The Treasure Hunt

 -----------The Treasure Hunt ------ 

Bindu was walking around in the parking lot which was almost empty now. Mira was sitting on the ground, yawning. The cold tiles of the parking lot were still more comfortable than the rough floor of their huts. It was 3 in the morning. they were waiting for that last car to leave. 

Bindu would stop every two minutes and look at her cheap old watch.  

“When the hell will they leave?” she murmured. 

“I thought these parties always end late. Are you in a hurry?” Mira asked her. She was new in Ramrath and had just taken over her mother Meena's job. It was her first duty with Bindu.  

Bindu just looked at her. she didn't say anything. She wasn't wrong. the parties usually ended late. But today, Bindu didn't want to wait.

“If it's important you can leave didi. I'll manage.” 

Bindu stared at her as if she had said something very bad.  

“no. I am fine.” she roughly replied.  

She’s cunning. Bindu immediately passed the judgment. But lucky. She got the slot for this party in her first draw. Bindu waited for months to get a slot as good as this. 

Bindu had been working in Ramrath for 5 years now. one of the longest employees if she could be called one. Ramrath was the largest and one of the most expensive resorts in Sikla. It was a holiday destination for the 'Rich'. A survival arena for others. Many parties and weddings took place there every week. After working there for 5 years, Bindu could tell who were the rich ones and who were mannered, just by looking at them.  

she looked at Mira, dozing off.  

At 3:15 a chauffeur in a white uniform came and rushed into the party hall. 

Bindu sighed. it was time.  

In about 5 minutes he came out, carrying a guy on his back, totally wasted. Two guys were walking behind him. stumbling, talking some rubbish, very loudly. The chauffeur threw the unconscious man in the car. His friends were not in their right mind to see this ill behaviour and remember it the next day. They all stuffed themselves in the back seat. The last car finally left.  

“Bindu!”, She heard Manohar's voice. He was the watchman of that wing.  

“you two can go now,” he informed them. Mira stood up, tossing off her long dusty frock. 

“Be quick, the decorators will arrive in a couple of hours. it’s a minister's party tomorrow.” Manohar found it necessary to show off his authority in front of the new girl. Mira nodded and went ahead. Manohar looked at Mira with greedy eyes. 

“Bastard, she's your daughter's age.” He grinned shamelessly at Bindu's disgusted remark. She took long steps and followed Mira to the Party Hall.  

Entering the hall, their eyes got blurred for a second. Three huge halogen bulbs were on their faces. The decorative lights were already turned off. The hall was messy but still beautiful. The walls were covered in heavy purple and black curtains. There were many vases placed in every corner filled with white lilies. Juna was winding up the bar. He gave them a little smile as they entered and then got busy at his work again. 

Mira was mesmerized. The party was over and most of the arrangements were messed up, but she could imagine. It must have looked so pretty when it started. she looked at the beautiful huge chandeliers over her head. They looked like the ones she had seen in movies. The movies set in palaces, with princes and princesses. 

“Listen, girl. don’t waste time. Let's get to work. we have two hours only.” Bindu snapped her fingers in front of Mira. Bringing her out of her dreams. 

“yes didi.” she nodded. 

“let's clean the dining table first. By then, Juna will be done with the bar. You'll clean it and I'll cover the platform and the sitting area.” Bindu instructed her, trying to sound as intimidating as possible.  

“okay didi.” Mira obediently replied. Bindu looked at her in surprise. Mira was new but her mother must have taught her something. How could she agree to work separately so easily? Bindu let out a sigh of relief. the odds were with her today. it was her day. Bindu was so sure of it. For the whole month, she got stuck with the usual work. cleaning the playground, mopping the corridors all day where the rich walked around with their filthy shoes. Every Sunday evening, the cleaning crew would meet at the tea stall, and draw chits to decide who would be in charge of cleaning the party halls. Several teams of two would get assigned for the parties, based on their luck. For more than a month, Bindu's luck sucked, as it sucked most of the time. But this Sunday she actually got a slot. That too of a huge party. The host was a famous actor, the invitees were all rich. Bindu could tell. and the icing on the cake was the open bar. It was a great slot.  

These parties were like a treasure hunt for them. while cleaning they would look for something that can change their lives, or at least make it a little better for a while. The rich didn't care for the little things they left or dropped at these parties while dancing, drinking, living their lives. Bindu was sure they didn't even notice something was missing. Those were just ‘things’ for the rich. A watch, a ring, a bracelet, a little piece of jewellery. They were not just 'things' for them. They would clean every bit, every corner of that hall, flipping over the carpet, moving every chair, to look for something, while keeping an eye on their partner, sticking close to them, so they don't swallow the treasure alone if they found it.  

It wasn't always like this, but after some instances, everyone started fighting for the duty in the party halls. There was a chance of finding the treasure everywhere. but the party halls definitely had more odds of having it.  

