Photo courtesy of Yarnspinnerr
Where could they be going in such a hurry?
He wondered that every day, as he stood in the soaking rain on slick tarmac. Every day was spent under a murky sky, pelted by rain as he hoisted filthy hoses that pumped gallons of J1-A into the planes. There were so many: sleek 737s, stark white as though rebelling against the monsoon. Inside those planes, people with crisp jodhpuris sat and sipped fine wine he would never taste. And by the time he went home, with a handful of rupees for his trouble, they’d be a world away.
As plane after plane took to the sky, leaving Delhi far behind, he could only watch and wonder, before retiring to his leaky shack in the slums. At times, it was hard to believe there was a world beyond hunger and poverty, where everyone wore suits and filled their bellies. One day…one day he’d save up enough rupees to afford his own ticket. It didn’t matter where he went. So long as it was away.
Written for the FFfAW Challenge – Week of June 5, 2018. Word count: 174. Read other stories based on this prompt at InLinkz.com.
Michael T. Kuester 
Your story was really heartfelt. For many, dreams are so far away that it takes most of their life to achieve it. But as long as you dream, life goes on, that’s what I think. I’ve seen slums in Mumbai’s Dharavi and life is not easy there. But the children shout and happily wave every time they see a plane fly. I think for them is hope that one day, they’ll get to fly too. Great take on the prompt.
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The stark differences are well brought out. Very nice take.
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Good take, a situation that could be replicated in many jobs around the world between the have’s and have not’s.
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Makes you wonder if the grass is always greener.
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How easy it is to ignore the evil of poverty, Great use of the prompt
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How hard it must be to watch the privileged flyers knowing you have to go home to poverty. Wonderful story!
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Thank you.
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A ‘then and us’ situation perfectly illustrated. Excellent.
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Put it in such a lovely way! 🙂
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