Thirst

After toiling under the May sun, Ram Babu sat on a pavement, beside the field ploughed by him. Beads of sweat dripped down his forehead. Next day he would sow Kharif. Hope this time his leased land would yield more. 

Across the field, Sethji, owner of a grocery shop, walked on a narrow pavement. His fat bumped with his strides and he whispered words in anguish. 

"Namaste Sethji" shouted Ram Babu unearthing his feet he had planted in loosened soil.

"Arey Ram Babu, why are you basking under this sun?" Sethji asked with an unpleasant face, coming towards him. His pace slowed and a canister of water dangled beside him. 

Ram Babu felt thirsty, but he shouldn't ask for it. Their communities have always drunk water from different wells.

"Planning to sow Kharif, Sethji" replied Ram Babu with a dry voice.

"Whose land is it?" Sethji halted for a moment.

"Thakur sahabji, the one who lives near captain Sahab" Ram Babu stood, his hands on the back unconsciously. 

"Okay, okay." Said Sethji, wiping sweat on his forehead. "Come. Let us move to the village." 

Ram Babu picked up his spade, rested it on his shoulder and obediently followed Sethji.

"May has just started and heat has broken all records. This time it would be the hottest summer we have ever had." bemoaned Sethji. 

Ram Babu has seen times worse than this. But out of courtesy, he agreed with Sethji.

"Oh yes, what's his name Dhumi…, Dhuri…, or whatever it is. His daughter is getting married. He gave me the marriage card yesterday." Said Sethji. "This summer I suppose there would be a lot of marriages in our village."

"Dhuri, Sethji. His daughter is getting married to the son of my wife's uncle. This boy is a diamond. He works in the city and owns a plot. The proposal was only accepted in my name. Dhuri says he owes me a lot." Ram Babu stretched his parched lips to smile and realised he has spoken too much. His mouth was dry and his lips cracked. He wanted to quench his thirst.

Lately, Ram Babu reflected on Sethji's words. He had received a 'marriage invitation', yesterday? But Ram Babu wasn't informed about it. He didn't receive any card. If Dhuri thinks highly of Ram Babu, he must have discussed it. He is a potent mediator in the marriage, he should be asked first. This is well understood by everyone. 

"Did Dhuri give you a card yesterday?" Ram Babu confirmed.

"Yes, yes… he came early in the morning and requested that I must come to his daughter's marriage," Sethji said in an unimportant tone. "Who wants to be in this marriage." barbed Sethji, who knew lower castes could never arrange a marriage that could impress him. 

Dhuri's act saddened Ram Babu more than Sethji's taunt. 'He is a foe inside friend', Ram Babu narrowed his eyes. He exactly knew why Dhuri did this. 

Two years ago, Ram Babu's daughter had married the boy, who rejected Dhuri's daughter. 

"He drinks too much… he would sell all his land and property, upon that he earns nothing. You don't know these men, they just want dowry. Don't give your daughter to him, Bhai Sahab." Dhuri had explained Ram Babu in rage. 

"You can't arrange a marriage of four lakhs and your daughter, she is horrible... Why did she talk to her fiance? Everyone knows that she phoned her a lot. Doesn't she know, it looks uncultured?" Ram Babu had said, refilling his glass with alcohol. 

This led to a quarrel between the two. They spat cuss words on each other. Even punched and slapped.

"You are dead for us." Dhuri's wife had yelled to Ram Babu. 

Eventually, Dhuri was not invited to the marriage.

'Dhuri must be taking revenge', pondered Ram Babu. But later things had become better between the two, and this marriage wouldn't have been possible without Ram Babu's efforts. Dhuri won't stretch things, his wife might be guiding him. She is a cunning woman. 

Sethji uncapped his canister, held it high and a beam of water fell into his wide-open mouth. Ram Babu gulped, though no saliva came. His thirst amplified. Should he ask Sethji for a little water? Just to prevent his tongue from cracking.

Sethji closed his canister and said "It's too hot. One might die of this heat." 

Ram Babu was dying of thirst. The trail to the village seemed longer. It's better to speak than to die.

"Sethji, I am really thirsty.… I might faint off.… Can I have just one or two gulps of water?" Ram Babu requested in a soft voice, though sounded hoarse due to thirst. 

Sethji glared at Ram Babu. "Did you say something?" He snapped, though he had heard precisely. He increased his pace and murmured, "I was humble enough to travel with you…, you pervert,… you from the alley of bloody vermins." 

Ram Babu was infuriated. Sethji doesn't care if he is dying of thirst, he draws Ram Babu's caste below that of gutter dwelling rats. How could Dhuri even think of giving him a marriage invitation, and request him? He is just a loaded potato bag, never seen many hardships in life. 

'Dhuri must have thought him Supreme, above his friend, that's why he gave him the card earlier' Ram Babu thought. He was infuriated, upperclass men have taken his friend, status and everything. They are ready to take away his life. He was enraged by this social prejudice. He should speak for his community. 

"You bloody bulk of shit." Shouted Ram Babu. He glared into Sethji's eyes, fiercely. Blood rushed through his head. He felt an unknown urge to kill Sethji. Like a predator, he wanted to tear Sethji's fat. 

Ram Babu lifted his spade and gave a fatal blow at Sethji's neck. Blood sprouted from the neck, Sethji succumbed on the ground, his eyes partially open. Ram Babu thrust his spade into Sethji's entrails, then his muscles, fat and plumped face, until blood quenched Ram Babu's thirst.