Mirror

(PART-I)

 She had just come home from school"Mummy, I need a new uniform," said Rani, inspecting herself  and was preparing to change.

"Hmmmm," her mother peered over her glasses to look at her, and then returned to her needlework.
"Actually, it is worn out at the pleats, and getting a bit small for me too."

"OK, then let Saturday come and your Papa will get new fabric for you."
A twinkle shone in Rani's eyes and she smiled happily. "Promise Mummy?"
"Oh yes, dear! Now go and change into something more comfortable, and I shall give you some food."  Saying so, her mother gathered up her needlework and went into the kitchen.
Rani too quickly changed and got ready to have her lunch.
"Mummy, can I have a new blouse to match too?" asked Rani, munching on a mouthful.
"Yes, I guess that will be necessary" replied her Mother.
"Oh great! I just can't wait for Saturday to come," gushed out Rani.
"But today is only Monday..." Mother smiled as she carried the plates back to the kitchen.
That night after dinner, Rani smiled happily in anticipation, as she lay in bed visualizing her new dress. "I would get it perfect just below the knees, as is written in the School Manual, and the most perfect set of 6 box pleats," she thought. She wondered what the new dress would feel like on her, and her imagination made her smile even more radiantly. She slowly fell asleep, and in her dreams, she was trying on her lovely new uniform, and it really felt good as she proudly strutted around in her class, while the entire class watched in awe; inclusive of her class monitor Rinni, (whom she secretly admired for the way she dressed and carried herself) looked a bit jealous of her!
Rani was fast asleep and was wandering in her dreamland when the doorbell rang. It was already past 10:00 pm in the night, and Mother and Father both looked weary as they greeted each other.
"Has Rani gone to bed?" asked Father, taking off his shoes.
"Yes, she is already asleep."
"Good," muttered Father as he got ready for dinner.
"How was the day?" asked Mother as she started serving the food.
"It was fine... "
A dog howled somewhere out in the night, and the guard gave a sharp whistle as he walked by on his rounds.
"Did you get your salary?" asked Mother, as Father finished dinner.
"Yes..." he paused. "But I had to use most of it for paying the loan installments..." his voice trailed off as he saw his wife staring at him. "Anyway, it will be enough for the month," he attempted a feeble smile. A train rumbled by, piercing the night with its thundering noise, but they had long become accustomed to the sounds to notice it any more.
"Rani was saying she needs a new uniform, and she is right too..." she paused as she looked at the clothes he had just piled on the back of a chair. "That reminds me, you too need a new pair of trousers. This pair is worn a bit too much."
"Hmmm...don't worry about it. Let Saturday come," he said as he got up, had a peek at his sleeping daughter, and smiled at the sight of his daughter smiling in her sleep.
"Don't worry, I will do something about it on Saturday," he said, settling into bed, before turning over and going off to sleep.
He was gone when Rani woke up next morning. Her mother was cooking breakfast for her.
"Mummy, has Papa gone already?"
"Yes dear, he left for work an hour earlier. And now, you too get ready for school, else you will miss the bus!"
"Yes Mummy..." replied Rani, as she ran off to get ready.
That week passed slowly, and Rani watched the girls in her class, and the way their uniforms looked on them, trying to make a mental picture of what all she must make sure to get done on her own new one. She had no doubt at all that her new uniform would look the best one in her class when she got it finally.

