ONE BEDROOM FLAT... WRITTEN BY AN INDIAN SOFTWARE
ENGINEER..- A Bitter Reality
As the dream of...
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ONE BEDROOM FLAT... WRITTEN BY AN INDIAN SOFTWARE
ENGINEER..- A Bitter Reality
As the dream of most parents I had acquired a degree in Software
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 hopping for gifts for all my friends back home. If I miss
anyone then there will be talks. After reaching home I spent home one
week going through all the photographs of girls and as the time was
getting shorter I was forced to select one candidate.
In-laws told me, to my surprise, that I would have to get married in 2-3
days, as I will not get anymore holidays. After the marriage, it was
time to return to USA , after giving some money to my parents and telling
the neighbors to look after them, we returned to 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 couple more years passed away, 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. 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 had enough and wound-up
every
thing and returned to India . I had just enough money to buy a
decent 02 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 I am alright. Well at least they remember me.
Now perhaps after I die it will be the neighbors 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...... ......... .!!!
Close
Dear,
Anjala, kalyanee,Krishna,Zoonspaz, thanks for your comments. Though I am replying after long period of time.
I dont exactly remember from where did I get it. But yee it really touched me. We strugle like a hell and at the end of it we will be at same position as our parents.
But our previous geneation will be happy as atleast they have the hope that there children are caring and with them. Coming generation will be like emotionlly careless and very practical.
It is important that we all give space to relations, love. So same we get at later part of life. After all which keeps us happy is when some one show care n love . Else life is waste...
Cheers,
Hari...
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Hi Hari,
A very poignant story.
Did you write this for Dignity dialogue magazine earlier?
I remember reading this. In fact, I have a copy of the same (word to word) article, which moved me enough to keep a copy. It came in the July 2000 issue of Dignity Dialogue, under the name 'An Aquarian', and the title, 'For the sake of an extra bedroom'.
regards,
Anjala
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Good one! Touching...
Many ppl think dis way.....but few really take the necessary actions.
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Dear harirhk,
Yours is a poignant story well told. Many are sailing in this leaky boat but pretend to be having a cruise safe and luxuriant. Every body says that he will return before his daughter learns about dating and seldom does that decision ever made.When the process of ageing has started and all the duties to parents missed, the great awakening comes and the horse has bolted. A life of regrets gets started and the thought of settling in Florida along the plamy beach gets floated as the off-springs get flirted. But still what keeps the great indian community stuck with the tissue paper culture defies one's comprehension. Your blog has missed the limelight for want of necessary invite.
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What can I say .... but a lot of what you wrote about is exactly what is going on in my head ....
very nicely written ... very poignant
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Thx all,
It is good lesson to current generation. Why only sw engg. Others working in different fields shall able to balance bet work and personal lives.
The fact is, we are achieving the same things as our parents do, but at high cost of mental peace, restelessness.
At the end we land up acheiveing the same prpoerty and all as our parents do. But they were more content.
CHeers,
Hari.
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The answer is life comes a full circle...maybe.
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hi there......sounds like real life experience for sure...may i know the name of that author and the source of ur ifo pls?
waise, u did gud by puttin dis stuff on sulekha....u kno....the frenzy of softwarys fleein to d silicon valley has been on a hype ever since it started......dis sumting softys gottta kno....waise...u a softy urself rite??? I am sure this is ur own story..hahaha...sory ...shudn b jokin on dis rite????
waise....belated eid mubarak, and advance merry christmas and hapy new year...to u ....n to yer 2 kids in america....
keep writin n bloggin..
LLChuchu
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