SOULspace

  Kamakshi was sitting in the corner of the small one room tenement, reading from the light of a single bulb that hung on the beam of the ceiling. This was a habit she could not give up. I mean her reading habit!  Her mother didn’t understand how much joy it gave her to read stories of places and people. She literally felt like she was in the book, traveling and speaking like the characters. Going far and away from this small room and all the hardships she saw her mother facing everyday. Kamakshi, a voice called her from outside and she recognized it immediately as Thanigai. "Che" was the first word that escaped her mouth. She couldn’t stand this guy. He lived in their neighborhood and ran the vegetable shop. Whenever he was free he came to their house, to talk to her mother, to bring her some free vegetables and flash his teeth at her. But Kamakshi knew he wanted something more than just to talk and the free vegetables was not given out of some concern for her widowed ...

  Usually we drag our feet to go to school. But Hari dragged his feet to go home. He hung around the school until security chased him out, then he would slowly make his way down the foot path towards the bus stop. Almost everyday he would miss his stop and have to get off at the next and walk through the cross roads that finally led him to his apartment complex. He hated being alone in his house. Both his parents were working and reached home late. Every day for the past three months he had to go to their neighbors house pick up the house key and open the door. “Why cant I take the key with me Appa?”   “I am 9 years old, “Why do I have to go the Varma Uncle's  house everyday?” “Look Hari, you refuse to go to day care anymore and say you are old enough to take care of yourself. We allowed you to take the key but you lost it. This is the best way to keep the key safe and that way we also know Varma Uncle will keep an eye on you.” Hari almost choked at his father’s...

  Mala was very excited because Rani ma'am had announced in class that they were going on an excursion to Mysore and everyone was to bring 500/- rupees for the bus and other expenses. "Amma please give me 500 rupees, Rani Maam is taking us to Mysore in a bus!" "Mala Kannu, I will be able to come only on Friday to give it your ma'am, I have office work." "No Ma, Miss asked us to give it by Thursday only. Please give it to me, I will give it to her. I will keep it in my note book." said Mala "Mala, I am not so sure 500/- is a lot of money." said Amma "Please please Amma. I will be very careful." pleaded Mala. Then Mala had taken the money and carefully put it in her note book.  School was 2 bus stops away and that day the bus was pretty crowded. She reached school and first thing she did was to open the book. Hayooo, It was not there! She searched and searched, but just couldn't find it. For sure Amma is going ...