6) The child who fell from the sky
Norma Gomes was like every other child. She cooed, she cried, she fed well, she laughed when she was happy. Normal? Well - but for her magical powers! Did her parents know about her powers? No way - it would have scared the shirts off them!
When she was just born and in the crib, a pigeon sitting on the window sill above the new mother's hospital bed had fallen in love with a hospital nurse. The poor pigeon had been praying on the window sill as he had been praying for the last 5 years, " Make me a handsome & rich man so that this beautiful nurse can marry me." Little Norma Gomes did not understand pigeon language yet, but she was so happy having seen the bird, that, she pumped her pudgy hands up and down - and "PHOOM!", a handsome man appeared as if from no where, wiped some stray feathers away from himself and looked up and thanked the lord. Just then the pretty nurse walked in, and "Ting Tong!", she immediately fell in love with him , grabbed his hand, and they both rushed out ( they seemed to have been missing out on so much, so forgive them ). Baby Norma gurgled in pleasure.
As baby Norma grew, a few accidental waves of her hand or fingers resulted in windfall gains or prayers answered for many around her. A failed magician actually became a success. A lady who had lost her dog that never climbed trees, found her pet up in the high branches of a very tall tree. A beggar won in a lottery the hundred million that he needed to house all the beggars of Sudder street. And believe it or not, the boss of a company, came personally to take back an employee who had resigned to save her boss from having to pay her salary during recessionary times, just because his company was suddenly doing well once again!
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In the meanwhile, the God & Goddess of Wellbeing had visited the 'Heavenly Bureau of Birth Control on Earth' which was situated in one distant corner of heaven, a few days back. The HBBCE ( Heavenly Bureau of Birth Control on Earth ),was an important part of their responsibility, as this Bureau decided which baby is to be born to which family and on which date, considering that Well Being on Earth was under their jurisdiction. Available list of children were allotted to prospective parents and sent through a cosmic chute starting from the HBBCE in heaven. The cosmic chute was followed by a beam of divine light that landed ever so lightly on the lucky family - and the child was born.
The God & Goddess were worried however, because their baby was missing for some time. How could they have known that their baby was so impressed with the smiles and happiness that each birth generated that she had wanted to peep down and watch the smiles and happiness for a longer while, but the Royal Master in charge of HBBCE had whisked her away because her parents had decided that their visit to the bureau was over and therefore they had flown home on the Royal chariot. That night while everybody slept, little baby crept out of her Royal Crib, gurgled and burped her way onto the window sill and her baby eyes widened and a smile appeared when she saw a heavenly carpet floating by. Her little fingers pointed at the carpet and she gurgled, ' Ojeh Goo"! The carpet whirled around and promptly glided up to the window sill & barked," At your service my Princess". The baby happily gurgled and slid onto the stiff carpet which promptly formed a protective seat around her and then waited for her next command. Baby pointed her little fingers towards the HBBCE - far, far away and zoom - the carpet sped away. "At your command my Princess," the carpet had barked.
The Royal Master of HBBCE had had a tiring Centenary. No Holiday without break for ten years would make anybody tired. Oh - he so wanted to rest his aching arms and have a quick shut eye. No one would know. Baby birth would get delayed by only one Earth Year ( the equivalent of one blink of his eye ). It so happened that the Royal Master took a shut eye and then it was that everything happened in quick succession. The carpet helped the Princess slide into the seat into the CHUTE CHAIR (where the baby to be sent down to Earth, is made to sit) and then the carpet flew away. The Master opened his eye, his mind was in a blur for a second considering that he had just woken up. He saw a baby in the Chute Chair and he pressed down the lever by reflex. And the Princess slid down the Cosmic Chute , was picked up by the beam of divine light and a child was born to the family of Gomes. They named her "Norma", "Norma Gomes".
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The Lord and Lady of all Gods & Goddesses were reviewing the performances of all Gods and Goddesses in heaven. The father and mother of our Princess were confused. Norma's father in heaven was being praised for lots of happiness and the wellbeing of a lot many human beings. "You have done a wonderful job", they declared!
"Eh?!", Norma's Heavenly father was flabbergasted.
In front of all Gods and Goddesses the supreme Lord & Lady awarded the parents of our Princess with a pure Gold - talking peacock. "But, my Lord", Norma's heavenly father addressed the supreme couple," we did nothing to deserve this honor!"
"Rubbish! You deserve much more", replied the supreme Goddess. The Supreme Lord smiled and then looking at all the Heavenly assembly said," His modesty is an example to be followed. His ingenuity at fulfilling his tasks is unique. His sacrifice would go down in the annals of heavenly history as a beacon of selflessness!"
"Hear! Hear!" roared the heavenly assembly in unison.
Norma's heavenly parents could not understand what was happening and simply gaped.
