'Yes,
the play was hilarious.' Sneha replied as she placed the keys of the
bike into the holder.
'And
the jokes were naughty, weren't they?' He asked.
Sneha
swirled around and asked with
amazement,
'How do you? Were you there?'
'Yes,
I was there in the last row, seated next to the elderly gentleman and
his
wife.'
'How
didn't I see you?'
'When
you looked
at the last row,
I ducked behind
the chair.
I didn't wish to embarrass you. After
all it was an adult play, full of adult jokes'
'Come
on Papa, tell me that you are just kidding.' Sneha said standing akimbo.
'No,
I am not. I was really present.'
'You
are telling a lie. It cannot happen.'
'No,
I am not. And
why can't I come to the theatre? Don't
I have a right to get
entertained, watch
a play? Am I not a human being?'
'Ok.
Ok. I concede.' Sneha said. At this point, her father couldn't
control his laughter any longer and he guffawed.
'Alright,
let me tell you the truth. I was not there at the theatre.'
'See,
I
always knew that.
I know you inside out.'
'Dr.
Sharma my morning walk partner told me that he was going to watch
that play with his wife. He boasted as to how the last row was
exclusively
reserved for the VIPs of Khandwa. Equipped with that piece of
information I decided to pull your leg.'
'Very
funny Papa.' Sneha said and went inside.
***
It
was the month of the June. The
parched earth smiled when the showers of rain kissed its forehead.
People
of Khandwa received relief from the scorching heat.
Sneha
was at
her work.
The drains were clogged and the rains
had transformed
roads into temporary
rivers
and mini
swimming
pools. As a result except for the employees there was no one in the
electricity board office.
Rupa
and Sneha were sitting next to the window which opened into a big
ground. An old banyan tree stood stoically right
in
the middle
while
the branches of neem and jamun swayed with the gushing wind.
'Sneha
what is the use of mere animal
existence,
one has to be successful in life.' Rupa said staring out of the
window. Sneha was too immersed in watching the nature at its play.
Suddenly the rain changed its direction and sprinkled a
few droplets of
the heavenly nectar on the two friends. Sneha was thrilled. Small,
priceless things bring so much of joy. She deeply inhaled the
pristine smell of the earth that
the cool breeze carried.
'Sneha,
where are you lost? I said something. Did you even hear that?'
'Yes,
you were saying something about success.'
'We
have to be successful in our lives, otherwise what is the point in
slogging in this electricity department office for peanuts.' Rupa
rolled her eyes.
'So
success for you means money?' Sneha asked.
'Why
doesn't it make any difference to you? What's your idea of success?'
'Well
to be honest money matters. One should have at least reasonable
amount of money. It makes life comfortable if not easy. At the same
time, one should love his work as well. What is the point if you have
crores of rupees stashed into your almirah but you are not happy
with your work.'
'Sometimes
I feel you should become a teacher. You start lecturing all the time.
I asked you a simple question and you became all philosophical. Okay
let me tell you what success means to me. For me it
is social
respect coupled
with
economic independence and good food.'
'Food?'
Sneha laughed. Rupa
had a strange philosophy of life.
'Yes
food. Everyone works to get two square meals. Food
cannot be ignored. So
that definitely features in my list.'
'You
have all of that. So you should call yourself successful.'
'Yes,
I do Sneha, but I want a little more money and...'
'And
what, Rupa.'
'In
our society a woman doesn't get respect unless
she is married, and I have surpassed my marriageable age long ago.
Now the chances of me getting married are slim.'
Sneha
wanted to speak. But she controlled herself. The co-relation of
marriage with social respect was too hard for her to digest. If
she had voiced her opinion, Rupa would have accused her of imparting
gyan again. But she resolved that she would broach this topic at
appropriate time. That
is when Rupa said something and Sneha was taken aback. She was in a
quandary. 'You spoke of loving your work. Do you really love sitting
in this dingy office and hearing complaints about frequent power cuts
and high bills from irate consumers. Tell me Sneha, where are you
lost?' Rupa asked.
Read the next part here
Read the next part here
No comments:
Post a Comment