The Balloon Seller

The sea waves touched her tiny feet, forming circles around them. She refrained from feeling their white coolness, afraid that the moment may disappear. She ran instead across the length of the familiar sand, to reach Timepass mamu’s chaat stall. Throwing furtive glances at the crowd around, who always seemed to possess bellies deep as wells, she untied the balloons from the wooden pole. Nearby, hands of various size and shapes dug into scrumptious plates of dahi puri topped with sweet-sour tamarind chutney, crunchy pani-puris drowned in pungent liquid pools served in small steel platters and delectable bhel-puris, which would cause saints to sin.

A gentle breeze tugged her heartstrings and appeared to make the balloons dance in mid-air. A few feet away she noticed a girl of her age building sand castles, wearing the prettiest dress she had ever seen. Chutki found her footsteps drawn in that direction.

Shyly she watched those small fair hands (were they as small as her own hands, Chutki wondered) patting insignificant mounds of dirty sand with grim determination. Pat, pat… the sound of wet sand against soft smooth hands. Chutki looked at her own grubby hands and quickly hid them behind. The girl looked up and, on noticing Chutki, became self-conscious. She walked away, while the balloons continued their dance. Whoosh… whoosh…

Afterward, Chutki sat by the coconut vendor, her eyes shining on the smooth glistening green surface of the coconuts. Her throat felt dry, knowing fully well that there was no money. The sea spread out in front of her and she felt minuscule in front of it’s vastness. She sat watching people with happy laughing faces pass by. No one seemed to notice the little balloon seller, sitting forlorn with a restless string of colourful balloons, near the coconut vendor.

Rani the stray dog comes sniffing for something. Chutki fondles its sand-ridden scabby skin. Rani responds with an effusive wagging of its balding tail. Dog and girl sit together for sometime. With a brisk movement Rani aims at one of the balloons, and it disappears with a loud PHAT…

Silence. Chutki is almost in tears. Noticing Rani’s mournful sorry expression she bursts into a loud peal of laughter instead. Rani starts wagging it’s tail once again and peace is restored.

A thirsty horde has gathered at the cart selling the luscious green coconuts and Chutki notices the girl who she had seen earlier. The girl is holding the hand of a friendly looking man. Is he her father, Chutki wonders.

The man and girl seem to be walking towards where Chutki sits. The girl sips at the sweet coconut water with an orange colour straw. On noticing the balloons, she points a demanding finger. He willingly complies.

Chutki hands him the pink balloon the girl seems to like. The girl prances around with it, while the man hands over a few jingling coins to Chutki. Walking a few paces away he realizes something and walks back to Chutki. Chutki is uncertain but looks at him defiantly.

He smiles at her warmly and she feels reassured. The man chooses a pink balloon and pays for it. Chutki’s heart dances like the balloons. She gives Rani a quick hug, which pleases the dog. The man extends both his hands. In one he holds the pink balloon and in the other a luscious green coconut, with an orange straw.

He walks away towards the girl, who is sipping the coconut water and playing with the pink balloon. Close by, Chutki is seen doing the same.