10th August 2021
All the excitement started on a dark August night in London, India’s Independence Day, 2020.
I was just going to bed when my mom burst in panting with excitement and gave me a piece of very exciting news. At first, I couldn’t make out head or tail of it, but I gradually began to understand. My mom, dad and I were going to an African village this very night, because my father had some important work there! We packed quickly and left for the port for we were going by ship. The ship was superb. It had rooms of its own and in our room, there was a proper desk and there were three bunk beds and there was a toilet of course and there also was a grandfather clock.
The clock struck midnight and we all went to sleep. I sighed in my sleep but that was all. At 9:00 my father woke me up and said that we were nearing the village. ‘Hey, is there a port in the village?’ I asked. My father, whom I call Nana, said, ‘Yes there is, sweetie pie.’
‘Sounds nice’ I said. ‘But you won’t think that when you hear the sad, dark story behind it.’ said my father. Then I began to be curious about what the ‘sad, dark story’ was. Anyway, I could see the port from here, so I thought we were nearing the village. I learnt from my father that the village’s name was Vallycan, and the port’s name was Mounylouxs. ‘Nice’ said I. Soon we reached Mounylouxs. Nana, my father, got out first then me and last came my mom. My father told us that he had already arranged a house with some of his friends and that it was very short from here. A car had come to meet us, and we all got into it and were driven of to the village. My mom was messaging my grandma, so she was a bit silent. My dad, and me however, were not. We were chatting about the new house and if you know history, I can tell you something a bit interesting. You know the Ameer Mahal? My dad said it looked a bit like that but still he mentioned that it was a house with a thatched roof but that was only to make it smart. ‘Oh’ I said. ‘In the history lessons, the ones in school of course, they taught us about Ameer Mahal.’ ‘It was – was a palace. ‘Who lived in it?’ asked my father, smiling that I knew so much history. I frowned perplexedly trying to remember. But by the time I had thought it out we had reached the house. It looked fantastic painted with red, and those black lines. It had also had tiny windows with dull pink curtains and a thatched roof as my father had said. I went into the house first and what I saw made me stare in amazement. In the hall there was a lovely table and surrounding it were chairs and, in the corner, there was a desk and a couch next to it. Also, there was an Air conditioner on the top.
My father saw my astonished expression for I was wearing one, laughed and said, ‘Don’t be surprised, darling, your mom and me always decide on houses like this.’ My mom and dad went to unpack, and I went to the window to peep out. I saw the next-door house. Five children were in the backyard, and they were washing the dishes and one child was crushing tomatoes for sauce on a stone, you know. One was sweeping and another child was washing the clothes. And one last child was lighting a fire for cooking. It was then I realised what a privileged life I had, what an unprivileged life they had and what a blessed person I was. I had a blender, and I had a maid to do the washing of dishes and clothes, I had a stove, I had a cook to attend to the cooking and crush the tomatoes for sauce. I really had nothing much to do in my life, I could play and so on. What made me sad was that when I had help to do all the work, and yet here were these children doing all the work at such a young age! I went upstairs to my mom and dad and explained to them what I had just seen. After my explanation they, too, were feeling very sorry for the children.
My dad said to me ‘August, don’t you realise what a blessed child you are?’
‘Why, yes, Nana, I do realise it’. ‘It was just what I was thinking.’
‘Good’ said Nana.
I said, ‘Nana, maybe I could go and talk to them?’
‘Okay’ said Nana.
He looked out of the window and then said, ‘Go now because they are working.’ I went without a word. I took my ball with me (I had brought it from India). I went over and said a hello. They looked at me wondering whether to talk to me or not. Then I introduced myself as August. I know it is very funny that a girl’s name might be August but it was not because I was born in August. I was born in April but I was christened August because my mother’s side grandfather died then and also because my mom and dad loved the name. There were five children and four of them were girls and one was a boy. The boy said he was eleven and his name was Richard and he was called Dick for short. The girl’s names were Luna, Ann, Enythe and Xan. ‘Hey why don’t you come to my house’ I asked. They were willing to come and they ran off to tell their mother. She allowed them and I took them to my house, showed them to my parents and decided to watch Tom and Jerry. I chose Baby Tom and Jerry. We giggled like mad at the movie – it was so funny. Then we went to the coffee shop, chose a table – a big one and ordered a big fruit cake, some chocolate buns and lemonade. I still felt sorry for them for they had so much work to do in their lives. Then Ann said ‘What about some games in the park?’ then she turned to me and said ‘oh you’ll soon get to know the park and you’ll love it. But before we could get up my mom came rushing along the road. By the way, my mom’s name was Mona and my dad’s name was Tito. My word! I had never seen her run so much in my life. ‘August, your father’s work is done! We are going to leave. I was going to leave but Luna shouted ‘Wait’. The girl slipped her hand into her pocket, brought out a picture and handed it to me. It was a picture of Luna, Ann, Xan and Richard. Have this she said. ‘Thank you’ I said. I hugged them all in turn and left straight away. I found that Mona had already packed. One hour later we were in the ship again. I felt sad that I had left the kids. Four days later I got a letter from Luna.
This is what it said:
‘Dear August’ I read.
How are you doing?
I hope Mona and Tito are doing well.
I thoroughly enjoyed spending the day with you.
Convey my regards to Mona and Tito.
I remain your best friend
Luna.’
I loved the letter…But I must say no more.
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