D-CIRCUS COMES TO TOWN[PART IV]

PART - IV

MORE HAPPENINGS.

For the next few days, life had become very busy and full of activity
for Kumar. He was enjoying his summer holidays to the optimum. He was
having busy mornings _______ was out of bed very early, after a brush
and a good wash hurried for his breakfast, just gobbling down the food
and flushing it down the throat with a glass of milk, making himself
presentable with good comfortable clothes and he would be off with his
dad to the circus ground. He would go all around the ground, see,
watch, enjoy, converse with those people there and would then be back
home.

The morning and noon's sun brought with it the scorching heat. The days
were very sultry which made the people feel very dry and thirsty. Thus,
the children, though they were having their holidays, were not allowed
to go out of their houses in the afternoons, but had to remain indoors
and make themselves happy with indoor activities only.

The sweltering heat of the noon even parched the green grass and
changed their colour to straw brown. The stray dogs and the stray
cattle were in search of shady places and rested themselves under the
shade of the big trees without resorting to any movement. The heat
seemed to make life come to a standstill in the afternoons. Even the
small creatures like the squirrels and the birds seemed to be drooping
due to the heat. There was so to say no movement along the roads; only
a few people were seen to be going about for they had to carry on with
their usual duty.

There had always been a fear among the people of being attacked by the
sun's heat with sunstroke if they exposed themselves under the direct
heat of the blazing sun. Thus mothers took precautions to keep their
children indoors. Even food habits were a bit different in this
season________ people consumed a lot of liquid and watery food and
vegetables, consumed a lot of lemon juice, ate huge quantities of
cucumber and water melons to keep their bodies cool. This was the
atmosphere prevailing in Sonarpur at this time of the year. But, for
Kumar the mornings had been very special and exciting for him.

After his second days visit to the circus ground in the morning, he had
remained indoors the whole afternoon. He had his lunch and had waited
patiently for the sun to go down in the west for then he would be
allowed to go out to the playground. That day he had very exciting news
to give his friends.

After lunch he had a short nap. Then Kumar got up very slowly and
stealthily, changed into his playing shorts and colourful jersey, wore
his shoes and before heading for the door to go out, he quietly went up
to his mother and whispered into her ears ____ " Ma, I am going to
play".

"Ok, you may go", said his mother.

In an instant, like an ejecting force, Kumar dashed out of the door and
ran towards the playfield with all his vigour. All his friends had
already gathered there earlier than him. When he joined his group he
was totally breathless and just couldn't speak. There were smiles on
the faces of his friends.

"Hi Kumar, we all are waiting for you for your days story", said one of
them.

Kumar began to feel very proud of himself as he thought that he had
gained a lot of importance. Suddenly one of them said, " I have brought
this peppermint, would you like to have one Kumar?"

Another said, " today I had been to the shop at the street corner and
bought this packet of bubblegum and see this cute wrapper gift that I
have got". It was indeed very beautiful and the picture of the animated
creature was so cute that Kumar said, " please?. Can I have it."?

Instantly that boy handed it over to Kumar. At this moment Kumar felt
as though he had become Mark Twain's, Tom Sawyer. Kumar recollected the
character of Tom, how Tom had been punished by Aunt Poly and was made
to work on a Saturday, which was a holiday, while all his friends had
been playing and enjoying themselves. The hard task that was entrusted
to Tom was to white wash the fence. Tom had been very clever in making
his friends, who came along that way while he was at work , to convince
them how difficult a work white washing was but he was lucky to have
been asked by his aunt to do it. His friends had asked him to give them
a chance to white wash the fence. Tom had been bribed with small gifts
by his friends to get a chance to whitewash the fence. At the end of
the day, Tom had grown rich with his gifts and had idled himself while
the wok had been finished by his friends. In the same way, when his
friends tried to bribe Kumar with small gifts of chocolates, bubble
gums, stickers and so on, to know from him about the circus people,
Kumar felt that he was very lucky and had gained much importance among
his friends.

" I have to something very exciting to tell you all," said Kumar. "
When I went in the morning Raju told me that Miss Molly had joined the
circus troupe with her parrots and cockatoos. From today she will be
showing her special ' Parrot Show'. From what I have heard from Raju,
he said that Miss Molly had six parrots and four cockatoos. She had a
specially designed small cute steel handcart, which a pair of cockatoos
will pull by means of the handle with the help of their beautiful red
beaks and two parrots will sit on the cart. Even she had a miniature
steel cycle, which will be driven by her trained parrot. She also has a
small steel canon, she will use some gunpowder and one of the cockatoos
will trigger it, which will create a loud noise. She will present her
show on a big table from where the audience can have a clear view of
this special show. Raju also said that Miss Molly's show is worth
watching."

" Then I will tell my mother to take me to the circus today for I have
not gone once also," said Satish.

" Even I may go today," said Kumar.

The others made sad faces for up till then they had not got a chance to
visit the circus once also. But all of them were sure that very soon
their parents would take them.

By now the rest of the boys had come to the playground to play their
daily football match. Without wasting any time they started off with
their game. After a game they felt very tired and thus stopped playing.
Some of the boys went home, a few of them loitered around while Kumar
and his group of friends made themselves comfortable at one corner of
the ground

" Anything more to tell us," asked Ramesh.

" Yes, today Raju introduced me to Wonder Girl Rani. She was practicing
her horse show. I simply can't imagine how she stands up suddenly on
her horses back. So steady she is! Even her horse Black Beauty is
really beautiful. I had patted her and her body seemed so smooth and
silky."

" Hey Kumar you are really lucky," said one of them.

Kumar pulled up his collars and said, " of course I am. But one thing,
Rani is such a small girl, I think she is smaller than us and yet she
can do this wonderful feat. I am really jealous of her."

" Tell us something more," spoke out someone from the group.

" I saw two clowns. Without their makeup I could not recognise them. It
was only because of Raju, that I was introduced to them. They were
sooooo?. friendly. I really loved them. Any way, today they were busy,
but tomorrow they will spend some time with me. They have promised
me."

By this time, the sun started dipping down into the western sky,
indicating to these boys that it was time for them to leave the field
and make way towards their houses.

Although they did not want to leave the field, yet, half - heartedly
they got up one by one, brushed off the dirt from their shorts and
moved out of the field towards their houses. Before departing Kumar
said, "I will give you all the details tomorrow evening after my usual
regular morning visit. So, bye for today."

So saying all the boys left the playground and headed for their
homes.

To be continued????????