While Prabha was walking towards me with tea and breakfast I just spoke to her in rather high sound: Could you please close the door, the clouds of dust are pushing in! How would I have breakfast in this situation?
: It is your routine nonsense.
: What else would I say? If only this Heerji could sweep slowly! What can he lose in doing so?
: Will flowers fly instead of dust while sweeping the road ?
: You take sides with Heerji everyday!
: Why would I not? He cleans the road everyday. What can the poor fellow do for the dust coming in our house if it happens to be on the road?
: 'Ok Ok now!'
: I looked sternly to my wife but she did not like it. Widening her eyes, she put the breakfast on the tripod and walked to the kitchen after closing the door. I looked at her graceful feet. I like the sound of her anklets but cursed this Heerji! I became sullen in my mind to the style Heerji's sweeping which flew the dust. I readied myself for the office early in the morning. Sometimes, I also brought some unfinished office tasks to home. The morning was quite suitable to me for finishing up my tasks but the fear of dust coming in forced me to keep the door shut. I hated it!
Heerji is the sweeper of our society. He regularly comes to sweep with her with Kamla. He comes up so soon as I start to enjoy the fresh morning breeze after completing my bath and other activities. Just seeing him there, I become lifeless. I become alert as soon as notice the dust spread about the house of the neighbour. Before I could even shut the windows of the house, his broom starts running fast before my house. And a lot of dust has entered the house before I could shut the door! I am bitter and start condemning Heerji. I could beforehand shut the door until he came on regular time. But he won't come regularly for some time. He comes sometime at 8 or at 9. No certainty. I was so upset that I wanted to say this son of sweeper to stop sweeping before my house. But would I be spared from Prabha's wrath then? My god, how come that you just cannot do away with this people? It would be nicer had there been no chapter of dirt in the book of the world. No sweeper and no resenter! Rest. But some other thing would replace it if had it been not about the dirt. Something was sure to be. There would have been others like Heerji who would not allow you breath of peace. This Heerji has caused so much trouble to me. What should I do about him? Hardly I bask in the Sun and I see him so I shut the door fast with a thunder. I am greatly relieved if he does not come early in the morning. I am a person who enjoys breakfast at leisure in the morning. Finishing her worship, Prabha offers the breakfast which I relish slowly. He comes up just at that time rubbing his broom on the road as if he was just waiting for me. Before I could even shut the door with haste, Prabha would utter from the Kitchen.
: Shut the door slowly.
: 'You mind you own business'
Prabha would respond to me from the Kitchen if she is busy. If she is free, she would place her hands on her waist and talk to me in a voice of rather scolding.
(Page2)
It is not only us having the house on the road. There are other 10 houses in our line. No one reacts like you. It is good that Heerji is unaware of your annoyance. How painful would it be for him to know about this?
: 'Then be he, I see him as a nuisance. He must have known about this. How come he comes up just when I keep the windows and doors open? '
: ' It is useless to convince you, you cannot straighten dog's tail. You are better in the office...'
Prabha made fun of me at a times so I did not argue further. I would go to office while despising Heerji within my mind. Even the office would look as if it were twilight. I kept on shaking off the dust which seemed to have pierced throughout my body. The dust was after me, it had found out my whereabout.
I happened to go out for some days for office work. I was head officer so naturally the officers of the sub-offices chant on 'Trivedi Saheb', Trivedi Saheb'. I felt good for leaving behind illusion of Heerji for three days. Moreover I was hosted and honoured greatly so I completely forgot about Heerji. With this feeling of lordship, I boarded the train at 12 of the night to return. I decided to reach home before Heerji came to sweep. I saw him sweep before my house when I entered the society early in the morning. 'So earl?'. 'He must want to return home soon for some task and should have come early for that matter.' I told the driver to stop the car just at the gate of the society. I got down and the driver drove the car off. Meanwhile I had my sight toward my house. I instantly reached my house and noticed that Heerji swept in such a way that no dust was spreading. 'What a pervert, when I am home, he spreads so much dust but not today?' It was inculcated in my mind that Heerji did so in order to piss me off. I opened the door of house. Before I could close it, he came before and said,
: 'Saheb, salute.'
