It is often believed by parents that when their children grow up, they will take care of them just like what they did to them in their childhood, but the reality is known to everyone. Parents happily invest money on their children for education and all other things. Especially in India, the investments are huge and sometimes it is also required to take loan to meet these expenses. Just like the above situation, here’s a story about Vivek, a character who did everything for his children but at last, had to beg for their love.
Vivek from starting onwards was a completely responsible family person. He was very respectful towards his wife Radha and never let her feel discomfort. They had a 5 year old son, named Vicky and a 10 year old daughter named Vaishali. Vivek never let his children complain for anything and always fulfilled their demands even if they belonged to a middle class family. He was a government employee, earning 50,000 Rs per month, but then also their family lived very happily. His wife did all the domestic chores for whole day. In times of evening, the whole family sat along with their neighbors and had a chat time. The children played with each other on the terraces of the house. Their house was a two-story building situated at a colony which was inherited from Vivek’s father. Vivek always loved his parents and thought that his children would also do the same with him after getting older. With this ambition, he worked day and night and invested a lot on them.
Thus, years passed which brings him to the present time. His daughter, Vaishali has just completed her 12th class and his son, Vicky is in 8th. Both the children were good in studies. Vaishali topped in her school and Vicky also came 1st in his class. Both were dedicated towards their studies and they never let their impression down in front of others. Vivek thanked god and he thought himself that his children would end all his debts and make him happier than present after his retirement. He had taken a loan of 20 lakhs for his daughter’s study and for Vicky in later. Radha also did a lot for her children. She made tiffins, meals, rest others and never let her children feel unhappy. The parents easily overcome their struggle happily when they saw their children excelling in their goals. Life was going happily and smoothly.
But, who can say what will happen next. Vaishali spent four years studying in an engineering college and finally acquired her degree. She got 2nd rank in the whole college and was welcomed by a company which offered her an annual income of sixty lakhs. In the same year, his brother Vicky was the 2nd topper of 12th class in the whole school. Their parents thought that this was an achievement year for them. Vivek was very much proud of her daughter. She told her father that she would repay his remaining debt. Radha shared her affection with Vicky and distributed sweets all among the neighbors.
As time passed, Vivek thought of Vaishali’s marriage. They got many proposals but Vaishali was not interested. She wanted one who stays in USA. Her luck was with her. She found a person who stays in USA in an anniversary celebrations of her company. His name was Rajesh. He was a businessman in USA. They both spent time with each other daily. Few days later, Vaishali introduced Rajesh to her parents and told everything. Vivek didn’t know much about Rajesh, but still he agreed with this. He only wanted his daughter to live happily. They both married each other the next month and then went to USA after a few days. Vivek and Radha were only left with their son. Vivek started to feel that his wish would remain a wish only. But still he had hopes that his son would live with him after marriage also. He had only hopes but it was none more than that.
As time passed, Vicky excelled in his college. He got a decent job on a company, but he was not at all interested in jobs. He wanted to start a business of clothes. He had seen from his childhood that the owners of clothes store were very rich and their stores were never empty. Whenever they go to a shop, he used to see a large crowd inside the shops. This crowd pulled him in his mind of starting a cloth business. But a cloth business required a lot of investments especially in the starting and it should always start with a good impression otherwise the shop always remain empty. Vicky knew that his father had spent a lot in his education so he didn’t have that much money now. Therefore, he decided to do a job for few years and start his savings. He didn’t share his business plan with his parents as he thought that they would not agree. He did a job for four years. During that time he was married to one of his old classmate. The job of four years was not easy for Vicky. He started to feel that he was losing his character in that job. He felt distressed and he decided to quit the job after four years. This was the beginning of a very big problem.
Vicky didn’t tell his parents that he had decided to quit his job. That day he brought the resignation letter signed by the head to his father. Vivek was shocked to see that. He had never believed about something like this and also was not mentally prepared for this. During the afternoon the whole family sat together and decided to have a talk. Vicky told them everything about his business idea and he also asked if his father could provide money for this which he would return soon. Vivek listened to his son very carefully, took a minute to think and told him in a calm voice that he has got his retirement and the savings were all invested in his studies. He had left with money which he had secured for the rest of his life. He receives a monthly pension of only 8000 Rs which is not even enough to meet the daily expenses. He took a few minutes stop, took a deep breath and continued that he had fulfilled all his demands from starting onwards but this time he was unable to do this even if he wanted to do. There is no option. Vicky was unable to understand his father’s intensions. He thought that his father did not want him to do any business. He became angry and the next day, he and his wife left the house to stay in a city. Vivek’s fear became real. All his life went in struggle for this! He was shocked to see that.
The rest of their life was just as mentioned in the starting of the story. Vicky did not understand about his father’s problems and left him alone. He didn’t even make a phone call. He had become an owner of the largest clothes store in the city. But the one, who had given him this capability to grow up, is counting the remaining years of his life with his wife. Vaishali stayed in USA for the rest of his life and helped his husband in his business. But the one, who had encouraged her the most, is staying helpless inside a four-walled building. Few years later Radha passed away due to illness. None of her children come to attend her funeral. Their absence was also the reason for the carelessness of the illness. Vivek stayed the rest of his life alone in his house. His all hopes were shattered. A happy life which was going on smoothly went in despair. He survived only with his wish that one day he will again have his children back with him, which remained a wish for the rest of his life.
__Ankan Sarkar
The Great storytelling challenge 3rd edition.
Written a new one based on Prompt 2.
React
