The Search

A Short Story By G.S.Vasukumar

"Please don't take seriously what your father had told you last night." Rahul's mother said, coming into his room.

"No, mother, truth comes out in anger. The truth is that I was found by him in the dust bin and I was not born to you." Rahul said, turning back and looking at her.

"But we'd brought you up like our own son, Rahul. You are our son no matter what the past is!" She said, assuring him.

"Thanks, mom. But I need to know my past." He said

"Alright." She said. "Now come and have your lunch."

Rahul sat down to have his lunch when he heard some lady begging for food from outside. He took his food plate and walked out. He emptied his plate into her bowl.

She looked at him with a smile on her face.

"Anything else?" He asked.

"Well, my sari is torn, so can I get one hundred rupees to purchase another one?" She asked.

"Just one moment." He said and went inside.He came back with his bike keys.

"Come with me." He said, starting his bike.

He took her to a shop and asked her to choose the sari of her choice. Later, he drove her to the old age home and got her name registered.

"Thank you, son. May I call you so?" She asked

"Sure. You can." He said, smiling at her

He started searching for the past and days passed by. Later:-

"You know, Sanjanna my past is haunting me!" He told his girlfriend.

"Rahul, why bother about the past that is already gone by? Remember, past is the dream, future hope and present in-between the two." She said

"I Know, but still I need to see her." He said

He finally came to know from a lady who had seen a woman leaving her baby in the dustbin.

"Who is she? Where is she now?" He asked

"Well, there was an old lady begging for alms and roaming in the streets sometime back, but I don't know where she is now? “She said

"W-What?" He cried

He started his bike and raced to Sanjanna's house. He picked her and raced off:-

"Where are you taking me, Rahul?" She cried, surprised.

"I'll tell you later." He said.

He took her to the old age home on his bike. Then:-

"I want to meet the lady whom I had left here sometime back." He said

"I'm really sorry, sir. She had passed away last week. We had buried her in the grave yard behind the compound." Someone told him.

They both walked to the graveyard. Rahul had tears in his eyes. He closed his eyes and prayed, standing before her grave.

"Who is she, Rahul?" asked Sanjanna

"My mother." He said

The End