The Delayed Offering
Ee sannivesam nenu tommidava taragati chediveppaudu jarigindi. Adi
na jeevitamu lo kattirinchina modati vaalu jada. Ame ma school lo
biology teacher. Nenu enimidava taragti lo unnappudu ma school lo
cherindi. Aame jada chusina modati saari namma leka poyanu. Mokalla daka
vache valu jada. Jadalo okka roja puvvu. Roju oke hairstyle. Eppudaina
okka sari bun vesukuntundi. Kaaka pote, nela ki iravai enimidi rojulu
jada. Aa jada chusinappudalla edo oka santosham, kani adi ento
theliyadu.
Idila undaga, ma veedi lo Ramesh annaya pelli kudirindi.
Prati sanivaram sayanthram nenu Ramesh annaya tho badminton aade vadni.
Paiga, Ramesh annaya deggara computer undedi. Aa rojullo nenu school lo
nerchukuntunna chinna chinna programs valla computer lo try chese vadni.
Dadapu roju valla intiki velle vadni. Summer vacation lo jarigina
annaya pelliki velte thelisindi, vadina verevvaro kadu, ma biology
teacher.
“Chachanu ra babu,” anukunnanu. Anukunnata pane ayyindi.
Badminton nelaku okka roju ayipoyindi. Computer kuda anta dorikedi
kaadu. Endukante, ma teacher unna chotiki vellataniki kasta bhayanga
undedi. Paiga thana subject kante vere subject, adi kuda
extra-curricular subject lo interest ekkuvaga chupiste kopamostundo emo
nani bhayam kuda. Thommidava targati modalyyindi. O nalugu nelalu
gadisayi. October nelalo naku Jaundice vachindi. Dani punyama ani on
mudu varalu school ki vella ledu. School ki velle sariki half-yearly
exams deggara paddayi. Maths, Physics teachers emo daily oka ara ganta
extra spend chesi nannu catchup cheyatamlo help chesaru. Biology teacher
ma veede kabatti roju intiki rammandi. O padihenu rojulu ila extra
classes punyama ani, exams baga raasanu.
Naaku Jaundice taggaka Tirupati vastanani Amma mokkukundi. Exams
mugisina modati sani, aadi varalu tirupati ki tickets book chesaru.
Shukravaram sayanthram Amma sweets chesindi. O dabba lo konni vesicchi
Ramesh annaya vallintlo icchi rammandi. Nenu thesukuni vellanu. Aunty
kusalamadigindi, nenu thanks cheppanu. “Orey, repu poddune mee annaya
rammanadu ra ninnu. Ne tho badminton aadi chala rojulaiyindata. Veelaite
ra.” andi Aunty. “Sorry Aunty. Ivvala sayanthram memu Tirupati
velthunnamu. Naku taggaka vastanani amma mokkukundi.” ani cheppanu.
“Alaga! Chala manchidi” andi Aunty. Okka nimishamu alochinchi, “Saroja!”
ani pilichindi. Ma biology teacher vachindi. “Pilichara attaya?” ani
adigindi. “Avunu Saroja. Naaku mee amma garu cheppinattu gurtu. Needi
okka mokkupadi Tirupati lo inka chellincha ledata kada?” ani adigindi
aunty. “Avunu attaya. Nenu B.Ed. pass avuthe maa amma na jada Tirupati
ki istanani mokkukundi. Kaani ippati varaku aa mokku chellinchaledu.”
“Saroja, ila mokkulu chellinchakunda undakudadu. Chala pedda
tappu. Paiga, mee pellaina ventane Tirupati vellaru. Mari ne jada enduku
theyinchukoledu?” ani adigindi Aunty. Ee sambhashana vintunna naku gunde
gurramla parigettam modalu pettindi. “Maaku darshanam munginchukoni
raavatanike time saripoyindi attaya.” andi ma teacher. “Orey Vijay,
meeru eppudu bayaluderutunnaru ra?” ani adigindi Aunty. “Sayanthram
nalugu gantalaku, Aunty” annanu. “Sare. Ippudu padakondu avutundi.
