Leg Piece

Varshan always admired his father as any child would do. During his weekend, he used to tag
along with his father to his workplace. Though his father prefers his son’s absence in his
workplace, he couldn’t deny his requests. Sehar works in catering service, a unit takes order in
marriage functions. However, most of his colleagues won’t recognize him including his owner.
Only the chief cook in kitchen and few servers who work along with him know him. But it
doesn’t deny the fact that, Sehar is an extraordinary worker. Though he works as server, he
admires the cooking and spends his free time with chief cook. They share each other’s life
experiences to each other. Since it was a busy day as they were taken an order for a Muslim’s
reception function. Sehar instructed his son Varshan to not along with this time to the Hall. He
told to Varshan that, “I told you, it's not a place for children."

But Varshan already decided and even got permission from his mother. Because being with his
father’s workplace is the only entertainment he got. He doesn’t have much wishes either to ask
his father. He requested his father that, “Maybe I can help in some way.” Sehar couldn’t deny his
request.

Sehar’s life is totally different from the people he daily meets and serve. He has limited costumes
to wear in rare occasions. Most of his pants would be torn near ankle which he wears by folding
the end twice than usual. Likely he was provided uniforms from his company which they deduct
money from his salary. Excluding that he gets 4500 Rupees which is enough to live ordinary life
but questions the possibilities when debts and Varshan’s school fee is added. Since one of his
meals for a day would be provided from the leftovers of last serve in Hall, he was able manage
his expenses as a breadwinner. He Sehar is proud of his son, because he never asks more than he
could grant as a father.

Since it is a marriage of rich Muslim people, the menu was little bigger than usual. Thus Sehar
advised Varshan to stay quiet and do his remaining homework in the Hall. After that Sehar was
given bigger task to serve 15 rows at a time. Biryani is the main dish in the menu along with
mutton curry, chicken 65. Varshan couldn’t just stand outside the dining hall with such tempting
serve. The spicy aroma made his stomach grumble. He decided to sit in one of the row with the
crowd as if he was one of them. Though it wasn’t wise decision to do, he couldn’t resist his
intrusive thought. He never tasted Biryani in his life time, especially with pieces. Sehar used to
bring food to his home that is leftover in marriages where he works. All the servers, cooks and
the catering manager would be provided same. But Sehar may not be given same as his manager
considering their role. The manager would always take more than his needs. He would also take
packs of foods to his family and friends.

Varshan doesn’t hesitate to try his attempt to sit in the row. Since it was 4 th round, he thought
people won’t find out as odd. To be honest, he hasn’t thought about any of this at the beginning.
He just wanted the leg piece that he never tasted before. Sehar was not there when his son
planned to eat along with people. Though people didn’t really care who eats in the row, Sehar’s
manager caught him exactly before he got served. He could have just let him eat because nothing
would have change when a single kid eats with everyone. But the manager asked the boy to
come out the seat. His words were harsh enough to hurt a grownup man but Varshan couldn’t
understand the heat of it. He took him backside of the kitchen and called Sehar to the place.

When Sehar reached the place, he noticed that his son is with the manager, later understood the
context. Without hesitation he asked for the forgiveness to manager for the inconveniences
caused by his dear son. Manager is a person who not always holds his tongue, thus let it out in
front of his child and also every other coworkers. He asked Sehar that, “Is this why you bring
your son to hall: to make use of rich people’s wealth”. Varshan was able to realize the mistake he
has done and felt sorry for his cause to his father. Sehar hugged his son humbly and taught him
that he hasn’t done anything wrong and promised that he will get him the biryani. He told that
they would provide the biryani to every worker after all the serves gets over. Sehar took him out
to the hall and asked him to wait for few hours till the works gets over.

