STORY-PREGNANT

PREGNANT

I was going along the railway track, as it was the shortest way to the town, where I was doing odd jobs for a living.

The sight of a girl, walking in the track leisurely, caught my attention. Any time, a train may run over her. I called out, but she did not mind it; so I ran and pulled her off the track. She began to cry. her head leaning on my shoulder. “What is the matter? Why do you want to die?”

“I do not want to live. My lover deserted me after making me pregnant. Afterwards I knew that he has cheated many girls like me. Leave me alone; let the train take my life. I have nowhere to go. My parents will not keep me.” She wept for some time; I allowed her to cool down. Somehow, I felt sorry for this girl, hardly sixteen and very weak. Shall I tell the Police? They may rape her and then throw her out. In the end, I told her:”Come with me.” She meekly obeyed. I had some money with me. We boarded a train and with unreserved tickets, in second class. The train took us to Erode. Here we got down and sat on the bench on the platform. An old woman in shabby cloths came and sat beside the girl.”Are you lovers, run away from home?” She kept silent, but I said:”We are new to this place. Like to do some work, anything . Can you help?” “Can you work in a hotel?” “Oh, yes.”.”Come with me”

She took us to a small restaurant and talked to the Manager. He looked at us. Then he called us:”You can do supplier’s work; the girl can do work in the kitchen. Both can stay in the room behind .” I thanked the old woman.”The Manager knows my house. If needed, you can come to me.”

So, for the time being, our problem was over. In the night, I looked at her closely. She is really beautiful. I said:”Fate has brought us together. I think I can love you. What about you? Can you love me?” She held me tightly and implored:”You are my God. Do not abandon me.” So that was our first night.

In a few months, she learned to make all items, including  snacks like vada etc. In the night we used to roam in the city, as the room is very hot. I saw a big Eye Hospital; there was no hotel near by. The idea came to me that if we have a ‘thattukada’ ( a trolley  with stove), we can sell vada etc. and mint money. I consulted the old woman and she readily agreed. “I will give money for the trolley and stove. The dough can be made here, in my house, in the night. Snacks should be fried then and there, as per demand. You two can stay with me. I have no one else. I like you.”

One day I enquired ”You told me you were pregnant; your belly is thin even now.” She smiled:”Thank god, it was my fear only, because my period was delayed.” Now I do not want children soon. Let us establish well and have a house of our own.”We used to earn some thousand rupees daily. In two years, we made a small house of our own.

Then I wrote a letter to my parents, to come and bless us. She too invited her parents.