Saturday 26 January 2019

FOR ONE EXTRA BEDROOM...


WRITTEN BY AN INDIAN ENGINEER...


A Bitter Reality


As the dream of most parents I had acquired a degree in Engineering and joined a company based in USA, the land of braves and opportunity. When I arrived in the USA, it was as if a dream had come true.


Here at last I was in the place where I want to be. I decided I would be staying in this country for about five years in which time I would have earned enough money to settle down in India.


My father was a government employee and after his retirement, the only asset he could acquire was a decent one bedroom flat.


I wanted to do some thing more than him. I started feeling homesick and lonely as the time passed. I used to call home and speak to my parents every week using cheap international phone cards. Two years passed, two years of Burgers at McDonald's and pizzas and discos and 2 years watching the foreign exchange rate getting happy whenever the Rupee value went down.


Finally I decided to get married. Told my parents that I have only 10 days of holidays and everything must be done within these 10 days. I got my ticket booked in the cheapest flight. Was jubilant and was actually enjoying shopping for gifts for all my friends back home. If I miss anyone then there will be talks. After reaching home I spent  one week going through all the photographs of girls and as the time was getting shorter I was forced to select one candidate.


I had to  get married in 2-3 days ,as I had to return to the USA.My wife enjoyed this country for about two months and then she started feeling lonely. The frequency of calling India increased to twice in a week sometimes 3 times a week. Our savings started diminishing.


After two more years we started to have kids. Two lovely kids, a boy and a girl, were gifted to us by the Almighty. Every time I spoke to my parents, they asked me to come to India so that they can see their grand-children.


Every year I decide to go to India But part work part monetary conditions prevented it. Years went by and visiting India was a distant dream. Then suddenly one day I got a message that my parents were seriously sick. I tried but I couldn't get any holidays and thus could not go to India ... The next message I got was my parents had passed away and as there was no one to do the last rights the society members had done whatever they could. I was depressed. My parents had passed away without seeing their grand children.


After a couple more years passed , much to my children's dislike and my wife's joy we returned to India to settle down. I started to look for a suitable property, but to my dismay my savings were short and the property prices had gone up during all these years so  I had to return to the USA...


My wife refused to come back with me and my children refused to stay in India.My 2 children and I returned to USA after promising my wife I would be back for good after two years.


Time passed by, my daughter decided to get married to an American and my son was happy living in USA. I decided that I had enough and wound-up every thing and returned to India.


 I had just enough money to buy a decent 2 bedroom flat in a well-developed locality.


Now I am 60 years old and the only time I go out of the flat is for the routine visit to the nearby temple. My faithful wife has also left me and gone to the holy abode.


Sometimes I wondered was it worth all this?


My father, even after staying in India,had a house to his name and I too have the same , nothing more.


I lost my parents and children for just............... 

ONE EXTRA BEDROOM.....


Looking out from the window I see a lot of children dancing. This damned cable TV has spoiled our new generation and these children are losing their values and culture because of it. I get occasional cards from my children asking if I am alright. Well at least they remember me.


Now perhaps after I die it will be the neighbours again who will be performing my last rights, God Bless them.


But the question still remains 'was all this worth it?'


I am still searching for an answer...... ......... ..!!!


START THINKING


WAS IT JUST FOR ONE EXTRA BEDROOM???

No comments:

Post a Comment