Two chocolates

"Two chocolates, uncle!"

A hand holding a tattered rupee note appeared from the other side of the counter.

Baniya ji (Baniya: A grocer. In the wake of shopping malls and their patrons, this species may soon join the league of dinosaurs and dodos.) walked out slowly and pulled out the bottle containing small round chocolates. The chocolates were unwrapped and had bright colours. Baniya ji began opening the lid which creaked with every turn. He pulled out two chocolates which looked particularly tiny in his huge hand.

"No! I want the yellow ones."

Baniya ji frowned and dug his hand deeper. He placed one yellow and one blue chocolate on the pale wooden counter.

"One more yellow chocolate, Baniya ji."

"You kids are pampered for choice! We never had chocolates in our times. Take them yourself." Baniya ji almost banged the bottle and went back to the chair where he had been sitting and flipped open the newspaper.

A tiny hand dug deep into the bottle. There was hardly any room but the little boy continued hunting for the chocolate he wanted. He pulled out one. The blue chocolate did not seem to impress him and he went for another chocolate.

Baniya ji did not even notice the boy jumping out of his shop - triumphant to have found two yellow chocolates - just the way he wanted them.

Some things that mean nothing to you could mean the world to someone else. Respect the differences.