When I sternly looked at him, he started giggling. I thought that my doubt was true. I looked around the road. Everything was neat and clean..
He had saluted me so I felt some affection for him.
: Oye, Heerji, it must be acknowledged that you are number one in cleaning'
: ' That is okay Sahab, but you seem not to be grateful for that? Do you?'
: 'Why did you speak so?'
: ' We clean the whole world, but did you ever say that brother come for tea some day. Did you just give a theplu of some ganthiya?
I was not fool to accept his request. It would spoil them. I laughed loudly in order to divert the talk. I liked his way of conversation. His wife Kamla was removing the garbage from house dustbin to hand cart. It's stink made me alert. Kamla was collecting waste with her tin basket as if she felt no stink. Her hands were stark dirty.
I took my eyesight off her and looked at Heerji. He used to come wearing clean clothes. His hair, as if poured over whole bottle of coconut oil, radiated in the sun. He parted hair from side and set it loose. Some hair pressed in the middle like Dev Anand. Not inferior in look. If dressed in suite and boot, he would look like a Brahmin. Ottari Brahmin! Like me? No, no. What, bricks and mortar? Certainly not in this birth. Without uttering anything I entered the house. He started sweeping while looking at my house. This time he, like sullen, flew more and more dust. And I shut the door bang.
My sister-in-law and her husband had come over night just a few days ago. After completing our baths , we were having breakfast while the windows and doors were open. Suddenly, I heard the screeching sound of the broom. Oh my god! I sprang up. What will happen now? There were spirals of clouds before I could think of anything else. Morning sunlight was over my cot. The particles of dust looked so fly over in it that my sister-in-law spoke up in anger.
: 'Banevi, tell that brother to sweep slowly...'
I did not come out. I shut the window and before I could shut the door my sister-in-law clamored with rage.
: ' Can you not tell him? Why shut the door? Wait, I will tell...'
Prabha and I were struck with fear. We were familiar with the nature of the sister-in-law. She could unnecessarily start a quarrel with Heerji. I request her to leave the matter. He does this everyday but what can we do about it?
: ' Why will he not obey?' He will not be spared today....
The sister-in-law had rushed so close to the door. Prabha ran and caught her by the hand. She closed the door and brought her unwillingly back to seat.
The further quarrel was avoided that day. But Heerji won't stop it. He did it as if with an intention to irritate me. His naughty acts increased day by day. I became relaxed once he was away with sweeping from house. No sooner I had left the doors and windows open than he returned. He would brush his broom on the ground while passing by house. I got frightened. Sometime he would hold the gate of my compound and shout.
'Saheb...!'
I could see him clearly from my window.
I would respond in anger: 'What is it?'
: What is up?
: What do you want?
: I thought I should salute to Saheb while passing.
What is the salute for, brother!
: ' Because you are unhappy with me...' He would say and passed away by laughing loudly. Look, whom should I complain to? Prabhadevi won't just listen to me. The neighbours had been accustomed to the dust. And this son of me was becoming more daring. I swore him a lot in my mind. One day I came out the house as soon as he swept before my house and went to next house. His wife Kamla after picking up the waste from door to dare stood before my house with her cart. I got the chance I wanted.
: Kamlaben, please come here?
: 'Speak, Saheb!'
: ' Why don't you say something to Heerji?'
: 'Why?' 'What is the matter?'
: 'Look, do you notice any dust over there other houses?'
: 'No.'
: ' Why then does he fly so much dust before my house?'
: 'He would never do such a mischief. There is a pit here. We face much breathing problem while sweeping here. And do you scold us in addition to that? Dust does fly while sweeping, Saheb.
: 'But in suh large amount?'
: 'Order to stop sweeping if such is the case. I can hear you say low of Heerji everyday.
