Category : Stories

Sub Category : Suspense/Mystery

         Sonu joined BA first year in Degree College and he was happy to know his uncle and grandma wanted to make him advocate. He called his uncle as Saheb Uncle who did not live with him but his uncle was professor who resided in Raipur and guided him to pass the Higher Secondary School Examination that he passed in his third attempt. His dad wanted him to join any private service of a trader as he was belligerent and often quarrelled with his father that his father did the profession of land selling middleman. His father criticised Sonu that his interest was not in studies so he should learn some skills or technical job training. Sonu felt it as affront. 
       Sonu was dull in studies he liked to attend the classes any how he passed two subjects in BA First Year then he persuaded guidance from his Saheb Uncle and passed the examination. But his mind filled with this idea that his babuji couldn't earn a lot of properties for him as his Saheb Uncle constructed a house at Raipur. He couldn't pass the BA Second Year and was coerced to join a part time job of clerk with a Tax Consultant Mr Gupta. He used to attend the clients and was learning computation but he was dull in maths and accounting. He liked to do work of files and records management and did household works to purchase daily needs goods only. One day he saw his fellow worker Dinesh was taking Rupees fifty from a client for maintaining his file. Dinesh knew how to draft and earned private fees too. Sonu complained to his master about private fees received by Dinesh and there was bad atmosphere. Sonu felt humiliation when Mr Gupta didn't rebuke Dinesh and Dinesh continued to take private fees. Sonu worked like a bull outside of the office purchasing daily needs items from bazaar and he observed that Gupta provided a scooter to Dinesh this facility availed by Dinesh was a jolt to Sonu, as he only rode his cycle. So he quarrelled with Dinesh one day when he was taking private fees from a client and finally Sonu left the job. 
        Sonu joined the service of a salesman in a medical shop, as his father asked a shopkeeper, who was one day talking with a customer about a salesboy wanted to appoint Sonu in his shop as he did not take interest in his studies. Sonu now read the prescriptions with the help of his chemist master and remembered names of some common medicines and injections. Even he learned the prescriptions of specialists for the diseases like flu, colds, fever, typhoid and chickenpox and chikungunya that he discussed in home and shared his knowledge with friends. He practiced medicines for some patients as the chemist did. His fellow salesboy had a stock of expired medicines at his home and he sold the expired strips of tablets to the poor patients. His fellow salesboy Ranu lived in a village and he practiced medicines on the poor illiterate patients. Sonu reported to his master but could not prove that Ranu stole medicines so Sonu had a hot discussion with his master on the issue of expired medicines that were available in stock and he quit the job. 
        Sonu got a job of helper in a Bidi Factory on recommendation of his municipal ward councillor, as he is honest in his duties when told the municipal councillor. Sonu worked sincerely what the accountant asked him. One day Sonu saw that Devesh the Bidi Factory owner's son came to the factory and checked the ledgers. He asked the accountant to give him Rupees one thousand. Devesh asked Sonu to arrange a party in the guest room for some traders. Sonu did and he was given tips. He was happy to receive tips on the occasions of parties and meetings. One day Sonu saw that Devesh was talking with girls on mobile. Sonu head the chatting and he knew that dating was fixed. He saw one day that Devesh was drinking whisky and a girl was accompanying Devesh sipping whisky and consuming friend cashews in the guest room. Devesh enjoyed such party frequently with different blondes. Once accountant was asking Devesh about the expenses towards the parties. Sonu interrupted the query of accountant and narrated the story of merry making, fun and party ofcoquette girls with Devesh. Devesh became angry and in a fury abused Sonu as he gave him tips. Sonu scuffed with exchange of abuse quite filthy language. He left the job. 
      Sonu got the job of assistant clerk in a plant on recommendation of a businessman in Raipur. He was apprentice in the office. He was matriculate and other clerks were graduates so he felt inferiority complex and his English was poor. His fellow clerks worked on computer and on the rest day or holidays they enjoyed parties in a nearby motel. Sonu was teetotaller he did not join them in parties. They intoxicated country brands to foreign liquors and in frenzy moods told their stories of love affairs. Sonu did not like them. They did voice chatting and video chatting. Sonu was quite jealous of them he developed a mess of abhorrence. They travelled on bikes and Sonu rode on cycle. One day Sonu saw that one clerk was stealing petrol from the bike on stand. He opened the nozzle and removed the pipe of petrol tank to siphon off the petrol then about half litre petrol in a bottle stored. His fellow clerk gave Rupees five to the bike stand attendant. Sonu was furious on this act he piqued and shouted loudly stating that he would report it to the manager. Bike stand attendant and clerk hit Sonu with a hand bag and punched him on chin. They threatened him with dire consequences showing a knife from the bag. Sonu was puzzled and harrassed much. He didn't go to office and let the job. 
      Sonu was so shocked that he could not narrate the story for quitting the job but explained he had to learn computer and he was incompetent. Sonu was offered a job of compounder with a private practitioner and he accepted. As this doctor knew him that he had worked as salesboy in a medical shop. He learned the skills of injections and transfusions of blood and saline glucose. He could identify some x-ray films as told by doctor, his spotting of bruises and fractures became sharp. He imitated doctor in the absence --- what the style and language used by a specialist. He thought that he was born doctor and he read an advertisement to get Diploma for medical practitioners 
