A Waste Life - A Short Story

 A Waste Life

                 "Amma, I want to go to another state to earn much." Jakira still remembered that and wished that had she not given her consent. Jakira was a middle aged widow woman, a mother of three children. Jamal was her elder son, Madhuli - a daughter and Namaz, the youngest son. Her husband died when she was to give birth to her third child. Jamir was her husband. He died of mulnutrition. His death was a bolt from the blue for her. So, after two days of her childbirth, Shakira had to start working as a labourer to feed her children.

          Jakira was then just 25. The name of her village was Adharkhana. As the name so was the condition of the villagers. Their destiny was in dark. No education came there, the roads were muddy. The mud-huts suggested that the government left them in the hand of destiny which was too cruel. The village seemed to be labour-factory. After attaining the age of fifteen, the boys joined the labour-force and the girls were married at an early age. Jakira's eldest son Jamal started working when he was twelve to help his mother. He was given a meagre wage, but that was good for his family. Jamal was a clever boy. He saw how others were paid. He felt his mother's suffering. So, he often used to tell his mother, "I want to go to another state to earn much." But Jakira did not allow him citing that he was too small to go to other places. Jamal complained but continued his farm-work.

                Years passed. Jamal became of 15 years, the age when most of the boys of his village joined the workforce. Then Jamal got the right to work. He met boys who would go to the other state to earn much. He told his mother, "Amma, I want to go to another state to earn much." He also told that the other boys were going and so he wanted to go with them. On the other side, Jakira had the marriage thought of her daughter Madhuli who attained 13 years. The marriage needed money. So, though reluctant, she gave consent.

               Kamal bought a General Class train ticket from Mirikpur to Darika. Next day, news came that a train, which left Mirikpur towards Darika the previous day, met with an accident. Jakira felt a shiver. She did not know which train Jamal took. She even did not know how to contact Jamal. She just remembered Jamal's words, "Amma, I want to go to another state to earn much." It started ringing in her ear as if Jamal was continuously telling her she wished that had she not given her consent.

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