Our Bapu - Mahatma Gandhi

Our Bapu
was lying in his bed, dreaming about his coffee, when he heard Bapu's
footsteps. Bapu came and stood near his bed and looked at him in his usual kind
and smiling manner. ' You are looking much better today', he said, ' I hope you
have got back your appetite. What would you like to ear? How about a few
dhoshas?" Gandhiji knew how very fond the South Indians were of dhoshas."
"What are dhoshas, mother?" asked Hari.
"They are a kind of savoury pancakes,"
continued the mother, "which are made
only in the South of India. The eyes of
the young boy began to sparkle, as he
heard Bapu talk of food. He faltered for
a while, and then took courage to ask,
'Could I have a cup of coffee, Bapu ?'
'You old sinner !' said Bapu, and laughed
affectionately. 'Since you are so keen,
you will certainly have coffee. In fact, a light cup of coffee may be good for
you. But you must have something to eat with your coffee. It may not be
possible to get dhoshas made here, but perhaps a hot toast will go very well
with your coffee. I shall go and see to it at once.'
And then Bapu went away. The young boy knew that tea and coffee were
forbidden inside the Ashram, and he was wondering whether Gandhiji had
promised him the coffee in a moment of absent-mindedness. He could hardly
believe that he could be so lucky as to get coffee inside the Ashram, and that
too from Gandhiji's own hands. A little later, Bapu's footsteps were heard again
coming nearer and nearer his room. He now feared that Bapu was coming to
tell him that he had made a mistake in promising him coffee, and that coffee
was really impossible inside the Ashram. But to his great surprise he saw
Gandhiji walking in with a tray covered with a khadi napkin. He could hardly
believe his ears, when Gandhiji placed the tray near his bed and said, 'Here is
your coffee and toast. I have made it myself, and even a South Indian like you
will agree that it is well made. '
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