 
(Part-II) 

"Mummy!" Rani ran up to her mother on Saturday morning. She smiled to see her father talking to her mother. "Papa!" She smiled happily, running into her father's arms. After all, she was seeing her father after a full week!
"Mummy...did you tell Papa about the new uniform I need?" asked Rani hopefully.
Her mother looked at her father silently.
"Yes Rani, she told me about it and we will get it tomorrow," he replied.
"Why not today?" Rani despaired. "When will we give it to the tailor then? I wanted it as soon as possible, because I really need it!"
"Rani, please be patient. We will go to the market tomorrow and you can have what you want," said her mother.
"OK," a sudden sense of maturity wafted into Rani's eyes as she replied.
Sunday morning came and Rani spent the day in anticipation, and was happy when her father told her to get ready to go to the market.
"Bye Mummy!" waved Rani as she left home with her father. Together they walked to the bus stop, she talking excitedly to her father about so much that had happened at her school in the past week. The bus soon came, a bit rickety, a whole lot crowded, but her father somehow managed to get a seat for her. The ticket-collector was a shaggy fellow, barely out of his teens, hustling around in the crowd, yelling his transactions to the passengers, handing out tickets to some, shouting for change at others. The bus moved past the trees and the wide expanses of the suburbs, fast approaching the center of the city. Soon they came to the Central Market, the best market in town. The market was a wide range of big shops, brand names, and also included smaller shops, and of course the roadside vendors. Holding on to her father's hand, Rani followed him deeper into the market, dodging a stray dog here, skipping over a banana peel there. The lanes were narrow enough, and encroachments and roadside vendors contributed their bit to further narrow it more.
"This is the shop." Hearing her father's observation, Rani stopped short in front of a big shop. This was one of the few times that she was accompanying her father to buy a dress for herself, else her parents always bought her clothes for her, while she stayed back at home. Though this had led to many tantrums concerning color and fabric, this was the way it always had been through all the sixteen years of her life.
"Yes sir, how can I help you?" asked the sales-person as they seated themselves on the customer bench in the shop.
"Please show us some fabric for a school uniform, the royal blue color."
"Yes sir, just a moment."
The salesman returned with at least five varieties of the desired fabric.
"This is the one!" Rani quickly pointed out the perfect shade of the uniform. Her school authorities were pretty strict about the uniform shade and style, so it had to be the perfect shade only. This was after all the only reason that today Rani was in the market for her shopping!
"Is there any better quality than this one?" asked her father as he fingered the fabric.
"Sir, this quality is mostly sold for uniforms. But since you ask, there is another quality than this one, but it is double the price of this one. Would you like to anyway see it?"
"Sure... please do show it."
"But Papa, this one is perfectly right!" Rani nudged her father gently. "Why should we take a more expensive one?"
"Hush... let us see first," her father silenced her gently as the salesman returned with the fabric.
"Hmmmm... what's the price for this one?
"But Papa, this is anyway too tough and thick! I like the other one better," Rani protested, but soon fell silent as her father engaged into a lengthy bargain with the salesman. But the prices were fixed anyway, so that was it,the price was exactly double the other fabric.
"What if we buy the material for two dresses?" her father started a new bargain.
"But, Papa! I have only one year left in school, I don't need two new ones!" Rani protested a bit more loudly this time.
"Shhh, Rani... you don't understand anything," her father replied, and then proceeded with his bargaining. Finally the salesman reduced a minimal amount on the purchase of the fabric for two dresses.
"Papa, let's buy the other fabric only, and you can buy material for a pair of trousers for yourself!" Rani persisted.
"No dear, don't worry about me, just tell me if the shade is fine with you?"
"Yes, shade is fine," she mumbled, and then a bit louder, "but the fabric is so tough and stiff for me!"
"Tough fabric would mean it would last longer dear," her father replied, and proceeded to make the purchase. Rani and her father came out of the shop, he happy with his bargain, she confused about what the fabric would feel like. It was so stiff!
"Papa, now do we go to the tailor next?" asked Rani, finally accepting the purchase in her mind.
"Well, your mother was saying she would stitch it for you."
"Huh?" His reply had startled her. "But she doesn't know how to stitch my uniform!"
"She will manage. She has been stitching your frocks till now, hasn't she?" retorted her father, as he tugged her along across the crowded lanes back to the bus stop.
"But Papa, I am not sure! Can't we get it done by a tailor this time?" despaired Rani.
"Dear, he will charge at least Rs 60 for that! We can save that if your mother stitches it," her father replied.
Rani was almost close to tears, because she started getting an idea of what was going to follow. It had happened so many times earlier, but she did not want it to happen this time at least!
"Anyway, we will go to the tailor if your Mummy says she can't do it," he closed the conversation at this note.
"But that will mean a week long wait again till next Saturday," mumbled Rani as she turned her face to watch outside the window. She was fighting tears and did not want to face him. He took the seat beside her and proceeded to buy the tickets and then settled down comfortably for the journey back home. 

