LOVE VERSUS MONEY by Deepavali Goswami (early reader chapter books TXT) 📖

“LOVE NEVER COMPROMISES IN ANY CONSEQUENCE”


LOVE VERSUS MONEY


Dedicated to my Mom and my Dad
Champa Bhattacharjee
Ajoygopal Goswami

It was a fine jolly morning in the month of May. As always, Amir woke up early, took a bath and got ready for his work. His Ammi

had kept his favorite kurta

on his bed. Today was a very important day in Amir’s life. He put on his kurta

and topi

and set out for his work. He didn’t bother about breakfast, he was already late for his work, his Master would very angry.
Amir paddled in his cycle. As he was paddling across the road, he could see beautiful sceneries on the either sides. The village of Sonpur was a real beauty in that pretty morning. Far near the river bank, a group of women were walking with their water-filled matka

on their heads, chattering and giggling from time to time. Behind them, the river was shinning like pearls in the bright sunlight. But Amir didn’t have time to admire this beauty of nature. He was very nervous and at the same time very excited. Today, he was going to receive his first salary, for the hard work he had done all these days in Lalu Seth’s farm.
“I shall buy some sweets from Ramu halwai

while returning. Ammi will be very happy.” One after another ideas came flashing into his mind. He could not control his excitement.
Amir reached the farm gate. He saw Lalu Seth sitting on a chair and the other workers were standing in a queue in front of him. As Amir joined the line, everyone turned to him and gave him sympathetic look. Amir could not understand what it meant. He decided to ignore it.
One by one the queue got smaller and smaller. Amir stood there and saw Lalu Seth counting notes. As Amir approached nearer, Lalu Seth looked up at him. He had a peculiar expression on his face which Amir did not like at all. When it was Amir’s turn, Lalu Seth sighed and closed his money box. Amir was surprised.
“Where were you yesterday, Amir?” Lalu Seth inquired. Amir felt his heartbeat get faster.
“Ammi

was very sick Sethji. I had to rush her to the village dispensary.”
“Aha! No excuses Amir. You remember the first day of your job? You had promised me to be loyal and regular throughout the whole month. Didn’t you?...”
“But…..”
“…..and I had told you that I don’t like excuses.”
Sethji gave Amir a furious look. Then he opened his money box and took out a 10-rupee-note.
“This is what you deserve Amir because you broke your promise.” He threw the 10-rupee-note at Amir.
Amir was horrified. “But Sethji! Please! You can’t do this to me!”
Sethji tended not to listen. So he continued, “Please! I have a family at my house waiting for me to return with the salary, which totally depends on this salary. Ammi

is very ill. I have to buy her medicines. And…and…” Amir started sobbing. He could not control his tears. “And…there are my ….small brothers…and sisters. I must feed them, Sethji! Please…..please!”
At the mention of his family, Sethji suddenly looked up at Amir. Then he smiled at Amir – but the smile was not a good one. It was an evil smile.
“Well,” started Sethji after a few moments of silence. “One thing can be done. You are having a sister, aren’t you? What was her name.... hmmmm…yes Soraya. I shall give you your whole salary and even much more money and a big house to live in, if you promise me to give your sister’s hands on mine.”
Amir was dumbstruck. He stared at the 40-years-old man. “But...but…she’s just fifteen!”
“Well?” Again Sethji gave him an evil smile.
Amir thought for a moment. In his mind, he could see the vision of his sister, and then a big house and lots of money. No tension, no problems. “But how can I do this?” thought Amir.
He stared at Sethji for sometime. Then slowly he put the 10-rupee note on the table in front of him, turned around and walked away.
Amir reached home late that day. As he entered the house, Soraya came running with a glass of water in her hand. He looked up at her and suddenly tears burst out of his eyes. Soraya got afraid and asked him what the matter was. Amir said nothing. After a moment of silence, he said, “I will never let anything harm you in any way till I am alive, Soraya. That’s a promise of you Bhaijan

.” Soraya could not understand what it meant. But still she gave him a reassuring smile.
That night Amir did not come for dinner. When Soraya took his dinner to his room, found the door ajar. She pushed the door. “Bhaijan

?” And there he was, hanging from the ceiling, his eyes filled with tears, he could not shed before dying.

Money cannot buy everything; some relations are more precious than money….


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Publication Date: 11-01-2010

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