Hope and Honor

Taxi was once a luxury, but now he didn't think twice before jumping into a taxi at airport. Coming back to the city after some time made him eager to explore her all over again. Now he had the time too.

As taxi crossed his college main gate, his mind reeled back. "This is where it all started".

***

Straight out of college with a degree in journalism, not much was expected of them. He was not to be one among "them". He started a story about child labour, as a freelancer. It started at the dhaba outside the campus. Chotu worked there. He started his story with Chotu's interview.

Chotu was not really unhappy or traumatized or anything; and he was pretty sorry for this. "What a start!". He took Chotu to the sappy questions -

"What do you feel when you see children your age going to school?"
"I will go to school some day. I want to go school."
"Don't you think you should go to school now? All the kids go to school."
"I can't."
"You shouldn't be working. You should be at school."
"I can't."

Then it finally dawned at him that Chotu works not because he doesn't know about the other cheerful ways to spend the childhood, but because he has seen many more dismal childhoods. And he doesn't want to be that way.

When leaving, he took a ten rupee note out of his pants and offered it to Chotu. An instant smile broke at Chotu's face. The note slipped out of his hands and landed near Chotu's feet. The smile disappered and now Chotu was staring him down, accusingly. He bleated a feeble 'sorry' and picked up the note and handed it to Chotu.

This was the moment. This was it! This would certainly melt the stoniest of hearts! How did he describe it? "Give them hope and honor. Don't rub the smile off their faces". Or something like that, hah! His piece was an instant hit and encouraged many similar articles on this gross implementational error on government's part; on the anti-child labour act. Government had a real tough time answering the opposition in the assembly and the press outside! They did try to curb child-labour for a while, or atleast made an impression that they are working on it.

Just out of college and he was already among the sharks!

***

"It has been a while now. Should start something soon."

The taxi stopped, with a jerk, at the traffic signal. The usual crowd of beggers fanned out in the traffic, trying their luck. He closed the window-glass, hurriedly and tried looking lost in thought as a begger boy started to knock on the window. Giving in to the weepy cries & to the stuck window glass, he finally looked at the boy.
"Familiar face?"
"Nah. Can't be!"
"Oh shit! This is Chotu!"

He was dumbfonded by the phenomenal act of chance. The begger boy finally gave up on him and was heading towards another auto-rickshaw when he hollered him back. "Chotuu. Idhar, idhar." Just as the boy came back running to the window, the taxi started to move. He hurriedly got a 20 rupees note from his shirt and extended his hand towards Chotu. The note slid out of his hand as the taxi farted and lurched ahead with a jerk.

He turned back to catch a glimpse. Chotu was picking up the note from a puddle of mud. He quickly pulled out a piece of paper from his pocket and scribbled,

Rehab of child labour
???

He had a fairly clear idea about his next story now.

(Trying hands at flash fiction. What say? Hopefully, will get better.)