He joined six months course medical training in a village where he spent Rupees one thousand as the tutorial fees. One of his fellow compounders also joined this course and this guy ran also a dispensary in village. One day Sonu saw that his friend Janak was carrying a bag he asked Janak about the paraphernalia. Janak showed stethoscope, thermometer, medicines and injections etc. Sonu thought that he was then also a medical practitioner. He visited his friend's house where he was attending some poor villagers and he wrote prescriptions of medicines and sold medicines for the samples given to doctors by the medical representatives. His friend charged fees in absence of the doctor in dispensary. Even this quack did some minor surgery and charged fees. Sonu quite surprised one day a patient exchanged filthy language in altercation to his friend due to side effects on the face where face was swollen. Sonu feared of criminal charges and he quarrelled with his friend that he sold medicines of samples and charged fees in absence of doctor. Sonu could not tolerate and eloped from the dispensary. He realised his gross mistake. 
      Sonu joined the service of a receptionist in a private lodge. For this he faced interview and deposited Rupees five thousand. He observed that customers did advance bookings of the rooms both AC and Deluxe and General rooms and suites but some customers booked the rooms for two or three hours or they asked him to check out within two hours. They gave him tips also. Once he fell ill and was on leave then he was called by the manager to do night duty. He refused then another receptionist substituted him. On morning he saw some customers were not registered but got the rooms in lodge and his fellow receptionist received the payments of rents or lodgings. He made enquiry about enrolling or registering the names of the customers in the register. His fellow receptionist said him to do as he did. Sonu was honest and he reported immediately to the owner of lodge but couldn't prove these malpractices so he was made to leave the job. 
      Sonu became helper to accountant in a rice mill on the recommendation of a trader. He helped in loading the trucks of cereals also. Accountant sent him to other cities for the recovery of the payments or loans and credits etc. He was given tips when he helped in loading the trucks. Businessmen also gave him tips when he went for recovery of payments through cheques. Once Sonu checked that accountant recorded less number of bags than actual loaded bags in trucks. Sonu smelt a rat he secretly examined the registers and ledgers then he came to know that accountant fabricated the bills and records. There was difference between loaded bags of rice and lentils than actually sent, milled or grinded and thrashed. He reported this undue and dishonestly earning of the accountant to the rice mill owner but he couldn't prove it so he had to leave the job. Actually accountant dismissed his service. 
     Sonu joined the service of a messenger in a private company. He didn't like to serve water, tea and snacks. He liked file transfer mainly. He refused to serve water, tea and betel etc to clerks. He said clerks chewed betels and Gutka and spitted on the walls. Other messengers served snacks, tea, coffee and betels to clerks and officers. Even they stole the money or misappropriated the amount of eatables from the motels and eateries. They received contributions and tips for private hospitality or entertainment of the guests. They also flattered the clerks and officers. They earned daily money from one hundred to two hundred. Once Sonu quarrelled with his fellow messenger when he stole twenty five rupees from the given or collected amount for snacks. All other messengers hit Sonu on chest and back and dragged him with collar of shirt. This scuffle and affront resulted in quitting the job. Scornful Sonu saw the office and other messengers with hatred and even asked them to forgive him but he couldn't work there. 
      Sonu got the service of clerk cum messenger in a courier service office luckily. He was paid the salary of Rupees three thousand per month for three hours daily duty. He had to cover an area of five kilometres in Raipur. No maintenance of cycle or allowance was given to him. Some new comers joined this courier service after a month in salary of Rupees two thousand only. His owner asked him to cover the areas of two zones say as ten kilometres as he was paid Rupees three thousand a month. He was shocked to know that the new comers were very poor and these poverty stricken boys were ready to cover ten kilometre area without hesitation. Sonu could not tolerate the exploitation. He knew a poor boy who needed any service to survive. He carried that boy to the courier office and trained him then asked the courier owner to keep on service to this needy boy on the salary of Rupees two thousand a month because he would not cover the area of ten kilometre for delivery of envelopes and parcels. He left the job in a hest or behest of his owner. He felt that he did a pious act to provide job to the needy boy. 
       Sonu was out of work again. He was called by a politician to participate in campaigns and demonstrations and road shows or rallies. He worked hard sincerely during municipality election. Mayor recognised his service and recommended his job for waterman in forest department. He had to water the plants in garden and nursery. Six months he was paid salary regularly then a new officer took the charge. He complained that seniors deducted commission from the salaries and the salaries were not credited in the bank accounts. Officer gave instructions for bank payments. But he and his friend terminated after three months without notices. Sonu was again out of work they represented their cases to the minister. New advertisements were published and Sonu got service of waterman once again along with his thirty friends. But the service was terminated without notices after a month. 
         Now his advocate told that he would win the case but he had to pay Rupees fifty thousand towards fees etc. It may be said as bribes or commissions or kickbacks so his friend would pay also because it is a fashion of corruption greasing the palm or purchasing the service and without corruption in Indian Democracy it is quite difficult to get jobs in government concerns or units. Sonu felt this jolt as he had spent Rupees twenty thousand in love affair of a girl. He presented gifts in two years after all he is a man and has instinct to love and marry. He now daily invokes gods and preys in the temple of Goddess. He daily requests his officers and flatters them as he came to know, " it is hard to live in Rome and fight with Pope," and he is trying to deposit or raise fifty thousand rupees as the advocate said. 


   Kamal kishore Sharma 
Behind Hotel Midtown Sneh Nagar 
Ward Number 27 Balaghat (MP) India 
481001 9424614441    8966088853
Date:03/05/2019