Beauty is skin deep (1208)

            "I didn't give you the gift of life, life gave me the gift of you"

It was a sultry day and there were no visitors to the institution. Some days there used to be even four or five couples and a few days there would be none. It used to be boring then with nothing but novels to keep me busy. I do voluntary work in this child adoption centre out of affection for my mom who was heading this institution till she passed away a few years back. She was insistent that I give back to society at least a portion of what I have taken from it.

 This adoption centre is a part of the institution that ran a shelter for orphans and destitute women, a school, vocational training institute comprising of tailoring, laundry, carpentry, a printing press and a small machine shop. It is a home for hundreds of children and women where they were cared for until they were rehabilitated into society.

Many social workers give their time and money to this institution. I chose the adoption centre when I was asked to choose by the head of the organization as I loved children and playing with them. It was only later that I realized one needs to have an abiding interest in children and plenty of patience. I had to minimize my social life and even skip minor family functions. But I always felt happy with this work when I saw my mother’s photo and remember her total dedication and the immense satisfaction she derived when she found safe and secure homes for the children of the centre. The choice of foster parents required utmost care and gathering of information. One cannot afford to make mistakes as the future of the babies is dependent on the right homes.

A young couple, Vanita and Varun, one day dropped in. Both of them were working in a well-known IT company drawing hefty salaries. She was in her early thirties and was exceptionally beautiful. Varun, a tall and handsome man made a good partner. When she expressed her desire to adopt a child, I asked her why she was doing it while still young, she explained that she was not medically fit to bear a child,

I kept quiet for some time wondering how even advanced medical knowledge is unable to cure some maladies and asked,
“You both are working and that too for long hours. Who will look after your baby?”

Varun said “My mother is staying with us and we intend to engage an ayah also to look after the baby during the day”

” Are you also as much keen on this adoption as your wife is? I asked Varun.

“Yes, keener than her and we are in total agreement on this. We have discussed this endlessly and have come to choose a baby. We want a baby girl in particular,” he said with a smile.

I was surprised as normally couples prefer boys even in these days when gender discrimination is frowned upon. They usually seek fair-complexioned boys with good features. They even try to ferret out information on the biological parents and their background, if any of the child. As a rule, we never disclose such information. I asked them to fill up the application form with all the details and gave them a day to see the children.

 As there was a general tendency to pick fair-complexioned and good-looking babies leaving behind the dusky and ordinary-looking ones, we show the latter first. Only when the couples are not happy with them and prefer to return, that we show them some more. Our objective is that all babies should get willing ‘parents’ and that those not endowed with looks or colour should not be left out and be offered first

On the appointed day I had chosen four baby girls between 2 and 4 who have not been lucky to be adopted so far. 

One of them Sumi (3), was very dark but endowed with very sharp features. She was a quiet girl not given to much interaction with other children. There was a forlorn and lost look on her face.

Lakshmi (4), was fairer but was not attractive with a wide bulbous nose and big ears for her face. She was, however, a pleasant and outgoing girl.

Sweety (2), dusky in colour, had a squint and always cried uncontrollably on such occasions putting off even those who contemplated to consider her.

Shanthi (2), who was the darkest of the lot. She was skinny with the ribs showing, and protruding teeth and limped a little looking awkward when she walked. But she had a smiling twinkle in her eyes. She has never been in the zone of selection thus far.

I had all of them dressed in good frocks after bath and breakfast and made them sit in the adjacent room playing with toys.

When Vanita and Varun came, I was not very sanguine of their liking any of these four. They have been rejected time and again. She had brought plenty of chocolates. The children looked at me for my approval to accept the toffees. They have been trained that way. I left the couple with the children and came to my room. It took more than an hour and they had not come out.  Curious to know what was happening I peeped in through the door. All the children wreathed in smiles were seen playing with total abandon as if the two strangers had known to them for a long period.

I thought they were a compassionate twosome and played with the kids just to give these tiny tots some happiness and warmth denied to them. I had seen so many come out mechanically and express their unhappiness as we do while selecting saris.

 They came out at last, though reluctantly. and the lady said” I have taken the snaps of the kids in my mobile without your permission. I hope you will not mind. We will come tomorrow again to finalise”

I surmised they were being gentle and may not come the next day. I proffered to say “In case you are not satisfied with this lot, I can show some more.”

Pat came the reply,” No need, we will choose one amongst these four”

 The next day they came early in the morning and said in unison the name “Shanthi”, when I asked whom, they had selected.

 Vanita said “We discussed the whole of last night. I could have taken all of them but we had to choose one. I was drawn to Shanthi by her eyes. We will make her a healthy child and after some three years, I will have her teeth aligned and do something about the limp if possible. Don’t worry. We like the dusky colour that God has given her. She is such a cute little darling.”

Varun said” My mom was not fair complexioned after all. Beauty and colour are skin-deep. What mattered is that Shanthi caught our fancy and both of us zoomed on her.”

He added “Maybe, God willing, we may come again next year and adopt one more of the other three. Thanks a lot. What wonderful people you are!”

Thoughts of my mom raced in my mind at the successful conclusion.

(This is fiction to be enjoyed for its spirit though it may or may not strictly conform to the adoption laws.)