Fiction, Story-telling, Such is life, Writing Prompts

The Chocolate

There was an unmistakable bounce in Raju’s step today. He was so pleased that even lugging the heavy grocery bags couldn’t dampen his spirits. He playfully saw the setting sun through a circle made with his thumb and forefinger and smiled at it. It looked like the orange candy he often had, but today was the day for better indulgences. A Dairy Milk chocolate, no less.

His skinny and short frame defied his age and made him look younger than his ten years. He wore the hand-me-down clothes and chappals of one of the sons of his mother’s employer, the rich zamindar of their town. She worked as one of the four regular house helps and they lived in the servant quarters behind his mansion. His father had long abandoned them and eloped to the city with another woman.

Although rich and influential, the zamindar was known for his kind and helpful nature. In his short life, Raju had never seen him reprimand his servants or deny them leave if they asked for it. His wife was a pious woman and often travelled to religious places for long periods. His sons, aged 13 and 11, could be insufferable bullies at times though. Raju had, on occasion, been at the receiving end of their vicious pranks. He tried to steer clear of them.

Thanks to the zamindar who encouraged sending servants’ kids to school, Raju could read and write well. His mother was proud of him as he was teaching her basic alphabets too. Mathematics made his friends yawn but was his favourite subject in school. His raised hand for answers in class invited rolling eyes from everyone. Oh, how he loved to irk them!

This morning, he was helping his mother in dusting antique furniture in the study when the zamindar was working on some accounts. Oblivious to Raju’s presence and out of habit, the zamindar did some calculations manually and loudly and made an arithmetic mistake. To his mother’s horror, Raju gently pointed it out. Momentarily taken aback but curious nevertheless, the zamindar checked Raju’s outcome and found it right.

While Raju’s mother’s head hung low in embarrassment, the zamindar smiled and thanked him for saving his time. He also gave him twenty rupees as a reward and asked him to buy a chocolate for himself. Raju couldn’t believe his eyes, luck and destiny. The man was surely sent from heaven. He would devour a whole chocolate, no sharing!

Standing on the roadside smugly, Raju set the bags down and put his right hand in his pant pocket. It was time for another touch and feel. However, shocked with disbelief, he found his beloved Dairy Milk chocolate missing! How could that be? Did he drop it somewhere and didn’t realise it? Did someone steal it from him? Why didn’t he eat it then and there at the shop? Maybe volunteering for grocery shopping wasn’t a good idea.

He picked up the bags and hurriedly returned the same way he had come. His eyes minutely scanned every nook and corner for the shiny blue wrapper with the chocolate picture. Sure enough, he found it, covered by tiny muddy hands struggling to tear open the slippery cover. The toddler, seemingly a beggar’s child, looked at Raju ruefully. He tried running away as soon as realisation dawned upon him. Raju was faster though and held him back by his oversized, torn shirt.

“Tujhe chahiye kya?” he asked, prying the chocolate away from the child’s death grip. He nodded; his eyes glued to the chocolate. Raju contemplated briefly and smiled. He tore the cover open while the boy’s eyes shone brighter than the golden foil. Raju amusingly broke two cubes, took one, and gave the other to him. “Acchi hai na?” he asked, as they relished its sweetness together. The boy smiled a toothless smile. Sharing wasn’t that bad, after all.

This post was created for the Blogaberry Creative (Monthly) Challenge.

This blog post is part of the blog challenge ‘Blogaberry Dazzle’ hosted by Cindy D’Silva and Noor Anand Chawla in collaboration with Mads’ Cookhouse.

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24 thoughts on “The Chocolate

  1. Raju’s story is so heartwarming, especially the twist at the end where he learns the joy of sharing his precious chocolate. It’s a beautiful reminder that sometimes, unexpected situations lead us to acts of kindness that are more rewarding than anything we could have planned for ourselves.

  2. Varsh, your writing is always heart touching. Simple and yet loving. Raju who is extremely happy to have a dairy milk but at the same time he shared with it another boy. The joy of sharing one cube is penned very well.