Lo, now what to tell Kamla? It just all went wrong with her! I silently went into the house. I could not focus even in the office that day. My head was heavy. Being bored, I left early from the office that day. Usually I left the office late. Before I arrived, Harjee would be off with his food. I never happened to encounter him. Today I came early and he had to encounter him. Her wife was carrying the pot of food on her head and walking ahead, Harjee was behind her. I slowed my pace, I did want to be with him. Before Kamla could reach my house; Fulchand, a bhaiya of U.P, who lived in our society, met him. He stopped to talk to him. I could not avoid overtaking him whatever way I walked slow. As I reached near, Fulchand Gupta asked, 'How are you?' I, therefore, was forced to stop by him. I was a Brahmin so naturally the Bhaiyyas of our society address me as panditji and took care of my honor. They would also invite me to perform katha. I stopped. Heerji smiled at me. But I showed horrid face to him, and started to converse with Fulchand. Fulchand had a heart attack sometime ago, he could be saved only because of instant admittance to hospital. He says that two of his arteries were blocked so two stands were placed there. Managing time, I had visited him to ask for his condition in the hospital. So if I do not inquire about his health, I would be considered mannerless.
: 'Brother Fulchand, how well are you now?'
: 'Quite well... now I have become strong and healthy!'
: 'Very good. There is no need to worry.'
Fulchand was greatful that I cared for him. It was good that Hirjee was silent. I would not have liked him meddle in the conversation. Fulchand was thinking about something. I also was in thoughts of Hirjee. But as Fulchand spoke so I looked at him.
: Look Panditji, If you are strong in mind then any problem can be solved.
(Page-4)
Before I could say anything in his agreement, Heerji interfered.
Bhaiyaji, you are not right in this. You must have virtue in your account with all of your five fingers. You are saved because you have done it. Many people are thankless and miser, how would they know the value of virtue. He looked at me with sly eyesight and started to walk after saying this.
It angered me so much that I wanted to crush him. We know about virtue and vice, not you. Understood? What have you done other than flying dust, you fool?
I wanted to make him hear hurtful things before he could reach my house. But he left speedily after taking the meal before I could reach there. I started to feel a headache. What now? Now I strted to devise against Heerji whteher at home or in office. Eveen in my dreams was Heerji. Broom and dust... The dust flying about.... I make effort to escape but it just follows me. All in vain even if I try to use my hands as a cover against it. Getting lost and worn out I close my eyes. As soon I open them Heerji is in front of me with his broom. Once a man with towel worn over his head was sweeping with Heerji. Dirty by hands and feet; torn vest and lungi. Heerji was repeatedly gauding him with the broom. That man with folded hands was beseechng Heerji. The face of that man shone in the sunlight; it was me! My heart started fluttering. I rose up in the cot and started breathing highly. I went to the toilet, lay myself in the bed but could not sleep. I woke up early and started walking around. I opened he doors and windows for better air circulation. It was no worry as he came at between 8 to 9 o'clock. I took bath and stayed for a while in the sun. I came in, took breakfast but Heerji did not appear. It ticked me. 'rascal, why does not appear?' I swore in mind. Anyway I had loathed this community from the very beginning... It especially pricked me that these Harijans have become my bosses in office by taking the advantage of the reservation. I took my frustration out on worthless fellows like Heerji. And this way I satisfied my ego. What else could I do? But what has happened to Heerji? He would come up maximum at 9 even if he was late. I, tired of wait, went inside and opened the doors and windows. I completed some unfinished office work. While i was dressing, I heard his broom. Oh mother, he is come. Now the dust will spread. The dust started to fly as if he was on a mission to fly away the bees. As I shut the window and went to the door, he stopped sweeping. I felt as he was knocking at the door.
: Saheb. O saheb!
I answered from the middle of the door.
: 'What is it? Why do you yell?'
: 'By the way, what business I could have with you? Your wife told that I displease you by spreading the dust. So I thought to say sorry to you. It is just that.'
: 'No, no it is not so brother. I just mean your safety. You fly dust which can make you ill by reaching to the lungs. Why don't you put on mask?'
: 'Look saheb. It is futile to live in dust and have kingly dreams. Nothing is nobler than the dust reaches to the lungs and kills me. It will just pay off the dues of this life. And especially it will give me freedom from the haters like you.'
