A PIGLET’S JOURNEY

“It will be a new beginning tomorrow!” The night went sleepless. I got ready before time.
Majumdar came and said, “Let’s start with the blessings of Maa Durga!”
We walked about twenty minutes and reached an office. It was in a temporary shed. A dilapidated truck was parked by the side. A group of tobacco-chewing labourers stood busy in their chatter. A fat young man sat on a cot. He seemed to be the manager.
Majumdar exchanged greetings with him and said, “I brought this boy today. He’s from a good family, please guide him to his job, Poltu.”1
Majumdar left.
“What’s your name?” Poltu asked.
I told my name.
“How far did you study?
“Appeared in Higher Secondary, Sir.”
“Why didn’t you continue?”
“Baba can’t bear the expenses. I am the eldest, I have other siblings.”
“Same bloody old story! This is the tale of many Bengali families! I am tired of hearing this. They will produce children, one after another when they have no means to feed them. As soon as the eldest one grows up, he is sent out to earn. He bears the family burden, gets his sisters married and pays for his brothers’ education, isn’t it? See those bloody piglets! They are also like you!” Poltu jeered pointing his finger at the labourers.
Poltu’s words pierced into my heart like arrows! I thought to give a hard kick on his face. There was no time to react. The truck blew its horn twice. “Come on, jump in,” Poltu said. I jumped into the truck. It blew its horn twice again and zoomed off leaving a cloud of thick black smoke behind…