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- Story Listed as: True Life For Teens
- Theme: Family & Friends
- Subject: Inspirational / Uplifting
- Published: 03/01/2021
Regret!
Born 1978, M, from Kolkata/West Bengal, India“What is your greatest regret in life?” asked Soma.
I had replied, “Well, my first love has always been soccer, and it is related to that!”
“Tell me about it!”
“Well, the year was 1993, if I am not wrong. We had gone to represent our school in an inter-school football competition at Lichubagan, against a rival school. After giving a tough fight we had lost the match by a whisker by conceding a last minute goal. Our team members were thoroughly dejected and we were sitting in a huddle after the game beside the football ground. It was then that a boy of my age from the rival team approached me and asked if I could spare some money for his food!”
He had said, “I have not had food all day and I am famished. But I have still played the game out of love for football and it is possible to spare some money for some food for me!”
I remembered that, “My mom had that day handed me a soiled five rupees note as bus fare to return from Ultadanga station to Labony Estate where we were residing back then. I was only fifteen back then and I didn’t have any money with me other than the five rupee note! I had requested my schoolmates first if they could spare some change for me but they didn’t relent saying that ‘He is too smart for you, and would make a fool of you!’”
Then I had also requested my physical education teacher for the same but he also didn’t relent.
“Now I wish I had given him the money. I wish I had not the taken a cab back home and after giving him the money had returned on foot, but I was still a kid and was too naïve to take such a decision back then. Those desolate eyes still haunt me in my nightmares.”
“What is your greatest regret, Soma, apart from falling in love with me?” I had asked her giving a mischievous smile.
She had replied in a jiffy, “I too have fostered a regret from childhood. It also has to do with hunger, but not the craving of a hungry fifteen year old lad but the hunger of a foodie I guess! Although on the hindsight it might also have to do with the regret of not having dealt with the class separation of the affluent and the poor!”
She had continued, “You know my father was stationed at Miao, Arunachal Pradesh, as the branch manager of State Bank of India. I was around 4-5 years old back then. My only friend was named Sunita. She used to be the vegetable sellers daughter. We were bossom friends back then.”
“Miao used to be a picturesque place back then. There was a common school and there was a river that used to flow beside the small town. There was a water-fall behind the school and it was just amazing!”-said she as her eyes twinkle as her thoughts raced down the memory lane.
Soma had continued, saying, “My father and mother didn’t believe in class differentiation. I was a good student and Sunita was an ok student. We used to hang out together. Sometimes we used to sit at Mr. Tanjur’s shop, rather I should say Sunita’s father’s shop, and try to mimic his voice as to sell the vegetables. One or two of my father’s colleagues used to complain that I was actually selling vegetables with Sunita.”
Soma added, “My father would laugh of the matter by saying that, ‘She is just a kid!’”
Soma had continued, “Well Sunita used to love my dolls as she lacked the bare minimum toys. My mom had given her a doll and I was so angry with her. Now I realize how much the dolls meant to her, since her father could not buy dolls for her. I feel I shouldn’t have been angry on her. Sunita could make wonderful toys with clay though. I remember playing with her by the meandering river and waterfall behind our school campus. Sunita would also love to eat the hot puris and potato curry that my mom used to cook!”
Then I interjected, “But what is your regret then?”
“I am coming to that! I remember that Sunita’s family used to eat cooked steamed rice, masoor daal and baked potatoes in a mud oven. The smell was so delicious! They would use white enameled plates and have their food and I used to peep at their food hoping they would ask me to have a bite or two. They never did as they had been forced to think otherwise by the class stigma that exists between the rich and the poor. I was also naïve since although my mom had asked me not to peep at other’s lunch so the guilt was always there. Once a foodie always one, I guess! I regret not having had the courage to ask my friend to share a bite or two. That is my greatest regret!”
I said. “Guess the class differentiation that gets integrated from such a small age for kids creates more social problems than ever in today’s society. But regrets are regrets, we need to learn from them I guess!”
Regret!(Shamik Dhar)
“What is your greatest regret in life?” asked Soma.
I had replied, “Well, my first love has always been soccer, and it is related to that!”
“Tell me about it!”
“Well, the year was 1993, if I am not wrong. We had gone to represent our school in an inter-school football competition at Lichubagan, against a rival school. After giving a tough fight we had lost the match by a whisker by conceding a last minute goal. Our team members were thoroughly dejected and we were sitting in a huddle after the game beside the football ground. It was then that a boy of my age from the rival team approached me and asked if I could spare some money for his food!”
