trust

Bano  wiped the gas stove with the mop and used the tattered end of her sari to wipe her brow.Her chores for the day were over.She brewed the tea and slipped in some elaichi in the pot.Her special touch was reserved for her memsahib whom she adored.She was different from others bano thought.She treats me just like an equal.But the memsahib was not in her usual cheerful mood.Her eyes were swollen and her lips were drawn tight over her mouth.Bano was upset to see her like that.The reason for the memsahib's sullen mood was that her newly acquired cell phone was missing.The young girls who came for tutions to the memsahib's house claimed to have seen it on the coffee table at 6.30 pm - when bano served her special tea to her memsahib .The phone had been missing since then.The memsahib raised  accusing and hurt eyes towards Bano.Bano shrank with pain.The young girls told the memsahib ''see how she is cringing with guilt.''The memsahib did not touch her  cup of tea.''oh how i trusted her ..but these people are never to be trusted."she thought to herself.Bano cried herself to sleep that night.No amount of hard work,love or sincerity can ever erase the burden of poverty Being poor was enough reason to be under suspicion,She thought this memsahib was different but then they were all the same.The next day the girls who came for tuiton were accompanied by their parents.They all looked pale and ashen faced.The mother took out a  cell phone and placed it in the memsahib's hands."She took it by mistake.Please forgive my daughter."The memsahib could not believe her ears.It was the girls who had stolen the phone and put the blame on bano.Bano came in then.The memsahib walked up to her and held out her hands to her ."Please forgive me Bano I accused you wrongly."Bano 's eyes lit up .She held out her special cup of tea to her memsahibTrust had been restored.

This is a true story.It happened with my sister-in -law.It is truly food  for thought.