Jattan

It was power cut once again."Jattan! It seems out phase only has blown up, no one else is at home now, go to the main pole and get it fixed now. Its too very hot today."

Ram Jattan, a pseudo servant serving his master , in gratitude of a government job of peon arranged by his master , ten years ago, was completely unaware of the process to fix that blown up phase. He though at once of refusing but his inner self chided him at this thought. This mere idea of insolent behavior on his part was utterly unacceptable to his self.He had seen other people fixing it by poking their stick at the wire junction on the electricity pole, but, he had never done it himself, and more so he wasn't sure if this would work as well. However, bound by his obeisance to him he decided to give it a try. It was getting late anyways and he had to go back to his home as early, as he had to go to railway station early morning tomorrow to fetch his sahab's elder son.



The giant electricity pole was half a kilometer away. It housed an inconceivable mesh of wires intermingled into each other inextricably. Fortunately it wasn't dark near the pole since others phases were working fine.
Jattan reached near the electricity pole and was dumbfounded at the sight of the intricate mesh of wires on the pole. How the hell would he get to know which wire he's supposed to poke at.Going back and asking this from him was out of question. After thinking for a while and make calculated wild guesses he smote the stick against the mesh. And lo! it became dark all around. Power of all the phases were gone. People from surrounding houses came out cursing the government and electricity department. Finding a boorish person standing near the pole they were intrigued and smelled something fishy. They came in large numbers with torches and lantern in their hands and found Jattan beating incessantly against the pole.

The heat of the summer tripped their brains and they castigated him for foolishly beating against the wires and having damaged their phases as well. An enraged person went ahead of the crowd and held Jattan by his neck. Jattan was already too afraid to speak up anything and now he started to tremble with fear. "What's the matter? Have you gone nuts? Come on guys. lets beat him up to get his senses back!", he growled, still his holding his neck tightly. And in the next moment a deluge of blows was on Jattan.

His benefactor saw the commotion from his house and ran towards the site. Finding Jattan at the center of the embroil , he pitched in and calmed the frayed nerves of his neighbors. He explained to them that the person was his acquaintance and had done this on his behest and has blown it all up by mistake. At this the angry mob relaxed but scorned at him. Jattan already had had enough of beating and was badly hurt at many places. He rose up from the ground, bearing a mutilated face and a torn Dhoti and Kurta . He had disheveled hairs and blood was dripping of his nose. However, he was mortified by the look of shame in his benefactor's eyes. They both walked slowly towards the house, without talking to each other, while others got busy with getting the electric wires fixed up.
They reached home and Jattan stopped at veranda , writhing in pain of embarrassment and of the blows. His benefactor went in. He came back with medicines and cotton and threw them at Jattan." Apply this and go back home. You have done enough for me today. I should have had thought twice before asking a fool like you to do a task ." As he was yelling at Jattan, his 8 yr old grandson came running and stood beside him, confused and surprised at the sight of Jattan's state.
Jattan was lost in his pain of failing to serve his benefactor. His bruises weren't hurting him more than his own soul. He lifted his head up.Tears had welled up into his eyes, and murmured , "maafi huzur". He couldn't speak more. He turned and left out of the gate right away ,without taking medicines, with his head down.
His benefactor came back into his room feeling sorry for Jattan. He wasn't his paid labor , and whatever he did was a a symbol of gratitude on Jattan's part. He was lost in these thoughts when his grandson came up to him and asked innocently, "Jattan wouldn't be coming tomorrow?Was he angry?What happened to him?".
He replied, "You know, ten years ago I had in my capacity to get people into government jobs . I helped out many of them to get in. Almost all of them for whom I arranged the job got a pen and paper job, even when they didn't deserve, however, only Jattan got a peon's job through me,and the irony is that besides him none other beneficiaries remember me. He is the only one who bears the gratitude until now, while all others have even forgotten me. ". He became quiet after that, apparently lost in some thoughts.
After taking a deep sigh he held his grandson in arms and said to him, "He will definitely come tomorrow!" Just as he told this power came back. Excited at that, his grandson jumped off his arms and went away shouting, "power is back.Jattan repaired it!" His grandfather smiled at it and went near the TV to switch it on, to reckon the nation's progress of the day.