Chapter - 11 - A call to home…
Saturday and Sunday were days off..
Wine went to the market with Anawar and bought some of the necessities. He could foresee it, his two months allowance was just enough for a little over a month. No more..
On Sunday morning, Wine gritted his teeth and decided to give a call to his mother. Asking for money from his mother was a very scary process. He saw his elder sister shaken by his mother's majesty whenever she asked for extra pocket money.
"I'm going to make a call to my mom."
He put some money in his pocket and walked out of the dorm. There were three public phones near the college. Two phones at the convenience store outside the college and one was installed at the house of a teacher in the college.
He was going to the phone installed at the teacher's house. It was nearer and cheaper, that's what he heard. His home didn't have a phone installed yet. The initial call in under two minutes that just invited his mother to the public phone cost 200.
The outgoing call was charged 100 a minute and incoming calls was charged 50 a minute. He waited for the incoming call from his mother beside the phone.
'Clang…Clang…Clang..'
After waiting for nearly ten minutes, the phone rang..
"Hello, it's from Whiterock education college."
"....."
"Wine? Please wait.. Is there a trainee called Wine?"
"Here, I am.."
Wine took the receiver from the girl's hand..
"Hello, mom.."
"How are you doing? Are you okay there?"
"I'm fine, mom. I miss you, dad and sister.."
Tears welling up in his eyes. In the unfamiliar environment, hearing his mother's voice made his nose sore.
"Oh, come on. It will pass soon. Tell me your condition there.."
"Hey, baby. Are you okay?"
He heard his father's voice from the receiver. He explained his experiences to his parents, holding back the tears. The college's quality of assimilation was scary. He got used to the dining hall's specialities in just a few days.
"Mom.."
"Say it.."
"The money may not be enough for two months. The fees are frightening. Half of the money was gone in a few days.."
"Others can be sufficient with 30000 a month. Why can't you? The money in my hand didn't come from the trees."
Then, he bargained fiercely with his mother. After repeatedly confirming that it was just for this month and he would spend money sparingly next month, his mother agreed to send him money after 40 days.
Allowance for 60 days had shrunk to 40 days, it was a good deal for Wine. 200 for outgoing calls and 500 for nine minutes and fifteen seconds of incoming calls. Wine lost 700 without eating or drinking today. His heart ached…
He complained in the dorm about the difficulty of asking for money from the parents. Nearly everyone said they were also experienced warriors. When he asked..
"What if your parents reject your pleas or your budget is gone before the money arrives?"
"Get the resources from the roommates or friends. Borrowing some cash and feeding the brothers from his share is something they should do. But , the south king can't save the north king sometimes. As we all know, the boys are always broke.."
That was the typical standard answer of the experienced seniors. They said some guys didn't use money for themselves but used it for their girlfriends or girlfriend-to-be.
In the following days, he was reluctant to buy the meat dishes. However, the eggs are quite cheap, only 100 for an egg. Anawar said nothing but silently shared his dishes.
"Eating occasionally from you is enough. Don't share with me anymore. I'm not acting brave. I am trying to get used to it."
Anawar stared at his face..
"You don't need to get used to it. Just eat. I have enough."
"No, brother. I need to get used to it. If not, when my mom tightens my budget or the money is delayed by the bank, I will be miserable. I don't have a thick face to borrow money from others.."
In this era, the main communication methods were post office and Line phone. The bank's working speed was also pitifully slow. A letter could take up to a month or longer to arrive. And, the bank transfer could be delayed from 7 to 10 days.
His mother promised him to send money after 40 days but it should be counted as 47 to 50 days, including the bank delay. He would become a dog if the money was spent before this.
Walking towards the dorm together after dinner, Anawar was deep in thoughts. He didn't have concerns about money as he was working with his brothers in the summers..
He counted the money he got from working and pocket money deposited in the bank. It was enough for him to use about 6 to 7 years according to his consumption. Moreover, he could still work during holidays.
"But I have money, sufficient for both you and me. If your mother doesn't give you money, I will raise you.."
Anawar was very confident that he would raise him. He was a very possessive person. If he likes something, he must get it. When he gets it, nobody is allowed to touch it.
Now that he found Wine very pleasing to the eyes. He wanted to imprint his brands on his existence again. He even wanted to control everything around Wine, be it food or everything he used.
"What the hell!! You rich man. Don't want to be my daddy, okay?"
"Being a daddy is good too.."
Anawar moved his sweater pocket towards Wine, letting him fish for some candies from the pocket. He bought 3 packs of candies, soft and hard, from the market when he knew this little guy liked to eat sweets.
Wine reached out his hand inside Anawar's pocket and grabbed a handful but released again and only took three candies. Grabbing a handful was his instinct and taking only three was morality fighting against the instinct.
He tore open the plastic and handed the candy to Anawar's hand first.
"My hands are not clean.."
Anawar blinked. Waiting for him to feed ..
"Then don't eat…"
Wine threw the candy into his own mouth and put the other two away. How come the brother he bonds a friendship with is so fond of using hands and feet !!!