He treaded slowly to his broom, picked it up and stopped for a while. I saw him turn and wipe his tears. My conscience stirred up for a while and I felt something novel inside me. But after a while, I thought, 'who cares?'. After this, I felt as if there is a strong bleeding in my lungs.
Heerji did not spread much dust in front of my house after this incident. The dust was spread around other's house when he swept fast. But he would be slow and careful not to spread much dust before my house. I started admiring this change in Heerji. However, he would turnover all of this by winnowing his broom harshly whenever he was frustrated. I thought: 'When will I get riddance of this load?'
Heerji was irregular for some time. Kamala would sweep cursorily in front of the house. Heerji would come sometime or sometime not. I enquired with Kamala, she replied, "He is not well. He must be admitted to the hospital." I felt, " great, free from the dust now." I shuddered within the mind. What have I just desired? Do brahmins have blank eyes just for this? Selfishness.Pure selfishness! If not more then at least a little, but I felt ashamed of myself.
Kamala did not come to sweep for a complete week. On the next week Prabha cleaned the whole house as there was much waste accumalated in the house. Prabha had collected the waste in the dustbin and placed it in the corner of the compound. As she was busy in the household chores so the waste of two days stayed in the same way. I thought to give it to Kamala if she came to sweep so I stood waiting for her. As she had not come even at 9 O'clock so I bent down to look through the main gate of the society. While doing so the grill hurt which instigated me to swear. Despite that I kept patience and looked again. A sweeper was coming with his broom trailing after him. I carefully observed him: ' He does surely not appear to be Heerji. Who will it be?' As I bent a little more forward, his countenance became clear. He was not Heerji. He came sweeping from the gate to the door of my house; the dust started to fly.
: Hey, this son of mine flies more dust even than Heerji, what should I do? I told Prabha not to bring tea and breakfast at this time. I stayed to see the style of sweeping of this new sweeper. Heerji was sobre, he had worn the narrow bottomed pant and short sleeved shirt...His hair well combed with the mask on the mouth. He straightened the broom and held his chin on the tip of the broom; he stood as if he was pleased to see me. I scornfully looked at him. He stared back at me unflutteringly. I was wearing lungi and vest as I had taken bath just recently. He must have understood the meaning of my scornful look/ He unmasked himself and asked loudly: 'How are you Bhagat!
: 'Bhagat....!
: 'Yes, You looked like a bhagat to me. Tell me truth which caste you belong?
: 'Brhamin am. Pure brahmin....'
He rattled into a laughter. He looked at me slantingly and nodded in negative. Then he held the bar of the grill so close to me and spoke : 'But you do not look like a brahmin.'
: ' Then whom do I look alike?'
: 'Like us. You looked to me as if of my own caste, where do you belong to?
He started teasing with me. The wrath within me started hissing. I wanted to insult him sarcastically; I wanted to insult him by using such words which his seven generations would remember. ' Rascal! What is he proud about? He considered me as one of them? ' I started to tremble with the anger. He started to mock me and made a howling gesture.
:' Who sent you here?'
: 'Heerji...Why do you need to ask?'
: 'Where is Heerji?'
: ' He has been admitted to the hospital.'
Why has Heerji set this evil on in my society? My anger increased and entered to my hand.
I went on to strike my hand against the grill, but at once withdrew it fearing it might hurt. He started to sweep while looking at me with distraught eyes. Spirals of dust started to hover. 'Sweep slow you moron, better than you was Heerji....' But who would listen to me? I tried to block the dust by the cover of hands. But I was thoroughly dusted before I could go in the house and close the door. When I tried to see him, he looked pale through the clouds of the dust. The dust started to prick me as if i were standing in the burrow of the dust! I bent down and watched the ground; the whole compound was dusted. I took the broom in my hand and started to sweep as if I were to club that man completely. It started to itch me. I looked to the vest. Completely dirty. Open shouldered I turned my neck to and fro and looked around. I felt so ashamed. I tapped stongly the palm on my shoulder, the dust flied. I shook my lungi. I saw the bacteria fly in the sunlight. Helplessly I continued to sweep. While sweeping It occured to me 'Do I truely belong to his caste?'
