The old woman & the trash collector - the end

The old woman did as she had promised giving Reish more money than he had seen in all his years as a garbage collector. "My dear Reish, please do not entertain any ideas about Dadhija, she tolled me before she left that you had grown too fond of her. Dadhija loves my son and will not leave him for anyone. I will call for you when enough time has passed, and should she become heavy with child and the child be born healthy i will fulfill my other promises and more. Please go now, i suggested you find yourself better lodgings and try for a better position, so that when you have been given my other gifts you are ready to find a suitable wife." Reish silently washed his hands and was lead to the door by Naajy. His heart was thick with a liquid pain that was slowly spreading throuh his body, he said goodbye to Naajy promising to call on him with an address as soon as possible. His feet dragged as he walked through the city to his accommodation in a small shanty town. Everyone was surprised o see him as he had been gone so long they had thought him dead. But the landlady's daughter had collected all his things just in case before his bed was given to someone else. It was to late in the day to walk to find other accommodation. But poor heartbroken Reish suddenly remembered he had a grate deal of money in his pockets. It was a good thing he still looked so raggedy and poor, or someone could have easily robbed him. He took an in town bus, and found a room at a cheep hotel where he locked the door and curled up into a ball on the soft clean bed to morn his heart. When morning came Reish felt much better. After all he had enjoyed his time with Dadhija, and now he could look forward to enjoying his future wife. He got out of bed with fresh resolution and had a lovely long shower in his private bathroom, a luxury he had never had in all his life. He dreaded as well as could be managed then went to the busy market. He needed a new home, one fit for a wife, and to get that he would need a new job with a boss to sign off on the lease and to get a job he would need a clean set of new clothes and some English man's shoes. He found a tailor and was soon fixed up in a clean English suit and black shoes, something he could never have afforded had he saved all his money for ten years or more. Then he went to a barber and had a professional shave and a new hair cut, he had done these for himself for so long that the professional cut made him feel as if he owned the world. Self confidence radiated off him. And that was a good thing to or he would never had found a new job with his lack of education. While at the barbers he asked about any job opening he had heard of. The barber just so happened to shave a factory manager every morning and knew that they where looking for a floor man to oversee the workers breaks and take care in case of any accidents. He marched up to the factory bold as bras, after all the worst they could do was say no, and the worst jog he could find was the very one he had been doing for longer than he cared to imagine. Thankful of the barber, he asked for the factory manager by name. The manager was so impressed by Reish's confidence and polite manner he gave him the job on the spot. Reish was given a tour of the factory before signing a six month contract containing the details of all his duties. Reish could not believe his luck, what a morning, to think he had originally said no to the old woman, if she had not persisted, he would never be a floor manager with a sixmonth contract three times his yearly income on top of the cash in his pockets and the chance to have a family. That brought his mind around to the cash in his pocket. He could not be walking arround like this all day. He traveling around town looking for a small apartment he could call home and found one in the business are of the city. It was not the best place for a family, It had three small rooms one for cooking, eating and entertaining, another for sleeping and holding his clothes, and on small bathroom with running water and a toilet. But the landlord was happy to sign it to him strait away so he took it willingly, having the lease contract curried to his new boss. It was returned signed finalized and paid in cash within the hour and he now had a place to call home. He took all his old belonging from his pockets. It was strange to think that odd assortment off combs, oils, and soaps was all he had from his past life. Still he had to much cash in his pocket. He walked through the business district untill he came to a bank where he signed a new account to his house and job and filled it with almost all the cash, leaving enough to buy some furniture and finance himself for the next three months. He went shopping and ordered furniture to be sent to his address, and brought a nice secondhand watch and an alarm clock to keep him on time. He had never had need to watch the time before and so had to get the shop keeper to teach him. He took another bus to the blue house and left his new details with Naajy before heading home happily exhausted for a sleep, tomorrow was his first day at the factory. Over the next four months Riesh worked hard, he learnt on the job and his manager was very impressed. One day Naajy sent a message that he would visit him at home for dinner. Reish had no skill in the kitchen so ordered a lovely meal from a shop near by and greeted his old friend at his front door after work. The two men happily fell to talking catching up on all the gossip like old times. Naajy