(Part-III) 

"Mummy, are you sure you will be able to do this?" asked Rani for the umpteenth time.
"Yes, I should be able to do so, after seeing your old uniform. And you can help with the rest," Mother replied as she peered into her glasses awkwardly. They were the wrong number, and she had to perch them at an uncomfortable angle to be able to focus properly.
Together they worked out the figures, the measurements and the cutting style of the uniform. The uniform was a pleated skirt attached to an upper pinafore, such that the dress was open only at the front in a wide V-Shape right from the shoulders up to the waist of the dress. There were to be a total of twelve box pleats, six on front and six behind.
"Did you measure the waist?"
"Yes, Mummy."
"OK, then we will add 4 inches to it."
"Why Mummy?"
"You are a growing child my dear!" replied her mother, "A loose waist will be more comfortable. And if you gain a bit of weight, it would accommodate you!"
"But it will be so uncomfortable!"
"Well, you don't need it to be fit on the waist anyway. The upper portion is there after all to hold your dress."
"But..."
"Now dear, measure the upper portion too."
"Yes, Mummy, done it."
"Now we will add 4 inches to that too."
"Why? It will reach below my waist then!" protested Rani.
"You are a growing child. Within a few months, you will gain some height, then it will fit you perfectly. Else we will have to get you a new dress again."
"But Mummy, if it will not fit me now, what's the use! I am 17 already, and I haven't really gained a lot of height the last year itself!" protested Rani.
"Oh, that doesn't mean you wouldn't grow dear!" She continued with the work, scoffing at the protests. "Anyway, let me cut it a bit big size, and then we can stitch the extra in, so that there is scope for loosening it a bit later. OK?"
"OK," mumbled Rani, she could not do much anyway.
"Now let me measure the length of the skirt."
"But Mummy, that is reaching my ankles almost!"
"Don't worry dear, if I cut it short, it will get spoilt, if it is long, you can always hem it in."
This time Rani did not protest much. This was easy, she could hem it up right to her knees, as was in the dress code of her school.
"Now the arm length for your blouse dear?"
"Half sleeves Mummy!"
"Full sleeves will keep you more comfortable, and will keep your skin from getting tanned too!"
"I get pulled up so frequently during inspection, because of long sleeves! They are not in the dress code!" wailed Rani desperately.
"Nobody will kill you for wearing full sleeves! You can fold them anyway," retorted her mother.
The measurements done, Rani left her mother to finish off the rest. She did not want to stay there with her any more in any case. Nobody was listening to her anyway.
"Rani!"
"Yes, Mummy?"
"Just try this on?"
Rani ran up excitedly to her mother. The "rough draft" of the uniform was stitched, and the final shape was to be given, so a rough fit was required.
Her excitement soon gave way to frustration as she looked down upon the cloth hanging on her, the waist of the dress reaching well below her waist, and her skirt reaching right up to her ankles. The shoulders too looked a bit wide to her.
"It looks fine, I will finish it up now " her mother commented, as she scrutinized her handiwork.
"It doesn't look fine to me. You promised you would stitch the extra size inside?"
"Dear, that would lead to color change after the frequent washings, so it would not look good if I open up the seams later on, so it is best this way itself. It will anyway fit you in another 4 months time!"
"Do whatever you want to do," blurted out Rani, as she stomped away, angry and very frustrated.
The next day Rani woke up and started getting ready for school.
"Rani, wear your new dress today, here it is!"
Rani looked expectantly at the new dress in her mother's hands, hoping a childish hope that at night it would have set everything right, and she would have the perfect dress after all! But no, night did not do any miracle after all.
"Mummy, this is not ironed yet!"
"I did iron it dear. It's new, that's why it is a bit fluffy."
