Part 8 Another Meeting

Arnav called Aman. He came to his cabin.

"Yes, sir"

"Collect all basic details about these guys"

"Basic details, means, Sir?"

"Who are they, what their fathers are, where they studied, where they from are..."

"I knew all the above details, Sir"

"Is it?"

"Yes, sir"

"How?"

"They are familiar in our district, sir. They won't hesitate to do their work no matter who taunts them. They just don't care about anything. Everyone in this district knew them, sir. More than that, Khushi is Tahsildar Shashi Gupta's daughter. She knew everyone in the Revenue department. Maximum of us talk to her. Through her, the other guys became famous"

"Oh... where is she from?"

"She resides in the town only sir. The opposite house to the Town government school"

"Oh..."

"The four of them studied in the same college. They started planting trees and social programs in the third year of their college life. They are still continuing"

"What about others?"

"Payal Sinha is the only daughter of Dev Sinha. He is the dangerous man of this district, sir. He does all the anti-social activities without hesitation..."

"Father is anti-socialist and the daughter is a social worker...?"

"Her father is an anti-socialist, that's why she became a social worker"

"What do you mean?"

"She started working for the society because of guiltiness, sir"

"I see..."

"Yes, sir... I heard she stopped talking to her father long ago"

"But... is not something fishy?"

"What Sir?"

"What if they are partners in crime? Why should not she do social work to bury the crimes of her father?"

Aman didn't know what to say because he never thought from that point.

"I... I really don't know what to say, sir"

"You would not have thought in that direction, right?"

"I have no reason to think in that direction, sir"

"Why?" he raised his brows.

"Dev Sinha is not a man who cares about public opinion, sir. At the same time, he would not let his daughter do social service to bury his crimes. If so, it will be as if he has admitted his guilt. He is not such kind who has repentance about his activities"

"Mmmm"

"And, one more point also there, sir"

"What?"

"There is a popular gossip that Payal and Akash are in love"

"Is it?"

"Yes, sir... If Payal is a crime partner of her father, she would not have given a chance for the gossip, sir"

"Why?"

"Dev Sinha is planning to get her married to a Minister's son. Dev will not let their love to get succeed, sir. He is a devil"

"Doesn't Payal know about her father?"

"She does... yet, she loves Akash because she hates her father. She doesn't want to get into her father's circle that is full of lies and crimes"

Arnav became thoughtful.

"Who is Akash?"

"The one who is wearing specs, sir"

"Oh... his father is running a wholesale grocery shop, right?"

"Yes, sir. Their shop is the biggest in the town. Everything is available in their shop. They supply groceries to almost all the shops in the district"

"Then, they should also be equal to Dev Sinha in status. Then why won't he accept the alliance?"

"His RANGE is very high, sir. He is thinking about the Minister's son to develop his status. Then how will he accept a grocery shop owner?"

"What about the next one?"

"Nandkishor... his father is a bank employee. He is searching for a job"

"Mmm... ok, fine. If they come to meet me, don't make them wait. Send them immediately to me. We should respect those who care about our country" he added the reason.

"Ok, sir"

"What's next?"

"Meeting with Ruler Development authorities, Sir"

Arnav stood up and walked out of the cabin to meet the authorities.

The next day

Khushi saw Payal's WhatsApp status and was surprised. It was about job opportunities.

TEN RUPEES WILL BE GIVEN FOR PLANTING EACH SAPLING. THOSE WHO ARE INTERESTED, PING ME.

What was that about? Khushi called Payal. She attended the call. Before Khushi asked anything,

"The collector wants to plant one lakh saplings in his tenure. We can't do it alone. So, I decided to give jobs to those who are interested"

"But, we need money, Payal"

"Have you forgotten about the blank cheque-book given by Mr. Dev Sinha?"

"Are you seriously going to use the money?"

"Then? Do you want to burn it?"

Khushi rolled her eyes.

"We will go to the government school today for an awareness program. Ask Aunty to prepare tea for us. I missed her ginger tea a lot..."

"Done... I will be waiting..."

Khushi got ready and came out. She looked at the school that was opposite GH.

*Nearly fifty trees can be planted inside the school premises. And the same fifty trees on the outside...* she calculated.

She turned to her left side and saw her neighbor boy sitting outside all sad.

"Oiiii, Vivek, don't you get ready for the school?" Khushi asked.

The boy nodded no.

"Why?"

"No one is respecting my talent"

"Your talent? What did you do and who doesn't respect it?"

