'Appa, can you please buy me that toy monkey? He is my favourite toy. Chandan has it and I love playing with it...'

Ashok looked at his younger son, irritated. He was tired and not in the mood for this childish behaviour. He didn't have money to make ends meet. His elder daughter Usha's 10th standard exam was nearing and he had not yet paid her school fees. He saw her study everyday, and feared that because of him, she might fail even before trying.

'Appa! Appa please!'

'Enough manu! Can't you understand I am tired and not in the mood for your tantrums?

Let's go home, now!'

Manu looked at his father. He had again made him angry. He didn't want to make him angry. He wanted him to be happy and play with him.

He wanted Appa to lift him up and throw him in the air and catch him like he had seen an uncle in the park play with his son. He wanted to play with Appa and his favourite monkey toy.

Manu looked at the toy seller selling the monkey across the road and then at his father.

'Appa, it's ok. I don't want the toy.'

'Why did you ask me in the first place? Don't you understand your sister's exam is approaching? Have I not told you I have not yet paid her school fees? And here you are asking for a silly toy!' , shouted Ashok and pushed his son away angrily.

'Honk Honk!'

The driver in the bus tried hard to hit the breaks, but failed, the boy had appeared very suddenly and he couldn't do anything!

Thud!

Ashok fell to the floor on the footpath. People were gathering in front of him and his Manu was lying in a pool of blood, mangledto death.

'I will get you the toy. I will get you the toy', he started shouting, gasping for breath and lost consciousness.

'Appa! Appa!'

'Manu?'

'Appa it's me Usha.'

Ashok looked up. 'Where is Manu?'

His little girls tear stained face and the hospital aroma hit Ashok hard.

His little boy was gone.

'Why? Why did he not listen to his son just once', Ashok thought, holding Usha and sobbing loudly like a little boy whose favourite toy was gone forever...