"But Mummy, the pleats are not even visible! The ironing should set the pleats at least! I will do it myself I think."
"I did the ironing, but did it a bit on the less hot side. You see dear, there is lots of fabric hemmed in, and if it is ironed too heavily, it will cut the fabric, so that the length can't be increased later!"
"Mummy, I think I will wear my old dress today," mumbled Rani.
"No Rani, this new dress will look great on you. See I stitched it so neatly, no tailor could stitch it so neatly!"
So Rani forcibly wore her new uniform to school.
"Bye, Rani," waved her mother as she left home.
"Nice work you have done," Rani's father commented, he was a bit late for office today, and still at home.
"Yes, the tailor would have charged so much for such a small work. And he would have saved most of the fabric for himself, and given a tight-fitting dress which would get too small in a couple of months itself!"
"Hmm... now you can stitch the second dress too, in the same size."
"By the way, why didn't you get the trousers for yourself?"
"I wanted to buy the best fabric for my darling daughter, and that didn't leave me any money to buy the trousers for myself," he smiled at the sight of his daughter's receding figure. "But don't worry, I will get it next month."
"These children never appreciate the sacrifices that parents do for them," Mother said as she started laying out breakfast for Father.
"Yes, we love her so much, and she keeps throwing tantrums all the time," Father said as he started eating. "I am sure she will appreciate it one day though," he smiled at his wife.
Meanwhile, Rani shuffled her way to the bus stop. She picked up her dress awkwardly to step across the railway tracks. It felt heavy, the extra material hemmed in adding to the weight of the thick fabric. Crossing over to the road, she paused by the roadside. There was not much traffic on that road, and there was nobody at all at this early hour. She put her bag down under a tree, and rolled up her sleeves, as neatly as possible, to the desired half sleeve length. Next she hunted out a safety pin from her bag, and tightened up her waist. Almost two pleats disappeared from the skirt into the folds. It didn't matter much though, because there were no pleats marked out after all. They were visible only at the point where the skirt was pleated into the waist. She had to lift the skirt up a bit to rest on her waist, but that slouched the top part, so that it loosely opened in the front like flaps. She adjusted her tie, hoping it would somehow cover up the loose fit. Then she picked up her bag and set off on her way. Her skirt loosely flapped around her legs, just above her ankles. Her shoulders felt a bit uneasy.

At the bus stop, she met other girls of her school. They looked at her, but Rani did not have the courage to look back at them, afraid of the comments that might come. The bus came to the stop, and the girls queued up to get aboard. She watched Rinni as she moved up ahead of her. Her skirt swayed elegantly around her knees as she walked up to the bus. Her form looked beautiful, her skirt flaring out from a perfectly fitting waist. Her hair was neatly tied up in two braids, held by pretty red ribbons. She was really smart, and so feminine too, Rani thought, as she followed Rinni into the bus. She almost tripped a step, as her dress moved stiffly around her. She took the last seat in the bus, and sat quietly all alone. Tears stung her eyes, and she ran her hand through her hair in an attempt to wipe the tears secretly. The oil in her short hair made her hand greasy and she drew it back. The bus moved, and she adjusted herself silently, for the threatening menace called School, dreading every second that brought her closer to it, fighting tears, frustration, anger, and helplessness in her heart. Suddenly, she appeared to be very old, her shoulders stooped with hopelessness, her head low with her lowered self esteem. Her eyes appeared to have sunk into the hollows highlighting her cheekbones all the more. She closed her eyes and, taking a deep breath, mustered all the courage she could, hating each passing second, and waiting uneasily for the bus to reach school.