Today’s short story was motivated by the prompt, “An elephant, a ruffian and phrase ‘If I were suddenly rich’.” Enjoy, and if you are new here, I write short stories and reviews of favorite books and movies. I’d be thrilled if you…
There was a boy who also took his meals at the Papa Cook charity kitchen. He was older than Samir, by several years, and a good sized boy, strong and tall. Samir watched him keenly, shyly while he waited for service to begin. Samir spent his days and much of his nights thinking about his mother, who lived in a far off village with her aunts. He thought of travelling to his mother’s village while watching the tall, strong boy in the courtyard.
Finally, after many months of slow but thoughtful deliberations, Samir waited for the boy to walk into the courtyard that evening and he sidled up next to him in line. The tall boy’s clothes were a bit ragged, and torn in places you would expect if they’d been in a fight.
The tall boy didn’t notice Samir. He was standing on his toes, trying to glimpse the evening meal being served up ahead.
“Chicken in red onion curry,” Samir said, to no one in particular.
The boy swung around quickly and eyed his neighbor, his face hard, his tongue tied.
Without missing a beat, “If I were suddenly rich,” Samir declared, “I would have a whole chicken everyday for my meal, with the richest curry, and crisp naan, and rice, yes even samosas!”
While they ate their meal the two boys became fast friends. Samir talked and the tall, strong boy listened. Samir gave the bigger boy some of his rice, and after the meal and the cleanup, they left the courtyard together. Out of earshot of all the others, Samir mentioned that a little thievery was a good thing, that the Gods did not mind a small thievery. The boy listened and smiled a little. They came upon a small house with an open window the tall boy walked beside the open window and tried to glance inside.
“This house is so small,” whispered Samir, “it’s probably not worth the trouble.” The boy shook his head slightly to agree. They walked on.
“This is a larger house,” whispered Samir, “and there will be more gold, and maybe even some nice stones. But alas there is no open window. They have drawn their shutters closed for the night.” They walked on, Samir making a turn to a street he knew well.
“Here is a very nice house, they must have much gold for the beautiful matron and her daughters, and jewels as well,” whispered Samir, he took a sudden turn and walked along the side fence. The boy stayed by his side, enthralled by the notion of their future wealth. After another turn, they were by the fence behind the house. Samir was able to just fit his hand behind the gait and open the latch. Inside the fence it was quiet and dark. There were several open windows. The rooms behind were as dark as the courtyard. Samir motioned for the boy to kneel on one knee, and he slid atop the boy’s shoulders. The boy stood beside each open window while Samir leaned inside to find something he could reach. At the first window he found two gold hoop earrings and a small gold broach with a jewel used to fix a robe’s two end together. At the second window he found a set of brushes and combs made of ivory and set with gold and a jewel each. At the third window Samir found a hand mirror of ivory which also had jewels. The boys left as quickly as they’d come.
Samir gave all the stolen goods to the tall, strong boy. “Keep them safe until tomorrow,” whispered Samir, “and let’s meet at noon by the merchants near the river to find a buyer.” They parted then, each returning to his own hovel for the night.
In the morning, Samir made his way to the large house from the previous evening. He heard loud talk inside and before long a policeman and his supervisor arrived. There was much louder talk now, and the owner’s daughters were crying and pounding their hands together. Samir waited until the police left and the house calmed down. He approached and rang the bell by the front gate. The owner came out, still in a huff, and asked what did such a boy want with his bell this morning.
Samir told the man he’d heard of a robbery and knew the thief. “I can take you to him for a proper reward,” said Samir. The man offered ten rupees, but Samir needed a hundred rupees. So he shook his head ‘no’ and began to walk away. “Ok, Ok, then what do you want,” screamed the man.
“One hundred rupees,” said Samir.
The man reluctantly agreed. They began to walk together to the merchant’s row by the river. At they got close, Samir told the man “Wait and watch from here.”
Samir went on until he found the tall, strong boy. “I have already found a buyer,” said Samir. They walked back to the man, and Samir had the boy empty his pouch into the man’s hands. The man looked it all over, and placed it back in the pouch. Then he struck the tall boy in the face and yelled at him mercilessly. The boy ran away. The man gave Samir one hundred rupees very reluctantly and walked back home. Samir went that day and purchased for the sum of one hundred rupees an elephant ride to the far off village where his mother lived with her aunts.
