LA RUMBA POOL PARTY

Chapter 8. Vivekananda Hostel

Plastic Surgery HOD Room

December 25, Afternoon 12 PM

“Thanks, Surya, for giving my purse back” Hari Prasad thanked Surya in his Chamber while going through various files related to hospital. Surya smiled obediently. “This work will always be there. Anyhow I am about to finish it. Need to verify and sign a few more documents”

“You called me. Anything important?”

Hari Prasad stopped all his activities and faced Surya “Would you take me to the hostel one day? I would like to talk with the children over there. It’s a relief for me from this mechanical stressful work”

“Sure sir. Anytime” “What about today?” Hari Prasad arched his eyebrows. Surya gulped “Today?”

“Yes. Any problem?”

“No sir. Everything’s fine” Surya said meekly. He excused himself to make some urgent phone calls. Later they headed towards the orphanage on Surya’s bike. After a while he stopped the bike left the Plastic Surgery HOD on the road and went inside an electronics shop. Hari Prasad peered at the heading. Bajaj electronics. “Sir. You too come inside"

Hari Prasad gave a leisure look over the commodities available within the shop. There were lot of TV sets displayed. Surya paid the bill and packed a 27 inches LED TV of Samsung.

"Seems like you put all your stipend money on the TV. Is it for your family?"

"Something like that sir. As a Christmas present"

He kick started his ordinary purple coloured HF deluxe bike. Hari Prasad sat behind holding the TV. The bike revved to motion.

Surya saw an old woman begging on the streets. Surya left Hari Prasad left him in charge of bike and headed towards the old woman with dishevelled hair. Hari Prasad was quite taken aback with the frivolous nature of Surya. He removed a 100 rupee note and gave it to her. Hari Prasad saw an empty bowl beside her. She mumbled something with him and Surya headed back to the bike and kick started it. "Sorry sir" "It's okay to help the poor but this is too much. How many people do you help like this?"

"As many I can. After all we were blessed. Let's help with what we can." Those were the same words Hari Prasad told to Surya. He was impressed. On the way ahead a street dog was looked sullen on the road with eyes down. Surya stopped the bike again. He looked over shoulder "Sir did you have lunch?" With 27 inches TV held between them, he could merely hear his voice.

"Not yet." "Let's go the restaurant sir" Surya replied curtly.

He moved swiftly towards the dog. It suddenly became active and started jumping out of happiness. Surya caressed it and went toward a nearby shop. The dog followed him with saliva drooling from its mouth.

Hari Prasad was gazing at the dog quite curiously. They ordered chicken Biryani. When the food was served, Surya broke down a chicken piece and fed the dog. "I daily have my lunch here. While I was eating, I buy out some food for the dog too."

"It's good to help the helpless animals" Hari Prasad smiled.

After finishing lunch they started again. On the way he bought a dozen bananas and held it to the door knob of a room in an apartment, clicked calling bell and ran away. Hari Prasad swiftly followed Surya with widened eyes. While leaving down, Hari Prasad gave a glance towards the door, hiding his face beneath the TV. An old woman came out, looked both ways and took the bananas.

"Who is she?" Hari Prasad asked while holding TV.

"Old Telugu school teacher. She is having hard time these days. Everyone left her. So, I secretly help her the way I can. She has a lot of ego like you sir. If she knows, she never accepts any offers" Hari Prasad looked sternly.

After a while the bike landed near a 2 floor building named Vivekananda Hostel.

"Finally we reached our destination" Hari Prasad heaved a deep sigh.

Surya took the TV and walked swiftly inside. "So, this is the place you wanted to show" “Pleas come inside”

Surya headed to the first room of the building, seems like the office.

Hari Prasad looked observantly over the ambience. It was occupied with a cupboard full of books and documents with a table and a chair at the centre. A wheatish looking middle aged man with a bald head and puffy face sat before them on the chair and welcomed warmly to take their seats. Surya handed over the TV.

Babu Rao the hostel warden, who himself called to be a manager as it sounds better, appreciated Surya for his kind heart to help these children. "Really you are so lucky to have a son like him"

Surya corrected "No sir. He is our professor. Not my father"

"It's okay" Hari Prasad said calmly. "Thank God you didn't say I am his brother." Everyone chuckled

A chubby dark coloured kid appeared over there. Babu Rao said amiably "Sir. We don't expect any expensive offers from you. Just come often hear and share some good words with these kids. It will have a great impact on their lives."

"Yes. Sure. It's our pleasure" Hari Prasad rolled his eyes towards Surya warmly. Surya gave a smile "At least I am saved from his relentless lectures." Surya mocked. Everyone laughed again.

Babu Rao looked at the kid. "This kid eats all the junk food and increasing his girth size. Make him fit like you by training daily physical workout" he raised his eyebrows over the kid. “Wish them”

The kid smiled and said "Good morning sir" told fidgeting a leg.

