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FREE READ - DIWALI BONUS

 Diwali was drawing near. The Maid was back home. She lived a few houses away from her brother’s house. Her mother lived with her brother. In fact, the whole street was occupied by her relatives. They were early settlers who had bought land and built their houses there.

Her mother sat on a stool, while she herself sat on the floor, a vantage arrangement that allowed her mother to oil, massage and comb her hair.

“Did you get all the Diwali Bonuses?” asked her mother.

“Yes. Most of them have gave me 500 Rupees extra with my salary. All of them, except one. “

“Except one? Which one?”

“The lady you like so much. The one who gave us all those saris.”

“Yes. Those saris are all new – and so lovely! I don't know what she was thinking. The silk sari alone costs more than Rs. 1500/-.  She is a little crazy, yes?”

“Yes. But she is beautiful. She doesn’t wear those saris anymore, she said. She wears salwar kameez. I once saw her wearing a sweatshirt and jeans.”

“Saris or no saris, Diwali Bonus is just that - bonus. She must pay up. Ask her.”

The Maid turned to her mother.

“I can’t, Amma. She’s already given so much! She’s given me these beautiful bangles too.”

“Hmmmm...And will the saris and bangles buy you anything? They are not the same as money.”

The maid sighed. A little money would go a long way...The boys were asking for crackers.

“Ask her and be done.”

“Okay.”

But the maid could not do that. She was too tongue-tied. But she was frustrated. Surely, the woman knew she should give her a bonus?

“Ma, I’ll be coming in late today. They family downstairs has asked me to come in soon.”

It was a statement, not a request.

“Oh...I was going out...Okay, fine. Come in the evening.” Sunita said.

She had noticed the subtle changes in the maid’s behaviour. The dust was getting pushed under the couch. Dishes were not put back in their rightful places.  A cup was broken but she was not informed.

“The cup is broken.”

“Yes, Amma. It broke two days back when I was cleaning it.”

“You should have informed me. Why didn’t you?”

“I forgot, Amma. I'm sorry. I will do so the next time.”

Unfortunately for Sunita, her brother sent her a gift that week, and it arrived when the maid was there. It was a vegetable cutter.

“That is so convenient, Amma.” The maid eyed the gift. “I will be buying one with the bonus I received for Diwali.”

Sunita smiled. She got the hint but pretended not to notice. She was a kind-hearted woman. It was just a year since the maid had joined, and she had been giving her a lot of things right through the year. Costly saris and yes, a little money here and there when the maid asked for it. She always brought back something for the maid whenever she went shopping, small knick-knack - some bangles, some plastic flowers…. She sometimes gave her the snacks she made and told her to give it to her children. But she now realized that nothing was as valued as a Diwali Bonus.

“Ma, I won't be coming for three days. I am taking leave for Diwali.”

“Three days! That's a long time,” Sunita said.

“Yes. We celebrate Diwali very grandly. My sons have asked for crackers worth Rs. 4000/-. I will be buying them crackers with the bonus money I received.”

Sunita smiled and said, “Have fun. Happy Diwali!”

Diwali was over. The Maid was back. The month was ending.

“Ma, can you give me some money? My son needs to repair his bicycle, and I don’t have any money left.

Sunita said, “I will give you your salary.”

She gave the woman her salary and the extra Rs. 500/-

“This is your Diwali Bonus.”

The Maid smiled happily. She had finally received the Bonus. God! How that had rankled!

“Thank you Amma. This will be of so much help.”

Just then the doorbell rang.

Two women stood there. They lived in a hut nearby and were daily wage earners.

“Amma, you asked us to come.”

"Yes, I have a few saris. I would like you to take them. Also, this is a new cooker I bought and a few vessels. There are also some groceries like rice and dal and oil. This is part of the yearly charity work I do. I generally give it to people working for me, but I have just given my maid her Diwali Bonus. So, I would like to give you these things. God Bless you and your family.”

She also gave them some money.

The women thanked her profusely and touched her feet and left bearing the gifts.

The Maid watched the proceedings with big eyes.

"Amma, you could have given those things to me.”

“Ah, but I have given you your Diwali Bonus,” said Sunita, smoothly. “Now, could you please sweep the dust and pick it up instead of pushing it under the couch?”