Non-Sprout

(sometime around 1990)

She sat there in the sand, with her bright yellow plastic bucket. She saw him play cricket with his nephews in a distance. She waited for him to come and make sand castles with her, but he never came. She filled the bucket over and over again, waiting and watching. She didn't want to give up, because everyone said that she should try and try till she succeeds. The sun began to set. The game was over. It was time to return home. He came and told her to get up and gather the spade and the bucket. He was laughing and joking with her cousins, in their native language, which she did not understand. She would learn someday, so that she could laugh and joke with him too.
She tagged along, sad - that she failed again, but there's always tomorrow, she said in her mind, as she tried to keep up with them.

The next day, she woke up early, but he was already gone. She waited impatiently for him to return, running to the door, everytime she heard the gate. He returned with her cousins. He only wished her and went in, ate lunch, and went out with her cousins again. Her cousins were about her age, she wondered why he never spoke to her like he spoke to them. But she would spend time with him in the evening. Come evening and she tagged along with him to the beach. Once again he left her in the sand, with the bright yellow bucket and her red spade. He played all evening, and like every other day, the sun set, and they went home.

The pattern repeated everyday, until her vacation was over. She went back to the city, to education, to life on the fast track. On a normal day, he would be too busy to spend time with her. But she wanted to spend time with him, to talk to him, to get to know him better - and she wouldn't give up.
She studied hard, so that she would be an achiever, maybe that way, she could get his attention. While others wasted their time with immature games and fun, she studied, and yes, he was impressed, but for a short while. Then it was gone again. It was Sunday again, and he would go to meet her cousins. She begged him to take her along, but he wouldn't hear of it. She tried to throw a tantrum, but it didn't work. It never worked.
The year passed by, the results were out and like every other year, she got the highest in the family. He was happy for her, or so it seemed. They visited their native place, and the story on the beach remained the same. So after he played a few games of cards with her cousins, she went upto him and asked him to play with her, but he said he was tired. She understood. There's always tomorrow. She would try again, but still, she cried, quietly at night.
The next day, her cousins came over again. They were playing badminton. She wanted to play too! She watched in awe, as he never missed a single shot. Finally, her cousin grew tired. Yes!! Now's my chance! She ran up to him and asked if she could have his racket.

She wanted to play, but when she came, he handed the racket over to her cousin and said he was tired. He left. She was heart broken.

But she wouldn't give up! There's always tomorrow, she thought, and yet, she cried at night, when she was alone....