Saroja, nuvvu ippude Vanitha beauty parlour ki vellu. Jada
theyinchukuni, alage bob cut cheyinchukoni ra. Jada theesukuni
vachavante villa amma gari deggara ichi pampistanu. Kanisam alagaina nee
mokku chellichinattu avutundi.” “Kaani attaya, ma varini adagakunda…”
ani cheppatam modalu pettindi. “Chudu Saroja, Vadni adagalsina pani
ledu. Ee mokku pelli kante munupatidi. Vadu ninnu Tirupati teesuku
vellinappude nee jada theinchalsindi. Vaada pani cheyaledu. Ippudunna
avakasm odulukunte, mari eppudu dorukutundo theliyadu. Nenu cheppina
maata vinte manchidi. Aapaina nee ishtam.”
“Sare attaya, meeru cheppinatte chestanu.” ani cheppi
bayaluderindi maa teacher. Naaku inka namma sakhyam kaaledu. Anta podugu
jada, ala kattirinchestara ani. Beauty parlour lo kattirinche
sannivesanni uhinchukunnanu. Gundello dada-dada. “Sarle, intiki podamu,”
anukuni, “Aunty, vellostanu.” annanu. “Undara kurra vedhava. Enta
tondara? Mee amma konni pustakalu adigindi. Thesi istanu, thesuku
velduvule.” andi Aunty. “Sare Aunty.” ani cheppi sofa meeda kurchunnau.
Alage paper chadavatam modalu pettanu. O padihenu nimishalu gadichayi.
Intalo gate thesini chappudu vinipinchindi. Chuste, ma teacher tirigi
vachindi. Jada theyinchukoledu. Gate chappudu vinna aunty, hall loki
vachindi. “Emaiyyindi Saroja?” ani adigindi. “Vanith bayataku vellidata.
Shop theyaledu. Sayantram aidu gantalaku theestundata.” andi Saroja.
“Aidu gantalaka? Ala aite paniki radu ga. Hmmm… inko pani
cheyochu. Orey Vijay, pakka veedilo oka mangali kottu undi kada? Akkada
nunchi o mangalini thesuku ra. Intole kaanichedam.” andi Aunty. “Ayyo,
mangali deggara? Vaddu attaya, please.” andi Saroja. “Ayite encheddamu
cheppu? Tirupati lo ayite kuda manali deggare kada kattirinchukunedi?”
ani adigindi Aunty. “Vaddu attaya. Mere kattirinchandi, parledu.” andi
Saroja. “Nenu kattirincha kudadamma. Artham chesuko.” andi Aunty. “kaadu
attaya, ayana velle mangali deggare nenu kuda cheyinchukovatam
bagundadu.” andi Saroja. “Nuvvu cheppindi kuda nijame. Ayithe
encheddame?” andi Aunty. “Poni vere beauty parlour ki vellostava?” ani
adigindi Aunty.
“Kudardu attaya, time ledu. Vella papers anni diddi purti
cheyyali.” andi Saroja. “Alaga…” ani, aunty ana vnaka chusi, “Poni,
veedni kattirincha mante?” ani adigindi. “Attaya, vaadu na student. Vadi
deggara ela…” “Saroja, naku vaadu puttinappati nunchi thelusu. Deeni
valla vadiki nee meeda unna bahaya-bhatktulemi taggavu. Poni, ala
kandante, vere idea emaina cheppu, vintanu.” andi aunty. Koncham sepu
aalochinchindi Saroja. “Kaani attaya, jada matram kattiriste saripodu
kada. Kaasta manchiga bob cut cheyyali kada.” andi Saroja. “Chudu
Saroja, manasunte margamuntundi. Ippudu jada theyinchuko. Elago neeku
bayataku vellalsina pani ledu. Sayanthram Vanitha vachaka velli bob cut
cheyinchuko.” andi Aunty. “Sare attaya, naku vere ee idea tochatledu.
Alage kaaniddam.” andi. Idi vinna naaku emi aalochinchalo theliya ledu.
Aa andamaina vaalu jada nenu kattirinchatama? Intalo Aunty phone
deggaraki vellindi. “mee phone number emi ra?” ani adigindi. Nenu
cheppanu. Phone chesindi.
“Varsha (maa amma peru), nenu Ramesh valla amma matladutunnanu…
aaa bagunnanu… sare kani nakokka chinna shayam cheyyali…
cheputunna… Meeru ivvala Tirupati ki bayluderu tunnarata?… Anduke…
Na kodalidi oka mokkubadi inka chellinchaledu… Avunu. Tana jada
istanani valla amma garu mokku kunnaru. Rendu samvatsaralaindi kaani
inka ivvaledu… Ade… Ame jada theyinchi mee vadi cheta pampistanu.
