Decision Of Money

A Middle Class Girl

Today I woke up a little early than usual. Went to take a shower and got ready in my blue denims and white crop top. Then I started to cross check my packed suitcase. Yesss! After almost six months I am atlast going to my hometown to meet my family. These busy schedule of college in Bangalore made me too unavailable that I couldn't even call my mother and ask her about her health.

After signing the papers of college for my one week leave, I opened an app for booking a cab. But then realised that I had very less amount of cash left with me. I think this situation is faced by almost every middle class teenage immigrants once in their life. But for me, Aishwarya, it became a habit. Every month my brother sends me five thousand rupees for my living and studies. The hostel and college fees is totally dependent on the money I earn from tutions. Bangalore is a big city and a little expensive too. Atleast for me. Hence, at the end of the month I am left with less than two hundred rupees. Hence, I boarded a public bus which would go to my hometown Bagalkot.

After I reached home, I straight went in my bedroom and gone... I was SO tired after the bus journey that I couldn't even stand an extra minute to change my clothes and fell on my bed. My mother dragged me by my hands and told me to change my clothes and get fresh. I wanted to hug my mother but she rejected to hug me with my dirty clothes on. Hence, I went to have a fast bath. I came out and started combing my hair. Then one hand came from behind taking the comb from my hand and starting combing my long curly hair. "Hey Maa", I exclaimed with joy. That caring touch of her hand. Oh God! I missed it so much these six months. The next half hour I started telling her all the stories that I had stored in my mind for six months while she was giving me a nice, relaxing champi (head massage). You know, all incidence can't be shared on calls especially when you share your room with three other classmates.

Then I asked my mother about my brother. Suddenly the joy of her face vanished. She sobbed and told me, "Beta I am tired. Your brother Nikhil has gone out of my control now. Every day people come with the complain that he had a fight. His violence has reached to it's peak now. Our financial condition is really poor but still he drinks regularly. Thanks to God that still I earn well to send you some penny. Otherwise I couldn't even send you that seven thousand rupees per month".

I was little amazed and asked her, "You mean five thousand rupees right Maa?" She wiped her eyes and nodded her head to a no and told me, "No, seven beta". I now realised that my brother used to take two thousand rupees from that seven thousand to fulfil his unnecessary desires.

I rushed to the tea stall nearby and saw him having a cigarette with his spoilt friends. I hold his collar and was about to drag him back home. "How dare you Di! I am an adult now. I can take my own responsibility." Ohh, you take your responsibility so well that you felt the need of stealing two thousand rupees from the money maa earned with so much of hard work?" I shouted with anger. This anger was not because I got less money. It was about spending money in useless things. If I received those money then I could have saved them in my bank account. Or I could have given the money left with me every month back to my mother. She could use them for growing her stitching business. This is not only about one month. This was about a year and a half.

My brother became speechless. He never expected that he would get caught due to this ever. I told him to come back home. He had to obey me now as he was caught atlast. Actually my brother was never such spoilt. Sudden demise of my father and poor peer group led him to this dark path. But I know that still he is a sincere child from the heart. It's just hidden now but one day it will shine just like before.

PS: This song is one of the best songs for bus rides.