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Peter Gomes was Toy manufacturer. But his toys hardly sold. The dyes were old and of poor quality. The final products were not different and had been selling for over 20 years before Peter entered the field. They lived in a Shanty and could just about feed and clothe themselves.
Peter an Marie Gomes had their biggest wealth - Norma Gomes! Norma was born to them after 6 barren years. Norma had brought happiness, despite poverty. Norma had brought laughter. Norma had helped multiply love. Peter was a Catholic and Marie was a Protestant but amongst the poor religion can only bring about unity. Norma accompanied her parents to both the churches and grew up to appreciate and understand both worlds.
Then strange things started happening. One day a big businessman came and inspected the quality of Peter's house cum factory. He came back a few days later to offer a contract for 50 lakh pieces of Peter's toys . When the goods were delivered to his destination, the buyer helped Peter open a Bank Account and deposited the 5 lakh US dollars which was Peters due into the account. He then guided Peter through a series of literature pertaining to Toy Manufacturing Machinery and very soon Peter was convinced that he must buy one of these and he did. He bought a small hut plus land plus he installed his new machinery in his new factory. He put out an advertisement and he recruited the services of
two good hands. Very soon Peter's factory was making headlines. Peter's Toys were selling in nearly every store. From a Shanty, Peter could now afford a car plus driver, a ready made residential flat, and there was a maid to look after Norma the Princess.
However, as suddenly as the big businessman appeared in their life, he vanished one day all of a sudden. The security guard explained that the master of this mansion has sold his business and gone back to where he came from. No - he had not left behind any forwarding address. The evening before, a bright light enveloped the big businessman's house. A lone figure had beamed himself up into the skies.
"My love", he addressed the supreme goddess," I have done my duty."
"Yes - my lord", answered the Goddess," they have sacrificed their happiness for the wellbeing of Earth. The little that we could do has been done. We have also placed Monali as the helping hand for the Princess, and her security is ensured"
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Quodrocchi was in a bind. He had been banished from Heaven for having misbehaved not just once but thrice with the Supreme Lord. And he had proved himself to be a nuisance. He had committed acts unbecoming his status in Heaven and each time he challenged the Supreme Lord for proof - and the Supreme Lord, who knew all, provided Quodrocchi with the same. He proved himself to be a letch, a liar, a trickster, a thief, a conman, and everything that any God should not be.
And now that he was to decide what he was to do with himself - he did not know! Hell was a tough world. And they had no class, no culture or etiquette. They were Barbarians. He was certain that he could outsmart all of them but then, he was so used to the Good Life. A sudden idea struck him! Why not go down to Earth? But how? The Gods would not let him . But then - the solution hit him with a bang!
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The Royal Master of the HBBCE was rhytmatically pressing down on the lever at a very fast pace. Too many families required children. He must warn the Supreme Lord. The world population had shot up to uncontrollable limits. Something must be done. Especially so because his job had become extremely difficult. He had petitioned the Supreme Lord for an assistant but was told that 'honesty and goodness' were rare qualities on Earth nowadays. Very few rose up to the level to deserve being in heaven. So, how then could he expect an assistant so soon. He told that he must be patient - he must wait.
As he pressed down on the lever again, in the blur of the moment he noticed a big baby being shoveled down the chute. This was one big baby, he wondered. And what a lovely lot of hair on his head. And beard too - Haa haa - OOOpps! Beard ? What Beard? How can a Baby have a beard? The Royal Master's face grew crimson with embarrassment as he realised that he had sent down a fully grown man down the chute. He pressed the warning bell - and it rang all around and it's ominous notes reached every corner of heaven.
In a split second - all of heaven were floating around him - armed to the teeth for battle.
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Rudolph Naronha hated the guts of Peter Gomes. And why not! Both came from the same village to this land and Rudolph had enjoyed a monopoly business in toys for so many years and suddenly he had to share the big market with a competitor who was far younger than him. The upstart had called him by his surname just the other day, and he had to respond to his greeting. How he hated acknowledging the existence of - of this Peter! And it was his misfortune that Peter's factory produced better quality goods.
Then luck seemed to change for Rudolph!
Rudolph's son from his first wife had gone missing at the age of 11 years after his wife expired. The child could not bear the torture of his step mother, the people said. But his second wife bore him no children and he had so longed to have an heir of his own.
It was then that Quodrocchi stood in front of him, a fully grown man of 18 years of age and declared that he was Vasco, his long lost son. Quodrocchi had obviously done his homework concerning Rudolph's past and narrated incidents that only the Gods in heaven or Rudolph himself knew. Quodrocchi knew because he was one of the Gods in heaven just a few days back. Rudolph was overwhelmed. He embraced the person whom he thought to be his long lost son.