: It is your routine nonsense.
: What else would I say? If only this Heerji could sweep slowly! What can he lose in doing so?
: Will flowers fly instead of dust while sweeping the road ?
: You take sides with Heerji everyday!
: Why would I not? He cleans the road everyday. What can the poor fellow do for the dust coming in our house if it happens to be on the road?
: 'Ok Ok now!'
: I looked sternly to my wife but she did not like it. Widening her eyes, she put the breakfast on the tripod and walked to the kitchen after closing the door. I looked at her graceful feet. I like the sound of her anklets but cursed this Heerji! I became sullen in my mind to the style Heerji's sweeping which flew the dust. I readied myself for the office early in the morning. Sometimes, I also brought some unfinished office tasks to home. The morning was quite suitable to me for finishing up my tasks but the fear of dust coming in forced me to keep the door shut. I hated it!
Heerji is the sweeper of our society. He regularly comes to sweep with her with Kamla. He comes up so soon as I start to enjoy the fresh morning breeze after completing my bath and other activities. Just seeing him there, I become lifeless. I become alert as soon as notice the dust spread about the house of the neighbour. Before I could even shut the windows of the house, his broom starts running fast before my house. And a lot of dust has entered the house before I could shut the door! I am bitter and start condemning Heerji. I could beforehand shut the door until he came on regular time. But he won't come regularly for some time. He comes sometime at 8 or at 9. No certainty. I was so upset that I wanted to say this son of sweeper to stop sweeping before my house. But would I be spared from Prabha's wrath then? My god, how come that you just cannot do away with this people? It would be nicer had there been no chapter of dirt in the book of the world. No sweeper and no resenter! Rest. But some other thing would replace it if had it been not about the dirt. Something was sure to be. There would have been others like Heerji who would not allow you breath of peace. This Heerji has caused so much trouble to me. What should I do about him? Hardly I bask in the Sun and I see him so I shut the door fast with a thunder. I am greatly relieved if he does not come early in the morning. I am a person who enjoys breakfast at leisure in the morning. Finishing her worship, Prabha offers the breakfast which I relish slowly. He comes up just at that time rubbing his broom on the road as if he was just waiting for me. Before I could even shut the door with haste, Prabha would utter from the Kitchen.
: Shut the door slowly.
: 'You mind you own business'
Prabha would respond to me from the Kitchen if she is busy. If she is free, she would place her hands on her waist and talk to me in a voice of rather scolding.
(Page2)
It is not only us having the house on the road. There are other 10 houses in our line. No one reacts like you. It is good that Heerji is unaware of your annoyance. How painful would it be for him to know about this?
: 'Then be he, I see him as a nuisance. He must have known about this. How come he comes up just when I keep the windows and doors open? '
: ' It is useless to convince you, you cannot straighten dog's tail. You are better in the office...'
Prabha made fun of me at a times so I did not argue further. I would go to office while despising Heerji within my mind. Even the office would look as if it were twilight. I kept on shaking off the dust which seemed to have pierced throughout my body. The dust was after me, it had found out my whereabout.
I happened to go out for some days for office work. I was head officer so naturally the officers of the sub-offices chant on 'Trivedi Saheb', Trivedi Saheb'. I felt good for leaving behind illusion of Heerji for three days. Moreover I was hosted and honoured greatly so I completely forgot about Heerji. With this feeling of lordship, I boarded the train at 12 of the night to return. I decided to reach home before Heerji came to sweep. I saw him sweep before my house when I entered the society early in the morning. 'So earl?'. 'He must want to return home soon for some task and should have come early for that matter.' I told the driver to stop the car just at the gate of the society. I got down and the driver drove the car off. Meanwhile I had my sight toward my house. I instantly reached my house and noticed that Heerji swept in such a way that no dust was spreading. 'What a pervert, when I am home, he spreads so much dust but not today?' It was inculcated in my mind that Heerji did so in order to piss me off. I opened the door of house. Before I could close it, he came before and said,
: 'Saheb, salute.'
