The flower boy!

It was a matter of 15 minutes!

Daddy started the car. We were going to Bunty Bhaiya's birthday party. He was 2 years older to me and that means...five, six, seven...Oh My God! He will be seven now. Now he can play in the society playground all by himself while I am not allowed. And he might even be told to look after me. Get lost. I can take care of myself. But who is going to listen! I am sad!

"Daddy how much more time will we take to reach their place?"

"10 mins beta. Only if we can get out of this traffic jam."

"Ok."

I rested my head on mom's lap. She was searching for something in her purse.

"Mom do you have any chocolates in your purse?"

"No beta. But i will get you some next time for sure. I am sorry"

"Its ok."

I was looking out of the car window.
There was a boy outside. A very dirty boy; so he looked. He had an old torn shirt hung loosely around his shoulders and a pair of dirty shorts. His face was blank; something was missing there. He did not look like Bunty Bhaiya. He must be the same age though. Bunty Bhaiya shouts at me and scolds me so many times. And he teases me a lot. I will complain to Mom tonight. I dont want to play with him. I dont want him to take care of me. He is bad. Very Bad.

But this boy appeared nice. I shifted myself on mom's lap to have a better view. He was near the driver's seat of the santro beside us. He was talking to that Uncle. Uncle seemed to be angry at him and shouting too. But he was smiling. Why was he smilling? he should be angry too. I get so angry when Bunty Bhaiya shouts at me. He should also be. How can he smile?
I got up and sat beside mom to see him completely. Now he was moving away from that car. And he had something in his hand. I couldn't see clearly. I tried to peep out of the window.

"Nainu dont put your face out of the window."

"Yes Mom. But the car is not moving now."

"Even then. Come inside."

"Ok"

And I turned around with a jerk. Thats when he saw me. Our eyes met. His eyes were so innocent.
He saw me and saw me seeing him. He moved towards our car. Now i could see more clearly. He had a big bunch of red roses in his hand. And a small cloth bag was hung on his right shoulder. He seemed to be selling roses.

"Mom do we buy roses?"

"Yes beta we do."

"You will buy for me if i ask?"

"Of course i will."

"Thank you. But why will anyone not buy them? They are so beautiful."

"Who did not buy beta?"

"That uncle in that car. He did not buy roses from that buy."

"They must not be needing it at that time."

"Who needs roses? You can just buy them. Just like chocolates. If you had some now, I could have had some."

"Yes beta. Its just that he did not want to buy."

Yeah. He did not want to buy. He did not want to buy from that boy. Because that boy was nice and did not shout back at him.
I looked at the boy again. He was still wondering whether he should approach daddy or not.

"Mom will you buy me a rose now? I want one."

"Yes baby. why not? But that boy is too far away. We will get you later."

"But Mom i want it from him only."

"Now Nainu dont be stubborn. I told you i will get you one. And i would have got you one if that boy hadnt be so far."

I looked at the boy. I wanted to shout out to him and call him. But he would hardly hear me amidst so many horns and whistles. I looked at him. I started waving my hand at him. I was asking him to come here, near our car.
And he noticed me. He started towards our car.

At the same moment the lights turned green and the cars sped up. Ahh! i lost my chance. WIthin seconds, daddy oblivious of my interactions with the boy had plunged the car so fast ahead that i lost sight of him.

But wait! What was this? I heard a shriek.

All the cars, including our own, stopped with the same suddenness as they had accelerated. There was a commotion in no time. People got out of their cars and ran back. Even daddy got out. Mom and I stayed behind.

A few minutes later, police vans arrived and an ambulance followed them. People cleared up the path. Around 15 mins later the ambulance left, blowing its shrill horn all the way. Ohh i so much hate it!

Daddy returned and started the car. A few milliseconds passed and he said:

"A boy got run over by a Santro. He had a bunch of red roses in his hand. Was probably a street side seller. So i dont think it would be a big case but he died."

I looked at him and then looked out of the window.

I could see someone in the shadows. A very dirty boy. He had an old torn shirt hung loosely around his shoulders and a pair of dirty shorts. He had a bunch of red roses in one hand and a bag hanging around the other.

He was smiling.