The night air was cool. A light breeze was sneaking between the branches of the mango trees in the grove. A rhythmic hum could be heard from the ground, growing slightly louder as the seconds passed by.
The lone man on guard woke up from his stupor with a start. He put his ear to the ground and observed. His brain awoke fully as he realized what that meant. They were coming this way and they were close. Probably a couple of furlongs away. He checked around himself instinctively. Everything was in place as they had carefully planned. The weathered tarpaulin sheet bought for a small fortune had kept them safe on all these journeys through the tough years. His partner, his brother was sleeping underneath it now, along with the fruits of their hard work for the past half-year, gunny bags filled with groundnuts just ripe enough to cause anyone's mouth to water; and heaps of dried plants bearing bright red chillies. This season's bounty was sure to bring them enough rice and pulses to both sell to their neighbours, and also last their own families a whole year. Maybe they will make a bigger profit than the previous two years. Maybe he can finally afford the piece of land he had set his eyes on a few years back. Everything would depend on how smoothly the barter would take place. This year it was rumoured that the village chieftain was arranging for the barter to take place at a new clearing far away from the village, to escape the claws and taxes of the taluk officer and his vigilant peon. If all went well, the choicest produce would make its way to the new venue.
He stopped the train of this thought. He was getting ahead of himself. Right now, he had to make sure they were safe. He double checked the view from the other side of the bushes. The tarpaulin made for effective camouflage especially in the night light. And the bend in the road should give them added advantage, for the bandits would focus more on where they were going rather than their surroundings. He went back to his safe place beside his bullocks, which were in a deep slumber after the long ride of two and a half days. He took a swig of the remaining ragi malt from the huge can, their food for the onward journey that was going to end tomorrow. Maybe he will splurge on some delicacy at the old lady's sweet shop for the journey back and the kids at home. His boy was just beginning to walk and was putting every thing in the way into his mouth. How he missed him! He laid back in wait as the sounds of the hoofs passed by. For a second, his breath caught in his chest; as the bandits went farther, he released his breath slowly into the night air and wiped from his forehead, the beads of sweat that he didn't know had formed. He relaxed on the ground, put a hand behind his neck and stared into the lightening sky. A few years more, and he would end this way of life, and settle down, farming in the plot of land he would buy. He would get his boy an education, so that he wouldn't have to lead a life like his or his ancestors. He would nurture him so that he would make him proud one day. Smiling, he slipped slowly back into a light sleep.
That man saved enough through his hard work, to give his son a great education and his grandchildren, a great start in life. He continued to work hard throughout his life nevertheless, and instilled the same values into his family members by example. A son who was devoted to him, daughters who loved him, a daughter-in-law who respected him, peers who were jealous of his 'good fortune' and a village which would remember his name for a long time to come. In spite of his age and stoic appearance, he was always filled with caprice. His teasing nature used to make his granddaughter dread his visits, but she now wishes only that she had known him longer. The visionary who knew the far reaching benefits of education, the peace that emerges from staying free of temptation, the significance of a healthy father-son relationship, the importance of saving today's earnings for tomorrow's unexpected events, and had made it possible for our family to lead comfortable lives. My grandfather.
