Syamantak [Short Stories]

🦋 18. Why ? 👤 [Part 2]

Ehsaan's POV;

She was a simple but intelligent girl having a smile on face all the time. Her name was Pihoo. That innocent girl always put great trust in me in compared to other taxi drivers. I noticed her daily routine of going college, no matter whether it was a hot summer day or raining heavily. Even a chilling breeze of winter couldn't stop her. Like an alarm she daily appeared at bus stop sharp at 6:00 in the morning all refreshed.

I was familiar with her family. I knew them closely, they were highly reputed in the area. Though she was more comfortable with me when it came to get a ride to the college in compared to others but always kept an appropriate distance and behaved with great dignity. I always felt a respect in her eyes and a blind trust for me.

Whenever Pihoo hired my taxi, I dropped her straight to her college all the time. I knew it took at least 2 kilometers for her to cover the distance between the bus stop and her college. I could feel her tiredness. Moreover, her family had helped me many times and granted me a great respect. I wanted to repay all their favors from my little acts. In the same order I, sometimes spared some loose changes. By doing this I wanted to show my gratitude towards them. But she couldn't understand it. She always tried me to take money back and I kept deferring.

I would never take them back but one fine day she forcefully handed me a net amount adding previous left over changes. I tried to give it back but she refused to take it. As she was with her friends that time, I couldn't insist but I really felt insignificant and humiliated in front of others. Though she didn't do anything insulting but I was feeling like defeated and was very dejected. More I thought of that more I was becoming furious. I started thinking towards a revenge. Really, I wanted to take a revenge from her.

No longer, I had to wait. A few days later I got a chance to take her in my taxi. I very well knew - despite being familiar she would never hire my taxi alone. That's why, I intentionally took passenger for short distance so could I had a pretty long solitary ride with her. I was boiling with rage, willing to take revenge for my insult. As the passengers got off of my taxi so early, I felt uneasiness in her. She was calm which made me feel a little pity for her. Without wasting the time I gave her that extra money back. She was sitting in back seat so, looking from rear view mirror I insisted. In fact,I ordered her in an angry tone and soon she gave in. She took money and sat silently. How adorable was she. But I was not in mood to forgive her, I tried to distract her mind from her thoughts whatever she was feeling. I started a conversation ;

"You gave me money in front of your friends. I didn't like this."

"No uncle, It was bothering me to keep your earnings. That's why I wanted to give it back." She replied.

"But I really didn't like that."

"I didn't mean to hurt you."

"You shouldn't have done that."

.............

She was trying to defend her side which was making me crazy. I tried to allure her offering the front passenger seat saying that it was uncomfortable to talk through rear view mirror.

"Come here ! Next to me. We can have a comfortable talk."

By this, all of sudden, her expressions changed into a fear. She said-

"No, uncle ! I am ok here."

....

.......
..

I tried hard but she was stubborn. I was being mad at her. After an awkward silence, when we were about to reach I plotted against her to move the taxi towards other direction saying -

"I'll drop you directly to your home."

Immediately at those words and the move of taxi she got panicked. She was trying hard to be normal but in vain. With feared face she protested saying-

"No uncle! No need. I'll go by myself. It's not that far."

I threw my another move. I said -
"What people will think about us. They may mistake us for watching you alone with me."

"Matters not uncle ! I've no problem. I don't care for what people thinks of me."
She was all terrified of me. I just wanted to harm her. I was mad to take a revenge and wished to make her feel like how it hurts being humiliated. I wanted to teach her the lesson that she should've never insulted me. But seeing her frightened face I couldn't help but change the route to the usual one. In reality I got weak for her innocent face. I safely dropped her to the bus stop.

***
In the evening her younger sister came to me when I was repairing my taxi's stepney. She called my name out from behind -

"Ehsaan uncle ! ..."

Before she could say a word more, without moving an inch from my position, I completed her sentence -

"... Dad is calling ?"

"Yes uncle. "

"Just coming in a while." Without facing her, I said stilled in my position.

I was damn sure of something worst. She must've been said everything and now this summon. Nervously I reached there, couldn't dare to make any eye contact. It was obvious to be punished for my deeds. But what happened next was not what I was expecting. Pihoo hadn't told her dad anything about my misdeeds, all she said was that money matter. Her father showed me his concern about my hard earned money not to be wasted anywhere and convinced me to take it back. It was unexpected. I growled in frustration rubbing my both hands on my face. And I felt like a criminal for that particular moment for desiring to hurt that pure heart.

Since than I could never get enough courage to face her. All the time I moved somewhere far from her when she was around. Even today, after years I can't face her.

Sorry my Pihoo ! Forgive your uncle please !!!

... The End