When I sternly looked at him, he started giggling. I thought that my doubt was true. I looked around the road. Everything was neat and clean..
He had saluted me so I felt some affection for him.
: Oye, Heerji, it must be acknowledged that you are number one in cleaning'
: ' That is okay Sahab, but you seem not to be grateful for that? Do you?'
: 'Why did you speak so?'
: ' We clean the whole world, but did you ever say that brother come for tea some day. Did you just give a theplu of some ganthiya?
I was not fool to accept his request. It would spoil them. I laughed loudly in order to divert the talk. I liked his way of conversation. His wife Kamla was removing the garbage from house dustbin to hand cart. It's stink made me alert. Kamla was collecting waste with her tin basket as if she felt no stink. Her hands were stark dirty.
I took my eyesight off her and looked at Heerji. He used to come wearing clean clothes. His hair, as if poured over whole bottle of coconut oil, radiated in the sun. He parted hair from side and set it loose. Some hair pressed in the middle like Dev Anand. Not inferior in look. If dressed in suite and boot, he would look like a Brahmin. Ottari Brahmin! Like me? No, no. What, bricks and mortar? Certainly not in this birth. Without uttering anything I entered the house. He started sweeping while looking at my house. This time he, like sullen, flew more and more dust. And I shut the door bang.
My sister-in-law and her husband had come over night just a few days ago. After completing our baths , we were having breakfast while the windows and doors were open. Suddenly, I heard the screeching sound of the broom. Oh my god! I sprang up. What will happen now? There were spirals of clouds before I could think of anything else. Morning sunlight was over my cot. The particles of dust looked so fly over in it that my sister-in-law spoke up in anger.
: 'Banevi, tell that brother to sweep slowly...'
I did not come out. I shut the window and before I could shut the door my sister-in-law clamored with rage.
: ' Can you not tell him? Why shut the door? Wait, I will tell...'
Prabha and I were struck with fear. We were familiar with the nature of the sister-in-law. She could unnecessarily start a quarrel with Heerji. I request her to leave the matter. He does this everyday but what can we do about it?
: ' Why will he not obey?' He will not be spared today....
The sister-in-law had rushed so close to the door. Prabha ran and caught her by the hand. She closed the door and brought her unwillingly back to seat.
The further quarrel was avoided that day. But Heerji won't stop it. He did it as if with an intention to irritate me. His naughty acts increased day by day. I became relaxed once he was away with sweeping from house. No sooner I had left the doors and windows open than he returned. He would brush his broom on the ground while passing by house. I got frightened. Sometime he would hold the gate of my compound and shout.
'Saheb...!'
I could see him clearly from my window.
I would respond in anger: 'What is it?'
: What is up?
: What do you want?
: I thought I should salute to Saheb while passing.
What is the salute for, brother!
: ' Because you are unhappy with me...' He would say and passed away by laughing loudly. Look, whom should I complain to? Prabhadevi won't just listen to me. The neighbours had been accustomed to the dust. And this son of me was becoming more daring. I swore him a lot in my mind. One day I came out the house as soon as he swept before my house and went to next house. His wife Kamla after picking up the waste from door to dare stood before my house with her cart. I got the chance I wanted.
: Kamlaben, please come here?
: 'Speak, Saheb!'
: ' Why don't you say something to Heerji?'
: 'Why?' 'What is the matter?'
: 'Look, do you notice any dust over there other houses?'
: 'No.'
: ' Why then does he fly so much dust before my house?'
: 'He would never do such a mischief. There is a pit here. We face much breathing problem while sweeping here. And do you scold us in addition to that? Dust does fly while sweeping, Saheb.
: 'But in suh large amount?'
: 'Order to stop sweeping if such is the case. I can hear you say low of Heerji everyday.