was curious to know what had happened to his once sad and ragged friend over the last few months. To see Reish now you would not be looking at the same man, his skin had lightened from being out of the sun, his thin form had swelled well with nourishing food and kinder work, he looked more hansom than ever before, and lighter like the weight of desperation had flown from his shoulders. Reish was keen to know of the old woman and her daughter in-law Dadhija. Naajy reported that just as the old woman had hoped Dadhija was now four months pregnant and her husband was non the wiser to what had brought it on. The old woman was failing faster now and all where worried she would go before the baby came. That brought Naajy to the reason of his visit. He handed Reish a business card. "This man is a tutor, my mistress will be paying him to teach you to read and write as well as mathematics, English and some business and economics. He will arrive after you finish work each day to take your lessons, i have been instructed to tell you to pay him nothing while he is in your service, and should he behave poorly or treat you badly to pass a message to me at once. It is said he is the best in the city but my mistress worries you would be looked down upon." This was happy news to Reish, another step in his plan to find a family and keep them in comfortable style, although his present position allowed him to keep his accommodations and other expenses without touching the original payment from the old woman it would not be enough to educate his children and keep a wife well dressed and in preferable accommodations. When the tutor arrived the next day he was so happy to be actually helping someone, instead of aiding wealthy children who he found rather rude, and Reish was so eager (even though he struggled) to soak up the information that they got on better than old friends. Just before the end of his six month contract Naajy again came for a visit. This time he brought the business card of a rather well known exporter. The old woman and the exporter had been great friends in another time and had called on him to find Reish a well paid position. Reish signed a new contract and went to work for the exporter as his personal assistant. Having a comfortably higher salary he could now afford to lease larger accommodation in nicer part of town. He found a small two bed room house with a small courtyard, lounge, separate kitchen and a bathroom with a large bathtub and separate toilet. Just right for securing a wife. But still he waited, he had no family to speak for him in engagement negotiations and wanted to see what else the old lady had in mind for him. Three more months passed and an invitation arrived for Reish to dine with the old woman in her grand blue house. He arrived on time and found the old woman alone in her lounge. He thanked her deeply for all she had done. Just as he where about to fall to a low bow the sound of a baby crying draw his attention to the dinning room. There sitting by the table was Dadhija and Hakesh holding a beautiful baby boy. The old woman smiled. "No Reish, what i have done for you is merely a drop of and in the desert of happiness you have brought to our life's, dine with us as my friend Hakesh need know nothing but i have more for you and wish to talk when they have left us." Dinner was a pleasant affair, Dadhija politely asked of Reish's comings and goings and Hakesh cooed at his beautiful boy unable to lift his shining eyes from those of his sons for more than a second. When the food was done the happy family thanked their host and rushed home, greedy for more time with their child. Reish and the old woman retreated to the lounge for tea. "My dear Reish, see how you have blessed us all, my Son has not touch a bottle of wine in all these months, and Dadhija is a glow, singing with happiness. I will die contented, as long as i hold true to my promise i will be a happy woman in the next life." "than you again." Answered Reish, "It is all your doing, you know i had no real choice in the matter, but i am happy for it." "Those are kind words Reish, but he would not be such a hansom boy without you. I have already paid you a large sum to your bank account, enough for a decent dowry and to set you up for at least one year in reasonable style. Also i hear you have been working very hard. My old friend is much impressed and tells me he will be giving you a higher position in the next few days, but let him surprise you, he will be sad not to tell you himself. I have invited a lovely young woman and her parents to dimmer one week from today, that will be enough time for my friend to surprise you i think. You will come i hope, and if you are well pleased with the woman you meet i will arrange the wedding myself but you will need to pay the dowry in good show for her father. You will come wont you Reish?" Yes he did come, and that is how my father and mother met and where married early the next year. The old woman died soon after and left a significant amount of money to my father who used it to buy a new house and start his own export business. Naajy was hired as my fathers second in command and was well rewarded for those kind words which had changed my fathers fate. In my parents second year of marriage i was born and soon after came my two sisters and younger brother. We went to the best schools and when my farther died had enough money left over to continue our education and living in Australia. Naajy now owns the business, and in a few weeks i will join him as his second in command. The end.