I was back at my house till about noon. I had gone to the market and bought some things for the house. After coming home, I thought of cleaning the gallery. If the rain water remained stagnant, dengue could have developed. That is why I wanted to clean the gallery once. Anyway, if I fall sick, who will take care of me? As soon as this thought came to my mind, I went to the gallery without wasting any time.
The water was not standing there, but there was a lot of garbage lying there. I started from the beginning. I mean, I collected sizeable litter first.
I was packing things when I saw a small wooden box. I tried to lift it but it was little bit heavy. Somehow I brought it inside the room. After cleaning the dust from it, I opened it carefully with curiosity.
'What was it?' It contained household items such as ceramic bowls, silk handkerchiefs, a beautiful mirror and many other small items.
I really liked that mirror. It was really amazing. It looked magical. Just for fun, I asked the mirror:
"O magical mirror! Tell me who is the most beautiful in this world?"
But no response was received. Hahaha. It's only in magical stories.
As I took everything out and put it aside, I found below a picture inside it. "There was ........ Oh! This is the grandmother, the home seller." I said in surprise. 'She was probably accompanied by her husband, three sons and two daughters. A two-year-old child was also sitting on her lap.'
Now I understand. It means that this house belongs to the grandmother. Perhaps her children left her after the death of her husband.
'I couldn't ask her. It will hurt her.'
After that I carefully examined everything in the gallery and put it in its right place. The best thing I found here was an old bicycle. It was not old, but very old. But still I was happy. Now I won't have to buy a new bicycle and my money will be saved.
I finished the cleaning and then brought the bicycle into the yard and parked it. It had a punctured tire, the chain was loose (rather broken), the handle was bent forward and the paint was blown everywhere. Anyway, I thanked God that at least the cleaning was done and the necessary items were found. I then packed my things and went to my room to rest. While lying on the bed , I was thinking about grandma. 'Where did her husband, sons, daughters, and maybe even grandchildren go? She was living alone until now. That's probably why she was so irritated.'. I felt very bad for her. I got up from bed and came to the window and stood near it. It was before dusk (perhaps the time of the afternoon call to prayer). It was getting colder but I don't know why it hasn't snowed yet.
I went to the kitchen and wanted to light the stove, but the gas ran out. I angrily put on my coat and came out.
The good thing was that now I did not have to go far to get firewood. Because a boy and his mother lived in a house some distance from my house. He used to go to the market to sell firewood. Instead of looking for firewood from here and there, I used to go straight to them with a few rupees, in return they would give me plenty of firewood.
Now I was moving fast towards their house. I reached there in the evening and then they allowed me to leave after eating meal with them. Along with that aunt put some more food in a tiffin box for me. I carried the bundle (of firewood) on my shoulder and started walking towards my house as fast as I could.
Now it was getting dark. I was very tired. I put the bundle aside and sat down in one place. Suddenly, a small piece of snow fell on my hand and gradually white cotton like snow started to appear everywhere. I jumped happily. I started running here and there in extreme happiness. It was so beautiful that I cannot describe it. It was more beautiful than any scene I have seen till now. But if I think about it.... every scene had a different beauty. It was also charming and bewitching like them.
I picked up the bundle and again walked towards the house. After some time I was at home. Coming inside, I lit the fire and heated milk for myself on it and took biscuits along with it. Due to lack of tea leaves, I was deprived of tea. What a fool I am! I didn't remember to take teaf leaves yesterday when I was buying the grocery. But I had a lot of fun sitting next to the bar and eating biscuits with milk.
It was night. In front of me, I could see Blossom's grave in flower bed, which was now covered with a white sheet of snow. It was looking very beautiful.
"Blossom, look! It has started snowing. If you were with me, how much fun we would have had!" I said looking at Blossom's grave with loving eyes.
After I finished eating and drinking, I worried about my clothes. I quickly took out my clothes from the bag that Grandpa had given me. There were a couple of mufflers and a coat.
"This is enough for me. Now I don't have to spend money." I said happily.
I wound up the kitchen and sat on my bed. The fire was burning in the ring so there was warmth in the room. I took out my pen and pages and started writing while leaning on the bed. I don't know when I fall asleep while writing.
I woke up early in the morning due to sleeping early at night. I heated the water and took a bath, put on clothes, hung the bag behind and came out. It was still snowing. I opened my hair for warmth and then wrapped the muffler tightly. Moving on, I picked up the bicycle (which was lying in a corner) and after saying Goodbye to Blossom, left for my work.
A lot of snow had accumulated and I was having to push hard to push the cycle forward. Finally, after a long distance, I entered the settlement. First of all, I went to the mechanic shop.
"Peace be upon you, brother!" I entered the shop and said in a loud voice.
"Peace be upon you too. How are you ?" A twenty-five-year-old loved one brother asked a question with an answer.
"Thanks to God. This cycle has to be fixed, brother." I said pointing to the bicycle.
He inspected the bicycle around. "Hmmm. Look, sister! Give me two days to fix its condition," he said, turning to me.
" Okay, that's fine. It will be your kindness. So I'm going." I said softly.
" No. I mean, the tea is brewing now. Have tea and then go." He said.
How could I refuse? That too for tea.
"Okay, it's fine. Thank you, brother." I said this and sat aside. It was eight o'clock in the morning. Today was Sunday anyway.