Lo, now what to tell Kamla? It just all went wrong with her! I silently went into the house. I could not focus even in the office that day. My head was heavy. Being bored, I left early from the office that day. Usually I left the office late. Before I arrived, Harjee would be off with his food. I never happened to encounter him. Today I came early and he had to encounter him. Her wife was carrying the pot of food on her head and walking ahead, Harjee was behind her. I slowed my pace, I did want to be with him. Before Kamla could reach my house; Fulchand, a bhaiya of U.P, who lived in our society, met him. He stopped to talk to him. I could not avoid overtaking him whatever way I walked slow. As I reached near, Fulchand Gupta asked, 'How are you?' I, therefore, was forced to stop by him. I was a Brahmin so naturally the Bhaiyyas of our society address me as panditji and took care of my honor. They would also invite me to perform katha. I stopped. Heerji smiled at me. But I showed horrid face to him, and started to converse with Fulchand. Fulchand had a heart attack sometime ago, he could be saved only because of instant admittance to hospital. He says that two of his arteries were blocked so two stands were placed there. Managing time, I had visited him to ask for his condition in the hospital. So if I do not inquire about his health, I would be considered mannerless.
: 'Brother Fulchand, how well are you now?'
: 'Quite well... now I have become strong and healthy!'
: 'Very good. There is no need to worry.'
Fulchand was greatful that I cared for him. It was good that Hirjee was silent. I would not have liked him meddle in the conversation. Fulchand was thinking about something. I also was in thoughts of Hirjee. But as Fulchand spoke so I looked at him.
: Look Panditji, If you are strong in mind then any problem can be solved.
(Page-4)
Before I could say anything in his agreement, Heerji interfered.
Bhaiyaji, you are not right in this. You must have virtue in your account with all of your five fingers. You are saved because you have done it. Many people are thankless and miser, how would they know the value of virtue. He looked at me with sly eyesight and started to walk after saying this.
It angered me so much that I wanted to crush him. We know about virtue and vice, not you. Understood? What have you done other than flying dust, you fool?
I wanted to make him hear hurtful things before he could reach my house. But he left speedily after taking the meal before I could reach there. I started to feel a headache. What now? Now I strted to devise against Heerji whteher at home or in office. Eveen in my dreams was Heerji. Broom and dust... The dust flying about.... I make effort to escape but it just follows me. All in vain even if I try to use my hands as a cover against it. Getting lost and worn out I close my eyes. As soon I open them Heerji is in front of me with his broom. Once a man with towel worn over his head was sweeping with Heerji. Dirty by hands and feet; torn vest and lungi. Heerji was repeatedly gauding him with the broom. That man with folded hands was beseechng Heerji. The face of that man shone in the sunlight; it was me! My heart started fluttering. I rose up in the cot and started breathing highly. I went to the toilet, lay myself in the bed but could not sleep. I woke up early and started walking around. I opened he doors and windows for better air circulation. It was no worry as he came at between 8 to 9 o'clock. I took bath and stayed for a while in the sun. I came in, took breakfast but Heerji did not appear. It ticked me. 'rascal, why does not appear?' I swore in mind. Anyway I had loathed this community from the very beginning... It especially pricked me that these Harijans have become my bosses in office by taking the advantage of the reservation. I took my frustration out on worthless fellows like Heerji. And this way I satisfied my ego. What else could I do? But what has happened to Heerji? He would come up maximum at 9 even if he was late. I, tired of wait, went inside and opened the doors and windows. I completed some unfinished office work. While i was dressing, I heard his broom. Oh mother, he is come. Now the dust will spread. The dust started to fly as if he was on a mission to fly away the bees. As I shut the window and went to the door, he stopped sweeping. I felt as he was knocking at the door.
: Saheb. O saheb!
I answered from the middle of the door.
: 'What is it? Why do you yell?'
: 'By the way, what business I could have with you? Your wife told that I displease you by spreading the dust. So I thought to say sorry to you. It is just that.'
: 'No, no it is not so brother. I just mean your safety. You fly dust which can make you ill by reaching to the lungs. Why don't you put on mask?'
: 'Look saheb. It is futile to live in dust and have kingly dreams. Nothing is nobler than the dust reaches to the lungs and kills me. It will just pay off the dues of this life. And especially it will give me freedom from the haters like you.'