"This kid is a torment sir. One day he complained severe pain in his stomach and made everything upside down. So, we took him to Gandhi hospital. We know a doctor over there. She was also an orphan like us. She did all the investigation swiftly on him without delay and concluded it's not any appendicitis but just a routine pain abdomen due to bad food habits"

"It's good to hear. You know anything about her?"

"I don't know much. I only know she was working as a general Surgeon there"

Surya and Hari Prasad looked at each with widened eyes.

"In fact her mom was the founder of this trust. She always helps us in need and runs the whole hostel. She occasionally comes here."

"What's her name?" "Her name is Parvati"

Hari Prasad was shocked hearing the name. "Parvati? Any surname?"

"She never revealed her surname. As if she never wanted anyone to know her past life"

"Do you have her photo?"

"I don't remember having her photo. She always kept her activities anonymous" and Babu Rao pondered for a minute. His eyes shone with a new excitement "Yes sir. One day she came for Independence Day. We insisted her to have a group picture"

Hari Prasad was delighted to hear that. Babu Rao stood up from his chair and rummaged through the documents in the cup board and finally managed to grab one and opened it. He took a photo and laid it on the table. Hari Prasad and Surya stooped over the old silver haired woman wrinkled but beautiful, stood among the students all around her with a warm smile on her face. Hari Prasad removed his spectacles and wiped his tears.

"Surya, she is Parvati. My first wife who I thought to be dead in an accident." Babu Rao was surprised. Hari Prasad overwhelmed with joyful tears. "My daughter is alive. She is doing General Surgery. Surya find the details of her"

"Trust me. I will do what I have to"

Students are waiting for the TV. Surya installed it to the wall.

"These were the kids your daughter saved from a mafia. Many were handicapped to make them beg on the Streets.” Babu Rao told.

Hari Prasad took pleasure in his daughter’s compassion.

The TV turned on. A little girl was singing on TV

"Sir you asked me why I donated money for the beggar. So that she could go to school. And the empty was bowl was this girl's. I was donating her a little for past few months. My small amount of money gave her a hope to study and follow her passion. Once I gave her some money. She looked sullenly at my face. Every time when I put some money, she bowed at me. That day she just kept staring. There's something about those eyes. I could realise she just didn't need the money. So, I took her to the nearby restaurant. Fed her. She asked me if she could go to school. Then I realised what an i***t I was. I gave some money and satisfied myself but couldn't realise the real solution. I was treating a symptom not a disease. I immediately joined her in a school and this trust helped me to take care of her. Her grandmother would be soon joined in an old home. Now the same girl excelled in her studies and became a finalist in the singing competition"

"That's so good of you. I know how valuable every girl child is"

Hari Prasad sighed. Surya paused for a moment.

"Sir. I will find your daughter. I need a favour. I want your help to promote my book even in Gandhi Medical College. In the meantime, I will find the details of your daughter"

"Definitely." He messaged some contact numbers. "You talk to these HODS of different departments. They are my colleagues. They will help you"

Surya thanked him for his help. The professor retreated with happiness in his face. Once he left out of the house, Surya and Babu Rao smirked at each other. “Wow Surya! I am really amazed the way you created a story. From now we tell him that we are searching her daughter and take his help in the promotion of the book”

“That’s exactly.” Surya told with a wicked smile.

“I don’t understand how you managed to get her photos?”

“Once he forgot his purse in OT Room. I searched for the contents and found the picture of this woman. I scanned the pic and gave the purse back”

“How you set that pic in this group picture with children” He told while sliding his right hand over his bald scalp.

“Technology Babu Rao. I morphed her pic in this photo”

“What a plan” Babu Rao praised with his hand on the paunch. “Good that you kept him busy with TV shopping and all. In the mean time I could gather all these children over here”

“I used the time to have more impression through my fake good deeds” Surya winked.

“Man! You are bluff master!” Babu Rao clasped both of his hands in praise.

Suddenly, the door burst open with a loud thud. Nonplussed Surya spun on his heels towards the door along with Babu Rao exchanging timid looks. Hari Prasad stood there in the doorway infuriatedly. “Do you think this is something you prank with? I know you are good with pranks but this is something unacceptable to create a false hope in an old man and break his brittle heart. You will pay for this”

Surya looked embarrassed with guilt. He was to apologise but Hari Prasad shouted at him curtly “Shut up”. Banged the door close and went on his way from the premises of the orphanage with mixed expressions on his face.

Babu Rao stooped over the entrance door to check retreating Hari Prasad. “Now all the promotions of the book will be stopped”

“Do you still think about promotions?” Surya said ruefully. No one cares about a broken heart. Surya, what did you do? You hurt a good man.