Shining Smile
That day was hard for me , as I woke up with great difficulty
only after my contractor sprinkled a glass of water over me and took away by
bed sheet. I could get little sleep last night as my body was aching badly due
to hard work put up by me in the construction of the building on the outskirts
of the town. Contractor used to take us-the labourers- in the trolley driven by
tractor along with the construction material as the owner of the house has
given contract with material as well as labour. I got ready for the hard work
of the day ahead after a hurried breakfast of half a cup of tea and a stale
chappati left over from the dinner last night.
The life of a labour was simply miserable surviving on the minimum
wages, after working from morning till evening, to make both the ends meet and
to keep body and soul intact. As we reached the site the contractor was already
waiting for us eagerly and he gave us instructions for the work to be completed
that day before the sunset. The only good thing that day for us was that
contractor had agreed to give us a few days leave to go to our homes to
celebrate a local festival provided we completed the task in a given time and
to the satisfaction of the contractor. So though tired and our limbs were
aching all of us- both labourers as well as mason- started working with
enthusiasm. We had to skip the lunch break entirely in order to complete the
task in given time in the hope that contractor will allow us to go on leave.
Since the owner of the house had given contract
along with material and labour, so he did not care much for the work nor did he
trouble us for that though he used to be present in the morning and evening
daily to see the amount of work done and used to discuss it with the
contractor. The only thing that we waited from the owner side daily was a cup
of tea, with cardamom and ginger that was served to us by the lady of the house
in the late afternoon. That day also we were waiting for this refreshing cup of
tea. The tea was served at the appointed time and we took it eagerly and savoured
it with delight. As we handed back the cups lady of the house shot a question
‘Will you come tomorrow for work or not ?’. Fearing that she might have some
work to be completed next day and contractor, so as to please her, may ask us
to come tomorrow also, we did not answer her query at once, but then mustering
up courage I replied by shaking head in negation and saying these words ‘no,
tomorrow we will go to our homes to celebrate the local festival’. The way she
shut the door after taking the cup made us apprehensive that we had antagonised
her. So we resumed the work silently in the hoping for the best in the evening.
As the Sun was nearing the horizon in the west contractor came and after seeing the work done by us during the day
with pursed lips and expression less face, at last nodded his head to give
approval for our leave. Happy and contented we started washing our limbs and
arranging tools in the side room given to us. At that time Lady of the house
reappeared with the bundle of clothes in her hand and beckoned me to come. As I
approached her she handed over a shirt, pant and a jacket – to me and
instructed us to use them according to our size. Grabbing the clothes I went to sit on the motorcycle
of the mason whowas waiting for me at the gate of the house. As the motorcycle began to move lady of the
house and the owner waved and smiled at me to wish greetings for the holidays
and festival. Their shining white smile was perhaps the best thing in my life
that I had seen.