ Said the mother wiping her tears in the corner of her eye
‘What’s the harm in having my food? Do you have no value of your son’s hard earned money? Common, have this na and I am sure you will like eating something different from the regular things you make in the kitchen.’ He tried to force eat the food.
‘Beta I would have loved to share your food with you but the thing is I cannot have it today. I kept a fast for you today.’ She had a heavy heart yet she was smiling
‘Ma who on earth compelled you to keep a fast today?’ Asked the careless son
‘It was not today and nobody forced me to do so. It’s my love for you my son. And I have been keeping it since your birth. But as today you were at home you came to know about it. Now it’s been around 25 years that I have been doing it. And of course I value your hard earned money. You can keep the left over in the refrigerator, I will have them tomorrow. Today I cannot even have a sip of water.’
The mother said all this with a smile and her son froze to shame. But that gesture was only for a few minutes .He was again busy with his laptop.
All mothers are like so. They keep on sacrificing their own self for their children. They only need love and that too if they fail to get, there are no complaints from their side. They are always smiling.
