This is about a little girl who had Bala as her friend.Mala an ordinary,simple but an intelligent girl did things in her own little way and she was often criticized for her simple modest ways.Her friends found her to be a boring chubby girl who talked about a friend whom they have never seen.Her teachers thought she was slow,lazy and quirky. Mala was eight years old when she first met Bala.Mala had an instant liking the moment she set eyes on her.
It was one summer morning when she was walking, on her way to school thinking about her art class which she had that day. Her teacher had told the class to be imaginative and draw what comes to their mind. Mala kept thinking about it and then had completely forgotten until this morning when she was getting ready to school. She knew how Mrs. grace would react.she had been in trouble with her before.This time she is not going to hear what Mala has to say and there was no excuse whatsoever.Mala wondered what she could do and she was dragging her feet to school.
As she was walking, at a distance she saw a another girl coming towards her with a smile on her face and Mala liked her instantly.she smiled back and turned around to see if the girl was smiling at someone else.No she didn't she was smiling at Mala.This girl was almost her height and must be her age. she wore a cotton flowered pavadai and a short matching blouse. she had a round chubby face with a nice red bindi on her forehead.she had nicely combed and plaited her long hair just like Mala.By now the girl had come close to Mala and stopped in front of her.The girl opened her pale pink lips and said “I am Bala, what is yours?”.Mala looked at her and liked her big rolling eyes,she smiled back and said, “I am Mala”. I am new to this place,my mother asked me to get some milk, do you know where the milk depot is? Mala knew where it was, because she goes to the milk depot every day with her grandad and it was on the way to her school,Mala told her where it was and bala started walking with her and they instantly started talking.
Mala told her about her school and how she had been thinking about her art teacher who had an eye on her work. Bala, smiled and said if you want, I can help. Mala was thrilled at this and they both stopped and sat down on a bench close by and Mala showed her the art book and seeing her drawing Bala started laughing loudly and teased mala for her work.Mala sat with her hands holding her face and looked at Bala sadly.
Bala stopped laughing and asked Mala for colour pencils and pencil. She held Mala’s hand and told her to close her eyes. Mala did so and after sometime when she opened her eyes the page had come alive with the street scene. the very street she was walking today.Mala was amazed, and gave her a toffee which her mom had given her in the morning. Bala took it from Mala broke it into half and gave the other to Mala and said” this is for you” and laughed. both of them walked hand in hand and chatted merrily and on reaching the milk depot bala stopped and asked Mala to go, so Mala said bye and walked on and she had walked a few yards, she wanted to find out where Bala lived when she turned back, bala was gone. Mala quickly went to the milk depot and found it to be closed. Bala had disappeared.
Balvin Leelaikal Arambam..........
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