  3. An endearing and heartwarming story. Raju seems like a great kid growing up to be everything that he dreamt of. I loved that he shared his well achieved chocolate gift rather than just giving it away to the beggar portraying reality and human needs.

  4. Wow I loved Raju’s charecter intelligent and sober. He has humanity an also a habit of adaptaion. We need more children like Raju to change the world in a better way.

  5. Such a sweeeeeet and heartwarming story about sharing. I know this is fiction Varsha but in reality too I have seen that the poor are more giving than the rich… their hearts and homes are open to everyone.
    While I was reading it I thot of a childhood memory. Now since I grew up with 4 elder siblings, I hardly got to eat a whole chocolate. So when I was little, I used to think, ‘when I start working I can have a whole dairy milk whenever I want’… what a thing to get motivated by.😄

  6. Ole! What a sweetheart Raju is. He made me go ‘aww’ with that “Tujhe chahiye kya?” and “Acchi hai na?”
    Its true when they say that the kindest hearts are those who have less. This is reflected in the bullying behaviour of the zamindar’s sons too. Now I’m curious to know how life pans out for Raju. In my mind I see him earning accolades in the field of Mathematics globally and doing his best to make the lives of kids like him, better

  7. Your story was aptly titled chocolate and as a chocolate lover, I know chocolate has the power to melt hearts and heal broken hearts. Beautiful and endearing story Varsha!

  8. What a lovely and touching tale about generosity! It’s not just fiction; I’ve also noticed in real life that those with less are often the most giving. Raju’s story, especially the surprise ending where he discovers the joy of sharing his beloved chocolate, is truly heartwarming.

  9. What a beautifully penned story Varsha on the prompt. Raju’s tale is incredibly heartwarming, particularly the surprising revelation at the conclusion where he discovers the happiness in sharing his treasured chocolate. This narrative serves as a poignant reminder that life’s unexpected turns often guide us toward acts of kindness that surpass any preconceived plans. It underscores the profound beauty found in spontaneous gestures of generosity and compassion, illuminating the intrinsic value of empathy and altruism. In a world where schedules and agendas dominate, Raju’s experience stands as a testament to the profound impact of embracing the unplanned and allowing ourselves to be guided by empathy and goodwill. It reminds us that true fulfillment often lies not in Carefully planned acts, but in establishing genuine connections through simple acts of kindness. Raju’s journey serves as a beacon of hope, inspiring us to remain open-hearted and receptive to the opportunities for kindness that unfold unexpectedly in our lives. Through his story, we are reminded of the transformative power of empathy and the profound joy that comes from giving selflessly to others.

  10. Such a sweet heartwarming story – somewhere in the middle I was worried that he may be bullied out of the chocolate by the Zamindar’s sons! But it was such a lovely an unexpected ending!

  11. You have a commendable story telling writing skills. It reminds me of the fact that sharing is caring. This story shares a lot of takeaways from the zamindars kindness, mothers fear of embarrassment, raju’s innocence to speak up politely the correct answer, rajus kindness and sharing in the last. Marvelously penned.

  12. What a heartwarming story! Raju’s act of kindness and generosity towards the young beggar’s child truly demonstrates the power of compassion and empathy. Despite his initial disappointment at losing his cherished Dairy Milk chocolate, Raju’s willingness to share and bring joy to someone less fortunate is truly inspiring. It’s a beautiful reminder that sometimes, the greatest joys come from giving and spreading happiness to others. Raju’s character shines brightly through this simple yet touching gesture.

  13. You know, Raju’s day took a surprising turn, didn’t it? I mean, he was all excited about his chocolate treat, only to find it missing! Can you imagine the disappointment? But hey, he showed some real kindness when he found that little boy with his chocolate. It’s like he turned a bummer moment into something sweet by sharing. That’s pretty cool, isn’t it? Shows how a small act of kindness can brighten someone’s day, including his own.

  14. Such a heartwarming story. Children are innocent and are ready to share even if they don’t have enough for themselves. As they grow up, things change.

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