  After that draw, everything had worked in her favour. Sonu, her son, got accepted into a special needs school in the city. It was a big school with a giant gate and many floors. Bindu had been trying to get him into it for a long time. Her daughter, Seema, got a very good marriage proposal. Bindu was happiest this week. It was her week. Today, when she left her hut for work. Sonu smiled at her. He didn't do that a lot. Bindu was not that dense to not understand the signs. 

 They cleaned the dining table. The crockeries were already sent to get cleaned. They removed the beautiful white covers from the chairs and the pretty flowery tablecloth. They Wiped the tables clean and stacked all the chairs and tables aside. The decorators would set them all again according to the theme of the party. 

How extra! Bindu thought. They collected all the dirty napkins from the floor. No luck so far. But Bindu was not disheartened yet. She would find something on the platform. Those rich drunkards dance there like crazy. She would definitely find something stuck on the carpet.  

Juna had already left after winding up the bar. The counter and the floor were all sticky. Bindu left Mira to clean the bar and went to the platform. Mira still didn’t oppose her.  

Bindu cleaned the platform carpet. There was trash everywhere. The confetti and glitter were stuck to the pretty red carpet. Bindu scrapped every bit of them, hoping one of those sparkling dots was a piece of jewellery.  

Nothing!   

“Didi. What do you do with these?” Mira’s voice made her jump, as if she'd been caught red handed.  

“You got scared?” Mira laughed. She was holding one of the vases. 

“Why are you doing that? Do what I asked you to do.” Bindu scolded her. 

“I am done with the bar. Do you want me to help you with the platform?” 

Bindu was trying to not look at her.  

Why am I feeling guilty ?I haven’t even found anything yet. 

“What should I do next? The sitting area?” Mira asked her. 

“No. you clean the platform. I’ll get the sitting area done.” Bindu got down the platform and took the vase from Mira’s hand. 

She was now setting aside all the chairs, spread everywhere in the hall. After stacking all the chairs in a corner. She started sweeping the floor. Two years back, she had found a watch. She had to share it with her partner. They didn’t get much out of it though. It was an expensive watch but they found out it was actually very expensive, only after selling it. 

It could have been still a good deal if she didn't have to share the money in half. Bindu often thought. But if her partner had found something, Bindu would have wanted her to share it too. 

She was being very careful while sweeping. She didn’t want to miss anything. 

What if I find a diamond. Like a ring, or an earring or something. How much does a piece of diamond cost? Gold would work too. Bindu thought.  

Bindu was done sweeping half the floor. She needed to move the vases to continue sweeping.  

She’ll find something. She was certain. It was her lucky week. Bindu tried to toss out the negative thoughts from her mind. 

“What do I do now?” Mira was there again.  

“Nothing.” Bindu started to move the vases. 

“They are so pretty.” Mira touched the flowers. They were actually pretty. she looked at Mira. Bindu used to take flowers from there a lot, for Seema. She liked them too. She would make headbands, wristbands and garlands from them.  

Bindu removed a bunch of flowers from the vase and handed them to Mira, 

“You can have them.” 

“Really?” Her eyes sparkled.  

“Ya.why not? they go in the trash anyway.” Bindu started sweeping again.  

“Thank you.” Mira smiled happily. “Do you want some help?”  

“No. You go check if everything is clean. I am almost done.” Bindu just wanted her to stay away from her. She was almost done with the sweeping. Her treasure had to be there.  

“Okay. I’ll go check.” Her obedience was making Bindu more guilty.  

I need it more. I have a disabled kid. A daughter I’ll be marrying off soon. I need it more.  

She looked at Mira. She was checking the carpets.  

I’ll buy her something. Some tea.  Bindu kept sweeping the floor.  

Nothing.  

There must be something. She couldn’t accept it that after all the signs she had been getting all week, she wouldn’t find something, anything. 

She swept the floor again. She checked the chairs, the carpets and the tables again. She fluttered the tablecloth and the chair covers in the air. 

Nothing.  

It was five in the morning. Bindu sat on the platform, tired.  

“Are we done now?” Mira sat beside her, smiling.  

“Yes,” Bindu replied in a very weak voice. 

“Did I work well?” She was asking her. Bindu looked at her. 

“Didn’t your mother give you any tips?” 

“About what?’ Mira was smelling the flowers Bindu had given her. 

“About this. Work tips. You won’t survive long here. You need to be a little smarter, tactful. It’s not an easy world to live in.”  

Bindu was trying to pass some wisdom to her. 

“If I had found something valuable here, I wouldn’t have shared it with you. No one does.” Bindu confessed, guiltily. “Anyone can deceive you.”  

Mira looked at her with an obscure smile.  

“You look tired.” She got up. “Let’s go have some tea. My treat!” 

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