"Bhiya! Take a break today, you have fever for two days..." I said to Bhiya. He was sitting on the bed, changing his clothes to go to the factory.
"It is necessary to go, if you take leave in the last dates of the month, the contractor's mouth becomes a mouthful, then he disturbs the account." Bhiya explained and started sipping water slowly.
Big brother's name was Muhammad Sirajuddin, but we all called him Big brother. Big brother was not very big. He was doing BA. I studied in school till my matriculation, then when my father fell down from the sixth floor while doing rajgiri, our conditions also started to fall. From such a height, my father's life was saved, but a seria penetrated his stomach in such a way that despite several operations, my father was unable to work in the true sense. Bhaiya gave up his decision to go to college. He started working in a factory manufacturing different types of acid. This is how the household started running. I was studying in the fifth standard. After finishing my studies, I, father, mother, and little Rabia used to make paper envelopes. I used to sell those envelopes twice a week, but because of the plastic envelopes, paper envelopes were now sold very less.
"God bless them, I don't know why the government doesn't shut them down." Poor people should not even eat bread anymore...'' Amma used to cry and cry. Abba would immediately say:
Rabia's mother! They don't say that. Every servant's bread is sustenance. Say like this, O Allah! Show me a good way. Their work will go on and so will ours.
"Yes, yes!" Keep praying to everyone, our house was taken over by the elder brother, although the names of both of you were written half and half, but you were very careless about what happened, if the house papers are with Bhaiya. But I saw! Abba ji passed here and Bhai ji kicked the marker out of the house," Amma said angrily.
"Allah bless Sethji, he gave his quarter to stay. You make me ashamed, how did I know what was in his heart?" said father slowly. I looked at father, he was looking very sad on his face.
"It is time for father's medicine, give him something to eat."
"Don't let it stay, what effect does the medicine have and I'm not even hungry yet." Father replied gently.
"Now if I speak, you get angry. I will put the bread in two minutes, you can eat, don't think so!'' Amma said.
"Don't get angry at my words."
Father did not say anything. Just laughed.
O
Taya Abu's conditions were better than ours. His three sons were employed in good places. Saira was the youngest, she was suffering from an eye disease. The doctors said that there is no cure except eye replacement. Yes! If someone gives her eyes, her light can come back, but who can give her eyes? Saira was very dear to all of us. Bhaiya fed her in her lap. They used to carry him on their shoulders but then Taya Abu made us homeless due to the greed of the house. We all always missed him. Twice, thrice I and elder brother went to see him and play with him.
"There is no need to come with excuses to break into the house, you have your own sister, what trouble is there in playing with her!" He said in great anger. I felt very bad, but Biya laughed and said:
"We will come to meet our chatchki, why chatchki..." Bhiya said while tickling little Saira.
"Huh...!" Tai Ami made a face and moved away from the front. Both of us started playing with Saira, then suddenly Bhya stopped going to Tai Ami's house. That day when we went to Taya's house, there was a very good smell of cooking in the house. Seeing us, Tai Ami made a face and said:
"It seems that they are sitting with their noses close to the door. They smelled the food and came sniffing."
Big brother took one look at Tai Ami, took little Saira off his lap. Taking out a packet of coffees and biscuits from his pocket, he placed them in Saira's small hands and said:
"Let's go. Let's go." We will not come now, but we will always see you and remember you. They said and Taya came out of Abu's house. I went further and asked:
"Big brother! Today I see you angry for the first time, you came today as soon as you met Chhatki, you never got angry with him before?" Big brother looked at me and said:
"Little! "Never stay in a place where your self-respect is challenged."
"What do you mean!" I looked at him and asked without understanding anything:
"What is self-respect?" The elder brother explained:
"When your love, affection, sincerity is considered to be the result of greed, it is considered to be needy, then you should not stay in such a place."
They are saying it right, we never eat or drink there, nor do we ever ask for anything. On the contrary, we bring toffee biscuits for Chhatki Saira from the whole week's savings, we are not mean..." I said angrily.
"Come on little one, let's go home, we have to make envelopes too." I saw that there were tears in my elder brother's eyes. They never complained, they just kept quiet. Amma was very tired of this.
"Hey! Sometimes, after getting angry and shouting, they don't keep quiet.
The elder brother quietly bowed his head, engaged in his work.
O
Bhiya's health had started to worsen for a few days but he was not taking leave from his work. Along with his fever and cough, the pain in his chest had increased considerably. The painkillers were no longer effective. Aman told me:
"Small!" Go with Bhya and listen to what the doctor says! He doesn't let me go with you. You come and tell me. God knows whether he is going to the doctor or in the process of saving money, he has taken care of his illness by worrying about the house. Tears came to Amma's eyes.
Reluctantly, I went with them. At first, they tried to entertain me by giving me 30 rupees, but I had also promised my mother, so I did not accept it. Na four elder brother said:
"Come along, but the condition is that you will not tell anything to Amma."
"Look, where did Amma get into this?" I lied and said with a little anger and a little face. My elder brother saw me and laughed. My brother looked very good when he laughed. His white shiny teeth like pearls were set in a row:
"Big brother! You laugh, true! You look very good.
"Small!" Yes, he wants me to laugh, laugh, but the situation and the chest pain do not allow me to laugh, a severe cough starts," he said with a slow laugh. After so much time, the doctor came to the clinic. Many patients were sitting there. Within an hour, it was our turn:
"Hey, wow! Today the moon has come along with the sun," Dr. Sahib said seeing me with Bhya. Bhya's name was Muhammad Sirajuddin and my name was Muhammad Qamaruddin. Doctor knew both of us very well.
"Have you brought a new x-ray?" Dr. Sahib asked, indicating Bhya to sit on the stool in front of him.
What a difference a month will make. "You all understand that way," Bhiya said with a laugh. The doctor looked at Bhaiya carefully and said:
"Now you need admission to hospital, this disease is progressing very fast. The toxic chemicals of your factory are eating your lungs fast, if you can't do anything, take a three-month leave, otherwise, change your department.
"We have a good day here," Bhiya said with a laugh.
"It means that the work has to be done there," said the doctor while writing the prescription. Then he addressed me and said:
"Qamar! Your elder brothers are very good, to live with them and serve them.
"They don't let me do my work, but they also do my work." I immediately complained.
"Take care of yourself."
We both came out of the room. The elder brother went to the corner where the medicine was being given. I looked at the brother, he was sitting on the bench holding the slip. I quickly reached the doctor and asked him:
"Aman has asked what is the disease of Bhaiya, why is the chest pain not getting better?"
The doctor looked at me carefully and asked:
"Do you love Bhaiya?"
(in progress)