Prologue:
I sat there with a smile on my face, warmth in my heart & glint in my eyes. This moment could give the "1st ever kiss" moment a run for its money. But was the outcry around me inaudible to my ears as they were pounded by the joy of my mind…….
Main story
It was a normal summer morning in a small town besides the capital city when a father vocally expressed & enacted his joy for the only time, at the birth of his son.
The boy being born & to be brought up in a very loving & caring joint family in a "away from the glitz of the city" town where words like "nookkad" & "pan ki dukaan" weren't zzzOMG-ed upon, in a state that was a "feather in the cap" of India until recent times.
Growing up in a family where "Badi Maa" gave him more motherly love than his "Maa" & "Papa" gave him more glowery looks than his English teacher (Why is father-son relationship always so complicated), he could not help but believe that he was destiny's own child.
The extra care & Dairy Milk he got for being the youngest son of the family, the extra sleep he got as "Badi Maa" counter-argued "Maa" to let him enjoy the warmth of his bed, the extra negligence he got while "masti-ing" with his elder brothers for sharing a fair age gap, the extra scolding he received from his elder sister just for the heck of it.
The joy of dining with the entire family where the elder brother habitually bites off a chicken tickka piece of his plate while he shares "aloo pakodas" with his younger sister who already gulped her 10th one. *sigh* Unparalleled emotion.
A good boy & teacher's favorite, never abusing anybody or picking up a fight, he was a child to envy.
Even after having such a wonderful life, the one thing he lacked was an authoritative voice in the family. Being the smallest, he always heard the bad news after it passed & never considered for an opinion other than choosing "salwar kameez" designs for his sisters & "saree" for his mothers.Having become an Engineer, the most educated in the family & getting a good placement with a good salary, the honor increased but the family confidence didn't.
He, in his subconscious, wanted to move out, only to stretch & explore but never to part. Then came the opportunity which will shape but will never change his life. Of course how could it, he was nerve-ously connected with the house & the family. The separation would be just for a small time. Why can't Mom & the rest understand? It's not because of the money; it's because of the self-righteous respect. It's because he wants to be accepted, expected upon, and adjudicated. It's because he should have the strength to carry forward the ideals of his family to next generations.
(And of course because of the things which he can only think & not write about like watching po*n with full volume on his laptop, not having to keep one eye on the door & one eye on the remote while watching F TV & above all masturbating on will)
The "mohallawalas" & distant relatives would condone this act as being selfish by giving examples of his father & brothers. But he knew his family would accept his decision gracefully & after getting over the setback, will understand his decision too.
So here he is just a step away from going to the Enchanted place of Mumbai, his home away from home.
Epilogue:
As the cold salty wave of Arabian sea whipped past the window, me & my "tanhaaee" were having a conversation. She whispered to me "WOW Nilay, u have a very intriguing & "grab ur popcorn" worthy life story. A film could be made out of that or a TV serial. And I could only reply with "Lets fornicate"
P.S. Hello Ishaan, how are u. If we meet in Mumbai I want to say just one thing to u
"I hate you (like I love you)"
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