He had said, “I have not had food all day and I am famished. But I have still played the game out of love for football and it is possible to spare some money for some food for me!”
I remembered that, “My mom had that day handed me a soiled five rupees note as bus fare to return from Ultadanga station to Labony Estate where we were residing back then. I was only fifteen back then and I didn’t have any money with me other than the five rupee note! I had requested my schoolmates first if they could spare some change for me but they didn’t relent saying that ‘He is too smart for you, and would make a fool of you!’”
Then I had also requested my physical education teacher for the same but he also didn’t relent.
“Now I wish I had given him the money. I wish I had not the taken a cab back home and after giving him the money had returned on foot, but I was still a kid and was too naïve to take such a decision back then. Those desolate eyes still haunt me in my nightmares.”
“What is your greatest regret, Soma, apart from falling in love with me?” I had asked her giving a mischievous smile.
She had replied in a jiffy, “I too have fostered a regret from childhood. It also has to do with hunger, but not the craving of a hungry fifteen year old lad but the hunger of a foodie I guess! Although on the hindsight it might also have to do with the regret of not having dealt with the class separation of the affluent and the poor!”
She had continued, “You know my father was stationed at Miao, Arunachal Pradesh, as the branch manager of State Bank of India. I was around 4-5 years old back then. My only friend was named Sunita. She used to be the vegetable sellers daughter. We were bossom friends back then.”
“Miao used to be a picturesque place back then. There was a common school and there was a river that used to flow beside the small town. There was a water-fall behind the school and it was just amazing!”-said she as her eyes twinkle as her thoughts raced down the memory lane.
Soma had continued, saying, “My father and mother didn’t believe in class differentiation. I was a good student and Sunita was an ok student. We used to hang out together. Sometimes we used to sit at Mr. Tanjur’s shop, rather I should say Sunita’s father’s shop, and try to mimic his voice as to sell the vegetables. One or two of my father’s colleagues used to complain that I was actually selling vegetables with Sunita.”
Soma added, “My father would laugh of the matter by saying that, ‘She is just a kid!’”
Soma had continued, “Well Sunita used to love my dolls as she lacked the bare minimum toys. My mom had given her a doll and I was so angry with her. Now I realize how much the dolls meant to her, since her father could not buy dolls for her. I feel I shouldn’t have been angry on her. Sunita could make wonderful toys with clay though. I remember playing with her by the meandering river and waterfall behind our school campus. Sunita would also love to eat the hot puris and potato curry that my mom used to cook!”
Then I interjected, “But what is your regret then?”
“I am coming to that! I remember that Sunita’s family used to eat cooked steamed rice, masoor daal and baked potatoes in a mud oven. The smell was so delicious! They would use white enameled plates and have their food and I used to peep at their food hoping they would ask me to have a bite or two. They never did as they had been forced to think otherwise by the class stigma that exists between the rich and the poor. I was also naïve since although my mom had asked me not to peep at other’s lunch so the guilt was always there. Once a foodie always one, I guess! I regret not having had the courage to ask my friend to share a bite or two. That is my greatest regret!”
I said. “Guess the class differentiation that gets integrated from such a small age for kids creates more social problems than ever in today’s society. But regrets are regrets, we need to learn from them I guess!”
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JD
03/01/2021I understood his regret, but I didn't really understand her regret.... She always regretted not asking to taste their food? Seems strange that she was sort of 'spying' on them while they were eating, and then regretted not asking if she could eat with them. Perhaps there is some cultural issues involved that I also do not understand and that is why it is confusing for me.
ReplyHelp Us Understand What's Happening
Help Us Understand What's Happening
Shamik Dhar
03/01/2021Julie, In India there existed a divide which divides the castes. 30 years back, lower caste people were spat upon for many reasons by the higher caste people. Well it is sometimes considered a sin for the higher caste people to consume food cooked by the lower caste people. Children who are innocent did not understand this. Innocence actually mitigates these so called barriers.
She as an adult is against these barbaric concept of castes. She had been taught to ignore these norms of these so called prejudices. She was in the horns of dilemma. As an adult individual she wanted to break this so called "sin" of not having shared food with the lower caste people.
However, her mother had taught her kid not to ask for food from anyone who were having their lunch. She was a well mannered kid not to ask for what she was carving for.
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