Better option

Anshuman had left for office. Sitting in her porch, relaxing after the morning frenzy, Sushma picked up the local hindi tabloid. Skimming through the front page her eyes fell on a column on front page. “गाँव के युवको ने किया चक्का जाम” it read. First line had the village name, which seemed familiar to her. A boy aged 11 from this village had met an accident 3-4 days back and he eventually died in the government hospital. Villagers cried foul over the lack of care shown by the doctors. The only thing which caught her attention was the village name. She stressed her memory and then it clicked to her that ammaji was from the same village. Ammaji, who previously worked at her parent’s place, had been around since childhood. After her marriage to Anshuman, they moved to this place and so did Ammaji, due to nearness of their house from the village. Sushma was more than glad, as it was never easy to find a good maid. She folded the paper and then looked at the clock. Still lot of time, she thought. Once Anshuman left for office, she would wait for ammaji to come so that her time would pass hearing to gossips and worries of ammaji. After cleaning jobs were over, ammaji would help her preparing lunch. Anshuman used to come home for lunch and so the preparation for lunch would generally start as it approached 12.

Ammaji was done with cleaning. She was sitting and chopping onions, unusually silent, indulged in herself. Sushma had waited for her to talk, but realizing that it was an odd day with ammaji she decided that she should start herself.

“Someone from village died?” asked Sushma
“Yes” answered ammaji
Why didn’t they take him to some good hospital?
Who would pay for it?
Were doctors really negligent, how did he die?
They didn’t even start the treatment, till crowd gathered and did hungama
This is really bad. Tabloids said he was hit by a truck
Yes
May god bless his family; tell me if they come for any help to you, I will try to help
Hmmm
It was already 2 now and Sushma was tired as well hungry. It seemed to be a hectic day in office for Anshuman. And the wait seemed impossible to her now.
“Ammaji what’s the matter with you, why are you not talking today”
“What should I talk?”
I said tell me if anyone from the family of deceased comes to you for help, I will try to help
They have been helped
Who helped them?
God
It was so irritating now.
What rubbish are you talking?
“I know what am I talking”, said ammaji. “The family was in huge debt, they are total of 6 in the family. Last year his father borrowed huge sum of money and the crops failed. Not a grain to eat. For some days villagers helped them but to what end? He came to find some small job in the city. Then he met this accident. From where would they bring money for all the treatment when they are out of ways to survive? And treatment for what, so that still there is someone to be fed. Finally God intervened. This was a better option than to die of hunger”

“Have you gone mad?” such words never ever came to her for ammaji. But then she was overwhelmed with the description because to her simple mind it just seemed so horrific. Doorbell rang. Anshuman had returned for lunch but Sushmita was not hungry at all.