No Place on the Bus

Hamid and Heena come out of the school gates and walk to the bus stop. Their father, who picks them up from school, is in town of the Anantnag. He has gone to the faraway town to get supplies for his fruit shop in the village. So, the twins are going home in the bus today.

‘I hope Bab gets grapes today,’ says Hamid. Many fruits grow in the Kashmir valley but not grapes. They come to Kashmir, in the northern India from Hyderabad, a city in the south of India. Hamid loves the plump, purple grapes but they cost a lot of money. So the twins’ father does not get them every time.

Just then the bus rumbles in. The bus is filled with passengers. The conductor shouts, ‘Get in! Get in!’ Heena hops in. Hamid is about to follow her when the conductor says, ‘No more! I am sorry, Aunty, no place on the bus. You have to come in the next one.’

Hamid turns around. An old lady is behind him. He gets off the bus and says, ‘Wait! Wait! Take Nanyi on the bus. I will walk home.’

Heena shouts, ‘No Hamid! It is a long walk to our village. It is getting dark.’ But the bus starts off leaving Hamid standing on the dusty road.

The old lady smiles at Heena. ‘You have a kind brother,’ she says.

‘Thank you,’ says Heena but she is worrying about her brother. Will he get lost?

When Heena reaches home, she runs inside, shouting, ‘Mouj! Mouj! Hamid did not come on the bus. He gave his place to an old lady. He is walking home. It is nearly dark. Shall we go up the road to meet him?’

Her grandmother came out of the house. She says, ‘But Hamid is inside.’

‘No Nanyi. I left him on the road,’ says Heena.

‘Call him and see. He is inside.’

‘Hamid! Hamid!’ calls Heena.

‘Is that you, Heena?’ And Hamid comes to the door.

‘But…but how are you here? We left you…,’ says Heena.

‘….at the bus stop,’ finishes Hamid. ‘Well, I was walking home, when father came up on his motorcycle. He was on his way back. I sat behind him on the motorcycle. And whoosh! I was home.’

‘Oh, what luck!’ Heena ran into their wooden cottage.

Mouj and Nanyi heard the twins’ story. ‘You are a very good boy!’ says Mouj.

‘You always take care of your grandmother, Hamid. I am so glad that you took care of someone else’s grandmother today,’ says Nanyi.

‘I have two very caring children,’ says Father. ‘Now, who will eat these?’ The twins look up. A bunch of plump, purple grapes is dangling from his hand.

‘I,’ shouts Hamid.

‘And I,’ shouts Heena.