Tirupati lo icchestara?… Chala chala thanks… Aaa gurtundi. Mudu
dorikayi, avikuda icchi pampistanu… untanu.” Phone pettesindi Aunty.
“Sare ra. Mee amma gariki kuda cheppesanu. Theesuku veltarata. Saroja,
nuvelli cheera kattuku ra.”andi Aunty. Saroja lopaliki vellindi. Tana
mukhamulo kasta baadha kanipinchindi. “Aunty, nenu ela kattirinchanu?”
ani adiganu. “Cheppanu kadara. Saroja raani, aameku jada vesi jadalo
poolu pedatanu. poola too saha kattirincheseyi.” andi Aunty. “Adi kaadu
aunty, nenu ilati pani eppudu cheyyaledu. Mari nenu sarigga
cheyyakapote?” annanu. “Anduke sayantram beauty parlour ki veltundi
kada. Nee cheta enduku cheyistunnante, aa jada mee tho patu Tirupatiki
vellali. Sarena?” andi Aunty.
Intalo Saroja tirigi vachindi. “Ala chair lo kurcho Saroja,” andi
Aunty. Saroja velli kurchundi. “Poddunninchi jada vesukoleda?” ani
adigi velli duvvena, kattera thisuku vachindi Aunty. “Oka padi nimishalu
undara. Jada vesesthanu” ani Saroja bun vippindi Aunty. Na kalla munde
chivari sari aa andamaina kurulanu duvvatam modalu pettindi. Koncham
sepu duvvaka, jada veyyatam modalupettindi. Jada kasta loose ga, meda
kinda nunchi vesindi. Aunty Sarojaku jada .esi siddham chestunte naaku
tension peragatam modaliyindi. Aunty alavatu too chaka chaka jada purti
chesesindi. Nallani taadu la undindi aa vaalu jada. Saroja chairlo
kurchunte, nelaku okka aaru angulalu takkuva. Naalo eppudi
anubhavinchani o utsaham. Intalo aunty malle poolu theeskuku vachi
jadalo unchindi. Sarigga bhujala deggara. Kattera naa vaipu chaachi,
“Raa ra. Theesuko.” andi.
Nenu deggaraku velli kattera thesukunnanu. Saroja jadanu kudi
chetulo pattukunnanu. Tala kaasta vanchindi Saroja. Poola paina
katteranu unchi, “Ikkadena?” ani adiganu. “Avunura, kaani kasta aa
jadanu laagi patti kattirinchu. Appude kastaina neat ga untundi” andi
Aunty. Jadanu kaasta laagi kattirinchatam modalu pettanu. Aa taravatha
emayindo naaku kuda theliyadu. Konni gantala patu kattiristunnatu
anipinchindi. Padunaina katteralato aa pattulanti kurulanu
kattiristunte, vere edo lokam lo unnatu anubhuti. Edama chei kasta noppi
pettatam modalu pettindi, kani nenu kattirinchatam aapaledu. Jada
purtiga tegi chetiki vacche daka kattirinchanu. Jada chetiki vacchaka
dani baruvu telisindi. Kanisam o ara kilo ayina undi untundi. Gadiyaram
vanka chuste telisindi, kattirinchataniki kevalam o mudu nimishalu
pattindani.
Aunty chirunavvu too naa deggaraku vacchi kattirinchina jadanu
teesukundi. Danini o cover lo vesi naa chetikichhi, “Mee ammaku ivvara.”
andi. Saroja chair nunchi lechi naa vanka chusindi. Kallalo dukham,
kaani dani kuda o chirnavvu. Aunty velli Sarojanu odarchindi. “Jada pote
poyindamma, kaani mokku teerindi kada. Ika meeda nee kashtalu
taggutayi.” andi. Nenu aa jada, pustakalu theesukuni intiki bayalu
deranu. “Vellostanu Aunty” annanu. “Orey kurra vedhava… malli
vachinappudu prasadam thesukuraa ra.” andi Aunty. Asalu aa muppai
nimishalu naa jeevitham lo gadichaya ani anumanam vachindi. Kaani
chetilo aa jada chusi chala santosham vesindi. Ade nenu kattirinchina
modati vaalu jada. Ennatiki maruvalenidi.