Sehar knew that they would not give packet of biryani to all the workers. But he lied to his son
because that’s the only thing he was able to do. In their catering service, the salary to secondary
level servers is very low. Throughout his work, he couldn’t think anything other than how to get
him a pack of biryani. After all the work was done manger gave them packs of veg biryani that
too would not satisfy a single person. He told them that, all the non-veg items were served to
crowd and sent to long relatives of bride side. But the workers know very well that there are
plenty of excesses left over from the serve. Sehar noticed the bag of foods nearby the manager’s
desk. He thought it could be only the bag containing unserved biryani and chicken 65s.
He went straight into the manager to request for exchange. Though he know people like his
manager may not able to understand simple things like this, he felt obligated to satisfy his son’s
wish at that moment. Meanwhile the manager called his wife to inform that he would be bringing
some pack of food for them. He told her to not prepare dinner for that night. Sehar who was
waiting outside the doorstep, went near to manager. With little hesitation, he explained his
situation and requested a pack of biryani for his son. But with more manic attitude the manager
treated Sehar unwelcome. As a father and servant, he could not do anything than walking out of
the room silently.

He planned to buy from outside shops rather than requesting them again and went out without
letting his son know about this. He doesn’t have enough money to buy biryani that time. Thus he
collected some amount from his colleagues. He looked out for any hotels to buy him a pack of
biryani. But unfortunately as it was a night, Sehar could not find any biryani shop. The thought
of fulfilling the promise given to his son echoed inside his heart. There he found a beggar, who
had received a pack of biryani from a car that passed by. The beggar was already given another
packet just before the car passed by. While seeing that, a thought occurred to him, knowing that
it was a disgusting thing for him too. Before the beggar knew it, he started moving closer to him
little by little. His hand doesn’t listen to the voice from his mind and picked it when he was
away. He rushed to the hall to meet his son. He gave that one pack to his son telling that he
brought it from a restaurant. While he was giving it his coworker called him, telling him that
chief cook asked him to meet. So he left his son there and hurried away.

The cook was a close friend to Sehar from the date he joined there. He was always humble to
everyone in the team. He won’t treat anyone based on their position but by their nature.
Especially, he had seen Sehar working overnight in the kitchen even though he was not part of
that team. As Sehar approached the cook, he noticed that the cook is holding something in his
hand. He didn’t want to ask about the thing he held. He slowly inquired about his well-being. He
then said that he and his son were leaving for home. The cook handed him the bag in his hand
and asked him why he left without buying it. Sehar thought that it is better not to tell the cook
about the conversation between him and manager. So he hid the things that happened to the cook
and said that he forgot to buy the pack and had left quickly as he had some important works.
But cook know very well about the things between him and the manager but pretended as if he is
aware of it. He handed over the two pack of rice for him and his son and told him to eat it after
they return back to home. But Sehar already gave his son biryani which he stole outside. He
maintained the secret and accepted the offering. As he return back to his son, he noticed that
Varshan is not carrying anything his hand. So asked his son’ “Where the food packet that he had
given was?” Varshan replied happily about the thing that happened in his absence. After his
father left, Varshan noticed that a little girl was tired and crying near a stone bench. He also
sensed that that girl was extremely hungry and their parents also been in same state. He realized
that the family had no money even to buy food. Thus he went to them and gave his biryani
packet to that child. The father of that girl refused to accept the offering as he thought he
receiving the food which was his meal. But Varshan lied to them that, he has more food and his
father will buy more food if he needs. Though it was great lie, Varshan pretended as if he was
not hungry in front of them. That girl child accepted the packet given by him and rushed to open
it. His father helped her by opening the packet which had biryani and the leg piece which
Varshan never tasted before. Varshan also said to his father that he was satisfied with giving that
leg piece to someone who was hungry.

After hearing to his story, Sehar couldn’t say anything rather than giving him warm hug. He later
told to his son that, he was lucky to get him as son. They both returned back to their home and
Sehar gave his son the packet of veg rice which he got from the cook back in the hall. Varshan
rushed to open the package since he was hungry and found that it is not just a veg rice but a
biryani with leg piece. He thanked his father and started to taste the first bite like he could never
taste it again in life.