Jyoti didi and Jiju came to drop me off at the hostel. They were my local guardians.
Two other girls were already occupying the hostel room that was allotted to me.
I got inside the hostel room with my beddings and luggage.
My mother packed me a half-litre pressure cooker, a small frying pan, a kerosene stove, a jug, a mug, a glass, a bucket, an eating plate, a bowl, a sleeping mat, a handmade fan, a torch, matchsticks, candles, and all the basic needs of a person.
She gave me these things as if I was going to start a new life somewhere forever.
When my mother packed this stuff, I asked her thousands of times not to load me with so much. But it was no use. She didn't listen to me at all.
'Maa,' I said, feeling weird. 'I thought these things were available in the hostel.'
However, mother is mother, who will make her understand.
She thinks she is always correct.
Mothers are the most difficult creatures in the world.
'Do you know more than me?' my mother asked me.
I remained silent.
'Who will give you all these things when you need them?'
I had no reply to her questions.
I bowed my head and obeyed her.
When the two girls in my hostel room saw all my things, they raised their eyebrows.
I felt bizarre.
'Didi,' one girl said, 'these things are not needed here.'
'Haan, didi. No need for these things,' another girl added. 'When the hostel authorities know about these things, they will ask you to take them away from here immediately.'
'O, I see,' Jyoti didi said. 'Actually, we didn't know about that.'
I remained silent. I felt ashamed in front of the two girls.
'Okay,' Jyoti didi said.
'Now, what shall we do?' Jiju asked, concerned. 'Shall we take away these things right now?' He was a little puzzled.
'Ah, um… dada,' one girl said while contemplating, 'if you have any problem taking these things, then keep them here for a few days.'
'Okay, fine,' Jiju said.
Jyoti didi, Jiju, and I had a brief introduction with the two girls.
Their names were Mitali and Munmi.
Mitali came from Mangaldoi. Both her parents were teachers, and Munmi came from a rich family in Golaghat. Her father has many big tea gardens.
'Please take care of our Suman,' Jyoti didi said. 'It's her first time in the hostel. She does not know anything. She is new to Guwahati city.'
Jyoti didi told them that they were going to take my whole responsibility.
I was feeling low.
"Don't worry, didi," they said. "We'll take care of her."
"Thank you," Jyoti didi said.
I was not happy with Jyoti didi.
I am not a new baby in Guwahati, I thought to myself.
I have visited Guwahati more than five times in the past. Why should I follow them? I didn't agree with Jyoti didi.
Jiju noticed my weird looks.
"Well," Jiju said, "Suman has visited Guwahati many times, but she is not very aware of the city. So you two befriend her, okay?"
Jiju came forward to my rescue.
I thanked Jiju hundreds of times in my mind.
"Okay, didi, dada, you don't worry," Mitali said, assuring me. "We will take care of her."
Then Jyoti didi and Jiju left my hostel, leaving me with two modern-looking girls.
When Jyoti didi and Jiju left me in the hostel, I felt emotional.
Why did I decide to stay in the hostel rather than at Jyoti didi and Jiju's house? I realized.
My eyes watered while feeling nostalgic.
I bid farewell to Jyoti didi and Jiju from the balcony of my hostel room.