Sweety The Goat

Arya could hear the rain pattering on the tiled barn roof. Monsoon in Mumbai hadn't changed in the ten years since she left Raigad. Her family had moved to Raigad - a farming village for job-related reasons. She had hated the mud roads, lack of modern amenities, but most of all, she had missed her life in Mumbai. Even though four hours away, it felt worlds away. Her only escape was to the world of books with spicy chaat from her next-door neighbour to this barn. That had changed when she had met Sweety the goat and Ramu - goatherd, her only friends. Until that fateful night which weighed on her every day.

The fresh rain scent brought back memories that she had buried ten years ago. That one act of recklessness which never let go of her. Will she get redemption today?

She wondered if she had wasted a trip when she could be busy shopping for her wedding. Her parents had found a groom for her - after years of avoiding marriage, she had finally given in and said yes to the first guy they had chosen for her. She had asked for a trip to Mumbai before getting hitched for a lifetime, and her parents had agreed. For them, twenty-two was the right age to get married. She wanted closure before living her life - she wanted to be free and atone.

She remembered meeting Ramu in the barn with his goats sheltering from the rain, much like today. She had instantly connected with Ramu and his favourite goat - Sweety, as they had not judged her from where she was and accepted her for what she was. She would stop by the barn and visit Sweety and Ramu on her way to the home. Ramu would constantly advise her to stay clear of the cliffs at the edge of the barn. One slip of your foot and you will be dead - he used to say.

Ramu's wife had died similarly last year. She had been still breathing when they had found her - he had to sell most of his goats except a couple to pay for the hospital bills. In the end, she died. Now all he had was Sweety, a few more goats, and his daughter, the apple of his eye. Sweety and the other goats were his only means of livelihood.

Arya and Sweety bonded like best friends. Sweety would always come into the barn if she knew Arya was around to beg for treats. Arya always had something for her in her pockets. One day she remembered Ramu telling her not to give Sweety chocolates. And when she had asked why - Ramu had smiled and said, 'She is becoming fat - and any more chocolate might kill her.' Arya took that to heart because she knew how vital Sweety was for Ramu. So, when Sweety grabbed a bag of chocolates from her hand - Arya chased her to the cliff meaning to get the bag back.

And to her horror, Sweety had jumped off the cliff. Arya was terrified of going anywhere close to the cliff, and she ran back home convinced that she had killed Sweety. The entire night she tossed and turned, not knowing if she should have told Ramu or worrying about Sweety. The next day she had stopped at the barn, inched bravely towards the cliff and gave a silent scream as she saw Sweety lying a few rocks below in a pool of blood and four little kids bleating around her. Arya remembered throwing up and sitting next to the tree, not knowing what to do. In the end, she wrote a note to Ramu saying how sorry she was for killing Sweety, and she was leaving all of her pocket money for him and his daughter. She created a little mound of the hill and stuck the note in there with cash.

With that, she ran home crying. Her mom tried to ask her what happened but could get nothing out of her - so she gave up. Her dad had been promoted to a foreign posting to Boston. And they were leaving Raigad in a couple of days. Ramu tried to see her, but Arya ran away whenever she heard his voice. There were a few more occasions when Ramu almost caught her, but Arya did not dare to see him. The last she saw of him was at the train station as she was leaving Raigad. He had a couple of goat kids with him. And then Arya promised herself she would come back and face Ramu and Sweety one last time. And the time was now.

She jumped down from the hay and walked determinedly towards the cliff. She refused to think in case she talked herself out of it. And to her surprise, she saw a tomb made of granite where her small mound of the hill had been. She ran to the grave and on it was written - 'For Sweety who did not die here'. She did not know what to make of it when she heard a familiar voice behind her, 'It took you ten years to come back. if only you had let me speak to you once before you left.' She turned back to find Ramu - a little frailer than when she had last seen him. And behind him was Sweety limping but alive and happy. She limped over to her and nosed her for treats. Arya broke down in tears as she hugged Sweety.

Ramu patted her on the head as he explained, 'You did not kill Sweety. Goats jump off these cliffs all the time. They are sure-footed. She was pregnant, that is why I told you not to feed chocolates. If you hadn't left the note on your tiny grave - I would not have found out that she had given birth, and the fox would have eaten her and the kids. So, thanks to you, Sweety and her kids and grandkids are alive.'

Sweety wiped her tears away - feeling the weight of the ten years of guilt wash away as she watched Sweety chew on Cadbury's chocolate.