Two Rupee Coin

The two rupee coin with the India map embossed on it was the first thing Harshitha stole from her Mom’s vanity bag. She was scared to touch the bigger notes, the bigger coins. Even If she had managed to get her hands on the bigger notes and the bigger 5 rupee coin, she would not know where or how to spend them. The two rupees' coin was the perfect thing, she would get 4 Chigalis, 2 Rasgullas, and one Aase chocolate. The evening used to be set with these 4 things, just like now how her evenings are set with 4 things - brandy, glass, moong dal, and mango pickle. The two rupees in the green uniform Langa felt heavy both because of guilt and the loose waist size, thanks to her parents who would make sure that the uniform tailor would stitch a size three years ahead of her age. Her mom works in a bank and stealing 2 rupees from her was as scary as sneaking out for the night in college days. But Aase chocolate would make it worth it. Not that her parents would not buy her and her brother chocolates but it was as rare as the 2 rupee coin with the image of the Quit India movement embossed on it. Probably, her parents were as scared as the present-day Harshitha of all the dental bills. So on the last day of the exam before the summer vacation, she stole 2 rupees from her mom’s Vanity bag. She felt a mix of guilt and adventure. Exam time means no overloaded school bag, nor the lunch bag. February to March, the initial days of summer also meant a break from wearing the black shoes with holes near the big toes. The things she would carry to the exam hall were a writing board with the hall ticket pasted on it and a new geometry box exclusive for the final exams. After the final exam, everyone would go to the nearby shop and eat their favorite tube ice without worrying about falling sick for the next exam. So she also followed everyone, and got herself an ice candy, kept her geometry box, and cardboard on the nearby bench and started to enjoy the ice. Then she went to buy the Chigalis, and the red Rasgullas. Then she took her cycle and put the remaining Chigali in the front basket and headed home. Forgetting entirely about the geometry box and the cardboard. As soon as she came home, she changed her dress and went to play cricket with her neighbors. Still unaware of the cardboard and the geometry box. She played to her heart’s fullest without the worries of the coming exams, home-works, and washing the tie for the next day. After coming home, Dad asked for a pencil to write his diary, She ran towards the verandah to get her proud new geometry box. Suddenly she stopped running and realized what she had done. Her tears were like the water in a dam full to the brim, whose gates were about to be opened. She blamed herself for stealing the 2rs in the morning and that’s god’s way of giving her punishment. Mom came at that moment and asked her how she got money to buy the Chigali which was lying abandoned on her cycle basket. The guilt was building up and she asked forgiveness from her favorite god 100 times silently. A flash of lightning struck her and she knew the exact lie that will help her get over this situation. She lied to her dad and mom that her best friend Shreya got her a Chigali and she had kept her cardboard and geometry box in her cycle basket and forgot. After a small session about how forgetful she was their parents forgot about this. Then her worries doubled, what if someone has stolen her cardboard and box, what if PT sir confiscated it. She worried till late at night and slept with bad dreams. The next day she woke up early and told her mom that she would go play with Shreya. Cycled at full speed to the school, it was empty and locked. She sat near the bench where she left her things, she sat there and cried because she couldn’t find them. She sat there for a long time. Then she thought she would tell her parents the truth, she did not care anymore if they scolded. She started to push her cycle towards home when a kind voice called her from behind. The school watchman Ramu uncle was standing near the bench smiling. She got scared, What would she answer if uncle asks why she is near the school on the first day of summer vacations. But he kindly came and gave her things and went back. She felt ecstatic and left school premises at full speed. The next day Harshitha forgot about the 2 rs incident and asked her dad for another 2 rs coin to buy some candies, her dad gave her a coin and surprisingly the coin was that of Louis Braille embossed on it.