Friday, June 1, 2012

The Experienced Connoisseur

     It was not so that his business was not fetching him enough money. He earned a lot. There were four butcheries in the market yet none was as famous as his. And why not? He kept the best meat. He bought the healthiest billy-goats at the asking price. He fed them as if they were his own children. Then every morning when he slaughtered them and hanged the fresh meat in his shop its splendor caught everybody's sight. Customers liked to purchased meat from his shop even at a higher price.
     In spite of all this he didn't wish to carry on this business as a family trade. Angad was his only son after three daughters. Therefore he kept Angad away from the butchery and sent him to school. On growing-up he turned out to be bright and sensible. He even earned good reputation among the young lads of the village. 
     Gajraj Singh, his childhood friend,  was now a renowned leader of the town. After being a member of the municipality, he was now keen on becoming a member of the legislative assembly. One day in the village he saw Angad and dropped a word with his father while leaving "Send him to us, he'll work for the party and we'll make a man out of him. With you he would either be a butcher or would loiter here and there without a job."
     Next day Angad was sent to live with Gajraj Singh. Today, like always, when he visited them he ecstatically narrated " He keeps me just as a  son, gives me pocket-money lavishly, food also the same as he eats..."
     He was not able to sleep that  night. The image of that fat, healthy kid which he had butchered in the morning haunted his mind. The same kid that until yesterday he used  to feed with his own hands. He kept on turning and tossing over. He was thinking of calling Angad back to town the next morning.[Translation of Hindi short-story 'Pushtainee Parakh'] 

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