I Look I See

 
Photo is a renter in a house just beside ours. Her husband is a minor employee in a garments factory with a low income. Few months ago she was coming home from Chittagong Trade Fair by a rickshaw. She was quite upset then because she found that prices of different things were too high for her to buy with her mere 600taka. She was cursing her husband for not being richer while the rickshaw moved. It’s maybe he is not that smart. Maybe if Photo were in his place she could have earned a lot more money with her better intelligence. Different thoughts were coming into her mind.

Suddenly the rickshaw puller stopped the rickshaw half the way to her home and took a moneybag from the roadside. Most probably someone had lost it. Who knows was precious thing might be in that moneybag. He stealthily looked inside it but couldn’t escape the suspicious eyes of Photo. Understanding her motive he immediately took something out of that moneybag and put that in his pocket. Photo became very suspicious now. She wanted to know what he was hiding from her. Bringing phoney anger in her she told him to hand over the moneybag to her.
“Take it. There is nothing but two pages. I’m an illiterate person… Here you take them and read, please” said the obedient rickshaw puller. Photo found that one of pages was a letter and the other was a money receipt. She was glad at his obedience, although she was not completely relieved of her suspicion. She desperately wanted to know what he took out of the moneybag. Maybe the letter can tell her what was in that moneybag. She started reading…

“Respectable sister,
I have bought this gold chain that you told me to buy for your daughter. It took me 9,000taka to buy it. This chain is exactly of 1 bhoree. I have also included the money receipt for you. And after you have received this chain from Alauddin let me know. But don’t give him the price of the chain. I will go to your house soon. You can give me the money then. Khuda hafiz.
Your brother
Faisal”

And the receipt read…
“1 Bhoree gold chain……………….9,000taka
.
.
.
.
.
.
Total……………………………..9,000taka.


Dated, 10/12/03
Anada Jewelleries, New Market”


“9,000taka??? Wow!!!! That’s a pretty big amount of money. Oh, if only I could have that chain from that rickshaw puller…” thought Photo. She couldn’t control her greed. So she asked him, “Weren’t there a chain in the moneybag? Let me see the chain. Quick”
The innocent rickshaw puller hesitated for a while but couldn’t oppose to her demand. While giving her the chain he asked, “Is it of gold madam?” Photo silently said, “Yes.” “Then it surely would be very costly. Isn’t it?” he inquired. “Yeh… very costly…it’s just of 1000 to 2000taka” Photo replied.
“I’m an illiterate person. Where would I be able to sell this chain! Would you like to buy this chain from me?”
Yap, this is what Photo was willing to hear from him. But alas, she doesn’t have 2,000taka with her. Now, she is accusing herself for saying the price of that chain so high. “I should have said the chain would be of just 500taka. Then I could have bought it now. Ahh… what a chance have I missed!” Photo thought.
“But I only have 600taka.” She told the rickshaw puller.
“Ok, then give me that 600taka and you take this chain. I’m badly in need of money now. My young daughter is very ill.”, said the poor rickshaw puller with much grief.

Photo couldn’t believe what she heard. Really, when God wants to bless someone there is nothing that can stop that blessing to reach him. She immediately gave him the 600taka she had and took the chain. She only had the rickshaw fare left with her. Then the rickshaw puller said, “Madam, I have to go to my daughter now since I’ve got enough money now to buy medicine with it. You, please go by some other rickshaw.” So Photo took another rickshaw and went home taking that gold chain.

It was noon at that time. Photo couldn’t wait a single minute more for her husband to come home. She was desperately willing to show him what she had purchased.

At last at 2’o clock he came home on lunch break. For the desperation to disclose the news she even forgot to greet him. “Honey, you won’t believe what I have purchased today. I have bought a gold chain of 9,000taka just for 6,00taka.” “What did you do?” Her husband couldn’t get it. “I bought a gold chain from a rickshaw puller for less than one tenth of the actual price.” “How do you know that it is of gold?” he asked. “Hey, do you think that I’m that stupid that I’d buy this chain without being confirm?” Photo proudly retorted. “Ok then it seems great to me.” Her hubby remarked. “Yes, it’s great. And you should feel proud of me… Now let’s go to the jewellery shop. I can’t wait a minute more to know how much price they offer for it.” Photo was so happy that she even couldn’t wait till her hubby takes his lunch.

Now, they have come to a jewellery shop close to their house. Photo asked the shopkeeper, “How much is a bhoree of gold?” “It’ of 9,000taka.” Photo smiled and looked at her hubby feeling proud of herself. “Okay, I have this gold chain of 1 bhoree and I want to sell it. How much would you give me for it?”
“Hmm… the chain looks very bright to me. It is certainly new. You surely have bought it lately. But why do you want to sell it so early?” asked the goldsmith.
“Yes, we bought it recently and didn’t want to sell it at this time. But we are having great financial problem now. So…” Photo replied.
“But before I go to any bargain I’d like to tell you that you would not get 9,000taka for it. We would pay you less then that because we will have to make some profit selling it.” Warned the goldsmith. Photo agreed.

The goldsmith examined the chain again and again. Then he said, “I can’t buy it, madam. It’s not real gold”
“It can’t be” Photo said in disbelief. “I saw it with my own...” She had to stop right there. She couldn’t utter anything more.

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