"You don't take Sunday off." I asked the brother who was pouring tea into the cups.
"No. What will I do at home alone after taking leave?" He said while holding me a cup.
"Do you live alone?" I asked another question.
"Yes," he answered curtly, looking outside.
"The weather outside is quite beautiful, isn't it?" I asked looking at him.
"No. Not at all. I don't like this weather at all." He said in a harsh tone. I was a little surprised but then changed my subject and asked.
"I don't think you belong here. Where did you come from?"
"I don't think you belong here either. Where did you come from?" He counter questioned me.
'I...' I was a little scared. "I'm from here. Yes, yes, I'm from here." I said briskly. Then I didn't ask any questions and quietly finished the tea.
"Where is the basin? I wash it."
"This side." When I asked, he pointed to one side and said. I went towards there. I washed my cup and placed it in a tray lying on one side.
"So fine brother, I'm going now. I'll keep coming." I said bowing slightly (which is my usual habit).
"Ok then. God bless you." When he answered, I came out.
"By the way, he was quite strange, wasn't he?" I asked myself.
"Yes, he was very strange. What did I even ask that made him so angry?" I answered myself.
I then proceeded towards the tea uncle's shop. "Hello. I entered and greeted."
"Hello, the brazen girl."
"What?" I asked shocked.
"Did I say it wrong?" He said with a smile.
"No. How can you be wrong?" I said with a frown.
"Well, first of all you open this whole door." I said to him.
"Shall I now obey you?" He said staring at me.
"Yes, I just want to make your shop first class. Don't you want it?" I said lifting my eyebrows. He stood up and opened the door fully. I then cleaned up the shop and asked uncle to make tea. When he had made the tea, I sipped a little. It was truly amazing. So why don't people take tea from here? A question came to my mind.
"Listen uncle!" I said looking at him.
"There is no problem with the taste of the tea. So why don't people come here?"
"The thing is, daughter, one day, I don't know how a man had an insect in his teacup. There were a lot of people at my shop that day. All the tables were full. But when everyone found out about the bug, they all left taunting me . Now, whenever the tourists come here, my opponents incite them against me.
"Oh, this is no small matter." I thought and said, 'maybe some opponent has put an insect in the tea.'
"Yes. It can be." He said while appreciating my words.
"Well, leave it. We do not take revenge from anyone. We will create a new identity for ourselves." I said encouraging uncle.
I went and stood outside the shop and started offering tea to everyone who pass by there.
But even after half an hour, no one came to my call. Finally, I wrote with a marker on the white board outside:
"Accept today's tea from us."
I came in after writing this. After a while a little girl entered the shop. Uncle would be overjoyed. After a while the shop was filled with people. I served tea to everyone. I was very happy to see that everyone liked the tea. When people started going back, uncle was surprised and said softly in my ear " Hey! Take the money from them." I told him to keep silence. When all the people went out, I went to uncle and said: "Uncle, today I have offered them free tea to win their trust. Now you will see that your shop will be full from tomorrow." I washed the dishes together and then put on a coat and came out.
"Thank you, daughter."
When I heard this, I looked back. Uncle had tears in his eyes. I knew these were tears of felicity. So I smiled and moved on.
I was going home now. There was snow everywhere. And I could see a lot of tourists too. I kept walking towards my house ignoring everyone. I changed my coat when I reached home. And then came out in front of the house.
I scooped the snow out of the flower bed and swept the snow off the plants. All the small plants were damaged. I took them out and threw them away. Perhaps I did not realize that such a climate is suitable for what kind of plants.
I went inside again. "What a joke, it's one o'clock right now," I said angrily. I came and sat at the window.
"Thankfully, people won't come here. Who would want to climb such a strange mountain."
I didn't go to valley again for the next two days. On the third day, I went to get my bicycle first.
"Peace be upon you, brother."
"Peace be upon you. See, your cycle is ready.
In the direction he pointed, there was an absolutely adorable bicycle. I couldn't believe it was the same bicycle I left here. But it was the same and its condition had improved a lot.
"Thank you very much. Thank you very much indeed." I shouted happily.
"Come on, sit down." He asked me to sit, so I sat on one side.
"How much money did it cost?"
"That day you were asking whether I like this weather or not." He said ignoring me.
"Yes, but you told me that you don't like it." I replied.
"No. I told a lie. I like it. I love this season so much that I killed my own father for it."
He said looking out. I was scared, but took courage and listened to him.
"You have called me brother, so I want to tell you all the truth:
I am not from here. Me and my father used to live in Lahore. My mother left dad and got married to someone else and shifted to London. I stayed with my father. He was often ill. Once I forced him to let me see the snow. And then he died as soon as we came here."
He started hiding his tearful eyes from me while looking outside. I got up and went to him and patted his shoulder.
"It's not your mistake. You said just now that he was often sick. Don't feel guilty."
He wiped his tears and stood up.
"You don't belong here either. Why did you come here? " When he asked, I had to tell him everything......" You know I've told this story to so many people that I can't cry anymore. You do the same. Make your new friends and be my brother too." I said smiling.
After that I went to grandma. After sitting next to her for some time, I talked to her in such a way that she realized that this time was also good.
But what can I console others? Who can understand better than me what a man is without his belongings...
Well. I went to uncle Aafan .The shop was full. I helped him with the work. He gave me the B-form and then I reached school.
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