Vivek rushed to her. He removed a specs box from his back pocket and gave it to Khushi. Though it seemed specs it had some more features in it. There was a small switch-like button on the side and an LED like a small light in the center.

"What specs is this?"

"It's a SENSOR specs"

"For?"

"For BLINDS"

"For Blinds?" she raised her eyebrows while looking at the specs surprisingly.

"Yes, Didi. If blind people wear this, it will be useful for them while walking on the road"

"How?"

"They will be alerted by the sensor if any object is close to them. This sensor will make a sound and alert them"

"Wow...did you make this?"

He nodded yes.

"How did you get the idea?"

"One day, I saw a blind man stumbled with the barricade. That day I thought to do something useful for them"

Khushi was stunned. He was just a tenth standard student and he thought to help blinds just by seeing one stumbled.

Khushi extended her hand towards him. He clutched her hand pouting.

"What did your teacher say?"

"I made it without her knowledge and guidance. That's why she is upset with me. So, she didn't recognize it"

Khushi thought for a while,

"Ok... now you go to school and don't talk to anyone about it. Your invention will be recognized"

"Really?"

"Really"

"How Didi?"

"Don't you trust me?"

He nodded yes.

"Go and study well..."

He nodded again and rushed to his house to get ready. Khushi thought for a while and called Aman. He attended the call, who just entered the office.

"Hi..."

"Bhai, I need a collector's appointment"

"For?"

"I need to talk to him about a talented boy"

"What I did that you are going to talk about me to him, Khushi?" he asked controlling his laughter.

"Oh... are you still a BOY?" she chuckled.

"Am I not?"

"Bhai... I'm talking about fourteen year's boys"

"So what Khushi? I'm just sixteen"

"No way... you just are a toddler..." She teased.

Aman laughed.

"Will you give me an appointment or not?"

"Ok ok... you can come anytime"

"Anytime?" Khushi frowned.

"Yeah, the collector said Revival Foundation guys can meet him anytime"

"Is it?" she wondered. She just could not believe it.

"Yeah..."

"May I come now?"

"Yeah, you can come"

"Thank you. Bhai" she disconnected the call.

Khushi saw Vivek coming out with his school bag.

"Vivek..."

"Haan Didi, going to school"

"No... don't go. We are going out"

"Were?"

"I will tell you. Keep the bag and come"

"Ok, I will come changing my uniform"

"No... don't change your uniform..."

"Don't you want me to change my uniform?"

"No, take the specs and its program file if you have any"

"Ok" He again went to his house.

Khushi went inside and took her scooter key.

"Amma, I will be back soon"

"Where are you going?"

"Collector's office"

"You said your friends are coming?"

"Yeah, ask them to wait. Give them tea. I will come soon"

She rushed out. Vivek was waiting with the specs box and a file. He sat behind her and Khushi started the scooter.

The collector's office

Vivek was perplexed to see Khushi's scooter entering into the collector's office.

"Didi, where are you taking to me?"

"To the collector"

"Whaaaat? Are we going to meet the district collector?" he was shocked.

"Yeah, you are going to explain about your specs to him" She stopped the scooter and put the side stand.

"Didi, pinch me"

Khushi pinched his hand smiling.

"Ahh... still I can't believe this is happening"

"Save your disbelief. You will need it when you meet the collector"

They walked to the first floor where Arnav's cabin was. She stopped and looked inside Aman's cabin. He was not there. The collector's steno, Simran looked at her raising her left brow. Khushi didn't ask her anything about Aman. She didn't like the woman. Being a collector's Steno, she had a dirty attitude. She was the wholesale dealer of HEAD WEIGHT. She behaves as if the whole collector's office was on her head. Khushi headed to Arnav's cabin.

At the same time, Aman came out of Arnav's cabin. He smiled at Khushi. He peeped inside Arnav's cabin and conveyed Khushi's arrival to Arnav.

"You can go..." Aman said.

"Don't you come?" Khushi asked Aman.

"He won't eat you. Don't worry" he teased and left the place.

Khushi entered Arnav's cabin with a sight nervousness. He smiled at her.

"Good morning, sir"

"Good morning"

Khushi looked at Vivek who followed her.

"He is Vivek, tenth standard government school student. He invented something."

"Invention?" he was surprised.

"Yes, sir... You will recognize it, sir"

Arnav leaned on his seat with a slight smile.

"What made you think I would recognize it?" he asked.

Khushi was stuck. She didn't know what to answer. She thought he would recognize it by his approach to her Email. But how would she say that to him? She gulped down hard.

To be continued...