9-year-old Shravani is lying on the hospital bed, desperately struggling to stay alive. Doctors have already operated once and a second critical operation is due the following morning. She has suffered massive brain damage. Multiple fractures on her hands and legs. She lost considerable amount of blood by the time she was admitted to the hospital. Her parents stand beside her bedside sobbing uncontrollably. She is a loving child and they could barely look at their daughter, Shravani having fallen from the terrace of their 4-story-high apartment.
Manoj was in a subdued mood while on his way to office. He had a massive argument with his wife today morning over lunch box not being ready on time. His wife rankled him and angrily walked out of the house. She would only return when Manoj reigned his temper and repented for his behavior. Manoj also left the house in a fit of anger. As he skipped breakfast, he decided to stop at a hotel along the way to office. He ordered tea. The hotel was stiflingly hot. As he sipped tea, he immediately, spat it out. Tea was bland and cold. It was hopeless. Taking out his frustration, he admonished 16-year-old waiter, Neeraj for serving him cold tasteless tea and even threatened to beat him. Manoj complained about Neeraj with the manager for his behavior and attitude. In retaliation, the manager lashed out at Neeraj, who was already feeling crossed for no mistake of his. Neeraj silently listened to his manager and decided against venting out. His tongue feeling the brunt of his biting teeth.
Neeraj was tasked to deliver tea to nearby offices. Singeing with anger, Neeraj trudged to the office with the tea kettle and glasses. He was frustrated with his morning skirmish and contemplated about his life along the way. As he started to pass around the tea filled glasses to the office employees, he hideously kept the glasses on the table with loud thuds, imperceptibly spilling some of the beverage on the desks, books and papers lying around. The non-living matters facing the impact of Neeraj’s crinkled ego. He repeated the same procedure when he checked into the manager’s cabin. Having executed his duty, albeit clumsily, he plodded back to the hotel, determined to avenge the insults at the hotel manager.
Mr. Sharma walked into his cabin. He had an important meeting with his client today. A major deal was about to be closed. As soon as he neared his desk, he was stunned to see tea spilled on the agreement and property documents. He was instantly furious, on the verge of tearing his hair out. This would break the deal. He summoned his subordinate, Mathews and annihilated him for being careless. The venting furor refused to die down. Mr. Sharma fired salvos at Mathews and threatened him with dire consequences. Mathews did not have an immediate answer and was at a loss to explain to his boss. A tearful Mathews, head bowed made his way to his desk. At the point, his girlfriend called.
Sara was calling her boyfriend repeatedly, but in vain. After dozen calls, he finally picked up. She spoke excitedly about their upcoming wedding and wanted to check on few details surrounding the marriage function. He, after being fired at by his boss was in no mood to discuss such details. But Sara dappled incessantly. She went on ranting about the designs and colour of linen and jewelry she wished to procure. He rudely interrupted and directed her to cut the call. He was not interested in her chitchats. He would possibly call her later. Sara was aghast. He never spoke to her in such manner. The excitement died down within her instantaneously. Agony was written all over her face. She hated him for not giving his time and attention to her. She now started having second thoughts about their impending marriage. Her mood fouled. He had ruined her day. She would not call him again, neither meet him for a while. Her brooding temperament led to a glass vase being strewn across the floor. The doorbell rang frantically.
Shravani wanted to speak to her mentor, her tuition teacher. She frantically tried to call her, but her number was engaged. She decided to visit her, as she lived in the same apartment. As her teacher opened the door, Shravani burst out crying, saying she flunked her exams. She herself was shaken with her results. The teacher was in a foul mood already. Hearing Shravani’s situation, she glowered. She was in no mood to console her. Instead, she vented out at Shravani. Calling her a spoilt brat, who interested in mobile rather than studies. Shravani deserved to fail at her exams. Her future looked bleak. She told Shravani to never come for tuitions anymore and banished her from sight.
Shravani was shocked. Her parents chided her for the result. Her teacher’s expressed shock and disappointment as Shravani was expected to top her class. She herself was disgusted and bewildered on her exam result. And just a short while ago her mentor expressed anguish and banished her from her classes forever. She longed to hear comforting and encouraging words. She wished to be hugged and loved. Alas, it did not come from her parents and neither from her peers. Abjectly, she went to the terrace and cried her heart out. She probably did deserve to fail. Her self-confidence had shattered. She did not see the point of living anymore. Depression sucked Shravani into its inviting arms. Giving up seemed a far easier option than going through her life’s perilous journey. She decided to give up on herself. Living was futile. The little girl could not no longer swallow the insults.
With a heavy heart filled with tears of shame, throat choked with a cry of remorse, soul laden with guilt and self-assurance pile-driven deeply into the sea bed, Shravani stood at the edge of their residential building’s terrace. She deciphered to take the extreme step and run away from it all….
Concept: Abhijit Sawant
Narration: Kiran Phayade
