The Bucket Full Of Water

" Wake up"

"How long do you plan to sleep ? "

With half dreary eyes I woke up almost mechanically.

" What is it Mom, why are you yelling at me? "

" Don't you realize the importance of this day. Wake up. Pull your clothes together and come down. "

No, as far as I remember, none of my family members are born in August. So what is this rush all about. Maybe today is the birthday of one of the thousands idols. Anyways I must go or else mommy would pull off my ear if she happens to come upstairs.

But first let me wash off my face.

" Come down beta, hurry up "

What happened to this tap. It's weird that none of the taps are working. Hmmm…. Maybe Shyamlal has forgotten to fill the tank. This lazy fellow. I need to teach him a lesson.

" Mommy what happened, why were you in such a hurry and what's all this? "

In the hall I saw everyone holding buckets in both their hands and the third one on their head.

" Ha ha ha, are you guys participating in a fancy dress competition ?"

" Stop flashing your teeth and hold these buckets and join the line"

" Wait, what, I mean why ?"

" How can you forget today's day? Such an irresponsible son. "

" What's so special about this date that you woke me up even before the sunrise?"

" My dear unworthy kid today is the only day in the week that we get the tankers. Hurry up before the other ladies of the colony line up. There is less time in our hands. Shut your mouth and just run as fast as you can to reach early at the spot. The tanker may reach here anytime. "

I was perplexed but when I reached there a greater surprise awaited me. Almost everyone from my colony was already there with almost every bucket and container they could find in their home. And I was standing there numb trying to understand what was happening. I wanted to talk to someone but everyone seemed engrossed in fighting for their turn. Finally I spoke to my younger sister.

" What the hell is happening here ?"

" What, can't you see we are here for water. Today I'll be taking my princess bath after a week. Those perfumes are a headache for me. And you instead of talking, why don't you help carry the buckets. "

" But why do we need to carry water, we have our own tank back at home, and if at all there is no electricity we can use the generator and with a single click when we can get fresh water why waste our time and strength over here ?"

" Are you still high, Did you booze last night ?"

" What ! "

" We don't have water back at home, forget about home in the whole of the city there is no water, everything has dried up even the reservoirs are empty. And it has been months now. Why you're behaving like the Aamir Khan from ghazni ? "

I stood there perplexed trying to digest what all she just threw at me. By the time mommy has filled a bucket and she wanted me to carry it back home. With eyes wide open though unable to process images to my brain , my motor muscles who denied to cause a motion and all my senses got dumb. And when she made me carry those buckets it was as if it was mechanically. Suddenly I stumbled upon the pothole and all the water and the bucket fell on the ground. My mommy came rushing from behind and the next thing I realised was a blow on my face. She was almost in tears for she could only fill limited amount of buckets and one among those few was gone.