Monday, August 31, 2009

The Salesgirl


Salma aunty was fond of cats. Her house overflowed with them. She had nice name for them and loved them more than her children. One day about 5 in the evening,she came home after visiting her ailing mother and called out all the names. She expected all the younger cats to turn up but chinnu didn’t. She asked her daughter to open the front door while she started a frantic search. The search revealed a badly mauled chinnu in the garden. Salma aunty was broken.

Just then, a salesgirl walked in to the compound and asked Salma aunty to take a look at her wares. Salma aunty was least interested.

But the sales girl went on, “Only two more packets left. Take one, please”
Salma Aunty wanted to get rid of her and so she bought one and called out to her daughter inside, “Safia, Just pay this girl, will you?”.

And she hurried to get a shovel and give dear Chinnu a decent burial. After burying the cat and crying a bit, Salma aunty walked into the house. She started to search for her purse which had some money that she had to keep safe. But she could not find it. She started searching in the car porch, the rooms inside, even in the yard. But it was nowhere to be seen. It was dusk by then. Suddenly, she thought of the salesgirl.

It must be the girl, she muttered under her breath.
She ran outside and looked up and down the street. There was none to be seen. She ran to the next street and there she found the girl getting out of a gate. She pounced on her.
“You girl. How could you steal my purse when I helped you by one of your good for nothing washing powder”
The girl looked surprised,. But salma aunty was holding her by the elbow now. The noise brought out some neighbours. Soon everyone agreed that it must be the girl.
Someone commented, “Oh these people. They come to steal posing as salespeople”

Soon, the police was called over. The girl was crying. Her bag and person was searched. “She must have passed it to the accomplice”, shouted a guy.
“Who’s with you?”, asked the policeman.
“Another salesman who leads our team. He is waiting outside the colony where all the girls might have assembled by now”.
“Call him,” commanded the policeman.
She tearfully called the fellow who was there in ten minutes. He was a young chap and looked terrified seeing the crowd and police.
They asked him to show his credentials which he did.

Meanwhile, Safia, Salma aunty’s daughter came out of the house running holding her mother’s purse. It seemed it was under the clothes in the bag. Salma aunty had emptied the bag onto the bed to keep away the clothes and the purse which was on top was now under the pile.

The crowd lost interest by now. It dispersed quickly. The police went away in a gruff. The boy and the girl went their way. And Salma aunty was speechless. She felt bad. Her close friends were the only ones who stayed on.

“I do my daily namaaz correctly. But what is the use when I make such a big mistake. Why did I do it.?” She went on mumbling. It was really a bad day for everyone involved.

7 comments:

  1. That was so unfortunate. The girl's grief can be imagined. But I am feeling bad for Salma Aunty as well. First she lost her cat, then her purse and then she finds out that was accusing the girl for no reason. How worse can a day get?

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  2. paavam salesgirl..paavam Salma aunty..paavam poocha...

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  3. did salma aunty apologise to the salesgirl or not?
    i feel just a heartfelt sorry in front of everyone was all that needed to change the situation.

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  4. Yes it is indeed a strict message by God that do not blame anyone without a proof.It was a great story..by the end of the day we're human, maybe the death of the cat made her cranky..anyways that doesnt justify what she did.
    Youve got a great blog :) Keep up!!

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  5. Destiny's Child
    Salma aunty is a poor soul and she felt just horrible. But she does lots of charity as part of Jammayet.

    Novice Writer
    It was really sad but an eye opener for many.

    Rush
    If you err like that, you actually need some time to get over it. And Salma aunty needed it and by that time, everyone had dispersed.

    A new beginning
    But she is one of the most lovable souls in the neighbourhood. Ever ready to help, she finds time for any good deed.

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  6. Once i stole a bag from a shop just for the kick of it. I was caught while trying to put it back ( 2 hour later ). All the employees wanted to beat me up ( a school boy ). The owner let me go and i ran.

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