Dry winds filled the milieu. Parched mouths led to drinking spells. Water and chilled cold drinks did good business everywhere in such conditions. Frequent power cuts were no surprise. Trees were losing their sheen too. Roads wore a deserted look in the afternoons as people preferred to stay indoors. Avi loved to sleep in such scenarios. Summer holidays meant quality sleep and he saw to it that he made the most of it. School wasn’t boring but sleep was limited so it was enough reason to indulge in it wholeheartedly. His parents were very happy with his academic result so they never checked him as within two months class 9 would add more responsibilities to his shoulders. They did not pamper him with expensive gifts but let him enjoy his freedom instead.

It was an airy house, Avi just loved the wind that he felt used to speak to him from all corners. High ceiling added to the cool effect. Cemented flooring was his favourite hangout and most of the time he slept and played on the floor. His parents were general physicians and this meant a lot of alone time while they were away attending to patients in a government hospital. The maid cum cook used to leave around noon and the entire day the whole house was for himself. His parents used to return by 8pm. They could have kept a full time maid but they wanted him to be self dependent from a very early age. Good training starts when the kids are ready to be good learners and Avi was a very helpful child from the very start. He just needed a push mostly and used to adapt to the given situations without any fuss. 

A single child is not easy to raise but things became easier for the Sharma’s as Avi was not a difficult child. He had ways to keep himself busy in the most productive manner. Simplicity was his second skin. School books kept him occupied while waiting for his parents to come home. He was studious indeed. During holidays if not sleeping then clay modelling fuelled his passion. Sitting for hours in the garden and weaving dreams just filled him. His traits were similar to a saint while most of the kids his age were monsters and were very naughty. Likewise, when the doorbell rang he groggily opened the gate on one of the days when it was very very hot but he was cool. On opening the gate he saw a girl the same age as him in tattered clothes asking for a glass of water.

‘The water is not chilled I am afraid as there has been no electricity, hope that’s ok for you friend?’ asked Avi to the stranger. 

‘Beggars can’t be choosers, please get it fast.’ requested the girl in tatters.

Avi bolted the gate from inside and went to get the glass of water. He filled the glass with filtered water and carried two roti’s, rice, dal, pickle and cabbage in a tray and opened the door.

‘Please drink the water but before refusing I will be very happy if you can finish this for me. Here, see there is a porch, let’s sit there and I will fan you while you eat. My parents are not at home. This is the least I can do. Had there been no power cut I would have made you sit in the room too but it’s all too dark due to the venetian blinds so this should be good for you.’  pleaded Avi.

At the sight of food, tears welled up in that girl’s eyes, she took the glass and gulped down the water thirstily.  After drinking water she did whatever Avi asked her to do and hungrily started eating. 

Avi was pleased and silently fanned while she ate. After finishing the food the girl in tatters thanked Avi and left but took the tray in which he had served food. She had left the steel bowls which had dal, rice, pickle and cabbage. It was a very ordinary tray in white with an engraved colorful butterfly which was made by Avi. He had only two and he had sealed it by engraving that butterfly on both of them. Avi accepted his fate by not chasing the girl in tatters to give it back. Something stopped him and he closed the gate and retired to his room thinking about the girl and revisiting her features in his mind as he resumed laying on the cemented floor. There was something positive about the girl in spite of her circumstances and he smiled to himself for doing the right thing. 

Bright eyes, pale skin, a rose tattoo on her left temple and a look of gratitude in the eyes defined that girl in tatters. Innocence and purity had touched each other by fluke with no witness. Smiles had been exchanged with no promises to meet ever. A bond was initiated somehow still. The souvenir in the form of that tray is all that she took from him. It was their little secret. Goodness of hearts at such a young age had etched a story of pure friendship irrespective of caste, class and societal differences.

Decades have passed since this incident. Avi is 36 and an inspector now but he still looks at the tray with a lot of warmth in the hope that he would someday find that girl with that look in the eyes, smile and a rose tattoo. All those precious things happened to be the best souvenirs for his eyes ever in the capital city of India, Delhi.