Like all previous years little Bannku was eagerly waiting for his exams to get over. Father had promised a trip to Granny’s place where the kids could do all the things which normally they could not like grazing cattle all the day, playing in village pond, climbing from one banyan tree to other . No homework, no school, no extra tuitions from ‘Mr Tulsi Das’ the newly appointed post man in the village. All these thoughts made little Bannku very happy and excited.
Bannku to Sunil “dada you know Granny makes best coconut ladoos (sweet) in the whole India even better than Maa; this time the I will also came with you and Montu Da for fishing”.
Sunil “My dear little one tomorrow is English paper, you know Sharma Sir is very strict , Raja was telling that he is going to set very tough questions this year and will try to fail as many as students as possible: that will make him hero among the other teachers. So for today just forget about Granny’s ladoos and remember Robin Hood and his merry men.”
Dada is always a big bore, I wish I could sleep as soon as possible and go for the exams tomorrow. Mother “Kids came for dinner, sleep early and get up early for the last exams”. Sunil and Bannku happily proceed for the dinner.
Next day after the exams bannku hurried his way to home; he kept his bag aside, removed his shoes and came running to his mother. “Maa exams are over now, when we are going to Granny’s place”. Mother smiled “Bannku have patience little one, first wash yourself, change your clothes ,then you and your brother have lunch, in the evening we will talk to your father”
Bannku was eagerly waiting for dad to come from work; he even skipped the evening football match. It was almost past 6’oclock when Bannku’s father came from work. Bannku hurried to his father hugged him, took the bag with vegetables and sweets from his father.
Bannku: “Papa all my exams are over now”.
Father: ‘How was your paper boy’?
Bannku: ‘It was very good, I answered all the questions; this year also I will get better marks than Dada. You have a sit I will get a glass of water for you and ask Maa to make tea for you.’
Father smiled back to him and asked ‘where is your dada?
Bannku with a glass of water answered ‘He has gone for evening football match’. Bannku looked to his father and asked him ‘when we are going to Granny’s place?’
Father was quite for some time and said ‘ Bannku we will talk about it tomorrow morning, Son now I have to discuss something really important and urgent to your mother, so you go and play with Dada now’. He was little disappointed but not dishearten.
Next day morning Bannku’s dad sipping his tea in the breakfast table looked at the kids and said “boys this year, we will not go to your Granny’s place as I have very important work in office and I have no leaves” Suddenly the whole atmosphere became very tense as if someone has dropped a nuclear bomb. Bannku revolt back ‘but papa you promised us; every year we use to go granny’s place after our exams’ and he pushed his plate. Father: ‘Son this year we cannot go, please try and understand’.
Little Mr Bannku was very angry and upset; all his dreams were shattered into pieces. How can father break his promise so easily; I will not let this happened. He tried one more time “Father if you don’t take me to Granny’s place I will leave home and go alone”. Father was in no mood to entertain the kid and said causally ‘ok you go alone but mind it dada will not came along with you, I will ask your mother to pack your bag’. These words from father’s mouth were like pouring petrol on fire. Father thinks that I am not big enough; he thinks its dada who always takes care of me; he does not love, he will not be bothered even if I leave: Even Maa and Dada did n‘t.
Bannku left the breakfast table and run to his room. Bannku’s father stopped Mother and Sunil to go after him ‘let the kid understand himself, don’t worry he will be fine after an hour, we should be little strict, he is becoming more and more stubborn these days ’.
Bannku put a pair of cloth, his tooth brush into his school bag and left the room with the bag. He came out to the living room, looked at his parents and brother, none seems to bother much. He quickly came out of the house and started his way to granny’s place. No one stopped, not even Maa and Dada; Sometimes I feel they love dada more than me even though I always good marks than Dada in the class; they think I am not strong enough to go alone anywhere; I leave home and I will stay with granny .....................................
Lost in his thoughts Bannku crossed his school, fields, the village pond and he covered a distance a 7km lost in his thoughts. He started feeling little hungry and he looked all around; the place does seems to be very familiar. He was little worried and scared now. Raja was telling about the witch with three heads who kills a boy every Sunday and enjoys the leg piece: I don’t know the way to Granny’s place, I should have asked Dada to come along with me. I am hungry, Maa must have made chicken for lunch today.
Suddenly Mr Tulsi Das appeared from nowhere and asked Bannku ‘what are you doing here and where are you going alone with the school bag and it’s very far away from your home’. Bannku told Mr Das the whole story and told him that he has left his home and now he don ‘t know the way to granny ‘s place. Mr Tulsi made Bannku to sit in his new cycle and carried him to his home. He gave him food and tried Bannku slept off.
It has been more than 3 hours now and there is no news of Bannku, his parents were worried and they started searching for him. Bannku’s Mother was very upset; you should not have been so harsh with the little boy complaining to her husband. He is very sensitive kid, gods knows where he is, he must be very hungry by now............
‘Bannku was missing’ the news spread like wild fire. Everyone was looking for him.
Raja’s fathers came to Bannku’s father and informed him that little Bannku is safe and soundly sleeping in Mr Das’s house. They got little Bannku back after few hours from Mr Tulsi Das’s house.
