“whose child?”

It was raining heavily. I was standing alone at bus stop waiting for my bus to come. It was 9 PM and already there was no one due to rains. Being Friday I thought of starting early from my office but my PM assigned me a report to be finished exactly at 5 PM when I was about to leave. I had tough time trying to finish that within 4 hours and sent an onsite mail and rushed out to miss the last bus. Instead of waiting for another one hour I thought of taking public transport and that is why I am here all alone. I did not have umbrella and the drops of rain were on me through the holes on the roof of bus stop. Anyway with my duppatta wrapped around me I was waiting and was shivering uncontrollably. Just then I heard someone crying in pain from the side of bus stop. When I heard it keen I heard a feeble voice in pain and I was so scared. I managed to look through that small lane which was near the dust bin. I took my cell out and put the light on. I went near the dust bin with all my courage. I bent down and went little inside the lane and almost cried out to see a small boy of 2 years with blood all over his body. Due to heavy rains my cry was not heard. I went still near the boy and took him in my arms. I need to take him to hospital, he was breathing heavily. I carried him in my arms and came out and called for an auto that just crossed the bus stop. But, he would not stop. I ran behind the auto like a mad with the boy in my arms. But it was of vain. I don’t know what has to be done. I took my duppatta and covered his wounds with it. I saw a public phone booth nearby. I rushed near it put the boy down inside it and dialed the 100. I informed them regarding the boy and his wounds and in another couple of minutes the boy was taken to hospital nearby and was treated.

“ So, what were you doing there at that time”, asked the Inspector
“I had told you several times that I was there after my work” I answered almost irritated
“Ok, cool down. You see our investigation will be like this to find out the truth. You just need to co-operate”
“So, you are in no way related to the child “again Inspector asked me a question that made me almost angry.

“Why only did I go there at bus-stop? Why did hear this child’s cry and helped him out? Just to answer all these silly questions? Even after making him clear that I am in no way related to the kid and after showing my company’s id card he was still asking me these questions” I cribbed to myself

“Is he suspecting me? “ I was motionless for sometime

“Miss. Please go inside to see the kid. He is al right now.” said the doctor

“I went inside and looked at him and smiled”

“Amma” he called me

“I was surprised at first and later thought he is calling be Amma because he did not still recognize me as he must be feeling giddy”

“Amma where is Appa?” he asked me again.

“I don’t know exactly what to tell, I was confused”

“Appa, errr… Buttttt…….. I am not your Ammaa “I told

Just then Inspector entered and was staring at me.

“I am sure now he had decided that I am kid’s mother”

“Why did I help this kid and got into trouble like this?”

I was standing silent
“Well, Miss what you tell for this? The child is calling you mother? So there is not use in hiding things, speak out the truth” shouted Inspector

Now I was almost in tears.

“Sir, really I am not his mother, I don’t know why he is calling me like that. I looked at the kid helplessly. He was smiling at me.

“My child, I am not your mother I told. “

“No you are my mother; the kid hugged me”

“I felt like kicking him and ask him to speak out the truth”

But I need to control myself and be calm.

“So, it’s clear you have wounded the kid, the mother herself has wounded the kid and admitted to hospital also informing police” Inspector told in a stern voice

“Accept your fault and you will not be punished severely” he said

“I cried loudly, noooooo, he is not my son or I am his mother and I did not harm in anyway. The only mistake I did was I brought the child to hospital.”

But the Inspector was not ready to accept my statement.

I cried again and ran for help around the hospital. I ran to my left when the kid called me mother again. I ran to my right. At last, I fell down unconscious.

The auditorium gave a big round of applause.

Miss. Mathuri really well done. You re acting in today’s drama “whose child?” was excellent.