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Play It Right - contd

by Sri Ram Kumar
(Hyderabad, India)

Bal Ram was feeling remarkably cheerful when he reached his house after working day long in Shankar’s rice fields. His wife asked him “May I know why you are so happy today?”

“Of course I want to share it with you today. You know Suman right? That man who sent Shankar’s sons to jail. Shankar planned revenge secretly. He invited Suman and apologized today. No servant knows about that. This morning Shankar’s wife called me to lift some copper vessels and I went into the store room. From the window I have seen the two bastards prowling around Suman’s car. I noticed they are placing some thing under the car. I wondered why? Then they left hurriedly. I know they are in some nasty game again with Suman. I got Shankar’s hair after a long time. In fact all the workers got the rope for Shankar’s neck. I took the news to everyone in the fields and when Suman came to greet us we took him aside for ten minutes and removed the packets. Most of our farmers couldn’t figure it out, but you know Raju right? Son of Vinayak. He had gone to Mumbai once. He knew they are some powders which are costly and addictive like our beedi, cigars and bung. We sent the Suman off and later this evening when the two twin buffaloes are riding their car towards town they asked for three coconut waters. Raju contacted his friends in city and came to know that those are called ‘drugs’ in English. He mixed some in one

of the three bottles of coconut waters and they took the bottle with them.”

“What if those buffaloes had found out that you people mixed something in coconut water?” she asked anxiously.

“Raju assured us that nothing that sort happens. In case such thing happens we decided to dump this onto Suman. They tried to bum him right. He is anyhow not coming to this village anymore. But as Raju said nothing that sort happened” Bal Ram laughed.

“What a sinful creatures you are? You blame this on to him, the innocent fellow! That too for your joy? Ohh… God! Punish these idiots!” She closed her eyes and took her palms together.

“You are too childish. See we have saved Suman. That too this is a once in life time chance to treat that brutal Shankar a lesson. Now its over. They learnt their lesson…Suman left the village….we got our chance to avenge our traitor cum master. Also you know we have mixed only one packet in coconut water all the other nine packets Raju is going to sell to his friends in city. Each will yield at least three thousand as per the information he got. Shankar gets all these from exploiting his servants and we servants got it back from him. Its leveled right?” Bal Ram again laughed.

“You sinners! I’m not going to talk to you any more. But remember when something screws up, that Raju is a bastard in city he will definitely give all of you up……God” she exclaimed and went from that room where her husband sat relaxed laughing and lighting a beedi.

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