He treaded slowly to his broom, picked it up and stopped for a while. I saw him turn and wipe his tears. My conscience stirred up for a while and I felt something novel inside me. But after a while, I thought, 'who cares?'. After this, I felt as if there is a strong bleeding in my lungs.
Heerji did not spread much dust in front of my house after this incident. The dust was spread around other's house when he swept fast. But he would be slow and careful not to spread much dust before my house. I started admiring this change in Heerji. However, he would turnover all of this by winnowing his broom harshly whenever he was frustrated. I thought: 'When will I get riddance of this load?'
Heerji was irregular for some time. Kamala would sweep cursorily in front of the house. Heerji would come sometime or sometime not. I enquired with Kamala, she replied, "He is not well. He must be admitted to the hospital." I felt, " great, free from the dust now." I shuddered within the mind. What have I just desired? Do brahmins have blank eyes just for this? Selfishness.Pure selfishness! If not more then at least a little, but I felt ashamed of myself.
Kamala did not come to sweep for a complete week. On the next week Prabha cleaned the whole house as there was much waste accumalated in the house. Prabha had collected the waste in the dustbin and placed it in the corner of the compound. As she was busy in the household chores so the waste of two days stayed in the same way. I thought to give it to Kamala if she came to sweep so I stood waiting for her. As she had not come even at 9 O'clock so I bent down to look through the main gate of the society. While doing so the grill hurt which instigated me to swear. Despite that I kept patience and looked again. A sweeper was coming with his broom trailing after him. I carefully observed him: ' He does surely not appear to be Heerji. Who will it be?' As I bent a little more forward, his countenance became clear. He was not Heerji. He came sweeping from the gate to the door of my house; the dust started to fly.
: Hey, this son of mine flies more dust even than Heerji, what should I do? I told Prabha not to bring tea and breakfast at this time. I stayed to see the style of sweeping of this new sweeper. Heerji was sobre, he had worn the narrow bottomed pant and short sleeved shirt...His hair well combed with the mask on the mouth. He straightened the broom and held his chin on the tip of the broom; he stood as if he was pleased to see me. I scornfully looked at him. He stared back at me unflutteringly. I was wearing lungi and vest as I had taken bath just recently. He must have understood the meaning of my scornful look/ He unmasked himself and asked loudly: 'How are you Bhagat!
: 'Bhagat....!
: 'Yes, You looked like a bhagat to me. Tell me truth which caste you belong?
: 'Brhamin am. Pure brahmin....'
He rattled into a laughter. He looked at me slantingly and nodded in negative. Then he held the bar of the grill so close to me and spoke : 'But you do not look like a brahmin.'
: ' Then whom do I look alike?'
: 'Like us. You looked to me as if of my own caste, where do you belong to?
He started teasing with me. The wrath within me started hissing. I wanted to insult him sarcastically; I wanted to insult him by using such words which his seven generations would remember. ' Rascal! What is he proud about? He considered me as one of them? ' I started to tremble with the anger. He started to mock me and made a howling gesture.
:' Who sent you here?'
: 'Heerji...Why do you need to ask?'
: 'Where is Heerji?'
: ' He has been admitted to the hospital.'
Why has Heerji set this evil on in my society? My anger increased and entered to my hand.
I went on to strike my hand against the grill, but at once withdrew it fearing it might hurt. He started to sweep while looking at me with distraught eyes. Spirals of dust started to hover. 'Sweep slow you moron, better than you was Heerji....' But who would listen to me? I tried to block the dust by the cover of hands. But I was thoroughly dusted before I could go in the house and close the door. When I tried to see him, he looked pale through the clouds of the dust. The dust started to prick me as if i were standing in the burrow of the dust! I bent down and watched the ground; the whole compound was dusted. I took the broom in my hand and started to sweep as if I were to club that man completely. It started to itch me. I looked to the vest. Completely dirty. Open shouldered I turned my neck to and fro and looked around. I felt so ashamed. I tapped stongly the palm on my shoulder, the dust flied. I shook my lungi. I saw the bacteria fly in the sunlight. Helplessly I continued to sweep. While sweeping It occured to me 'Do I truely belong to his caste?'
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