One fine day,
When I returned from college, all the happy feelings in me became dependent, all those fears resurfaced and imaginations ran faster than Mr. Bolt. The afternoon was long and kept reminding me of the shocks to bear from the upcoming day. I knew nothing of my surroundings, I woke up in the evening by the loud voices of laughter from Mr. Aggarawal, my dad. After a quick decision in mind, I moved towards my college bag, reached for my GRADE CARD.The plan A was that dad's happiness is indirectly proportional to the scoldings I get, so maybe I get by easily. Plan B was to wish that plan A was a huge success. He was happy right now...the after effects of the forthcoming earthquake would be a bit less...I thought let's go and with quick short steps got rid of the curtain that led to the hall to see....seated in the domain of my eyes were, Mr. and Mrs sinha...our beloved guests for the day. I looked at them, they looked at me "Great! we have an audience for critical acclaim now" I thought. A bewildered and traumatized me with goosebumps bumping all over the body.....and gulping all those expressions within I stood forth our guests who glued their eyes to the report card that I held in my trembling hands...Dad said "Tarun..is that your report card?...come on let's see your scores" A hundred hopes were piercing through me and me as always was again guilty of being charged as the 'peace destroyer' and the 'mother spoilt' kid of the house. The moment came. I wanted mom to suddenly interrupt and say that let's have dinner first...I wanted rats to have their dinner with my report card in dessert ... I wanted Rubeus Hagrid to break into my house and take me away like in harry potter, but nothing happened...here he was..with gleaming eyes looking forward to open that powerful piece of sheet and give an unexpected range of expressions. Mr. and Mrs. Sinha sat there trying to peep into that card as if it was the prettiest piece of art...and there goes that engaging smile from his face. Pin drop silence occupied that room. It was the silence before the storm. My mom looked at me and with concern filled eyes raised her eyebrows..trying to ask me .."My dear boy! plz tell me you're not failing...I'll make you your favorite dish" . My sister sat there looking at her dad with her scared little eyes...which made me feel no better...he closed the card handed it to me, and said nothing...I knew it meant "let's deal with you when the Sinha's go away"..Sinha's got the idea and left early and I knew that the moment Sinha's are gone a husky voice will call out "Tarun beta! come here". The war of words was about to begin. The old TV with NDTV on it blared with weather report guy in the television speaking.."The sky was clear until yesterday but there are chances of a storm in the upcoming days" ..the bewildered audience that is my mom and sis...were ordered not to speak...and the father and son , me with a bigger height and smaller courage faced each other waiting for the one with more courage to speak...he said..
MR.aggarwal: Where did I go wrong, son? Are you short of the study material...is there a subject that's troubling you?...You know what reputation a doctor carries ...medical stream requires a lot of hard work..you chose this stream, didn't you?
Flash back:
All other streams were carved out saying " Son, I have a lot of friends in this field, getting a job will be easy, You like badminton its fine...keep trying but there is no scope..at all.I would love you to take this branch..but then it's your life your decision." and the decision was made. That night a loving father spoke out of the fear that his son should not fail in future...and the obedient son agreed out of the fear of hurting his dad and dreams kept their mouth shut.
Continued....
Did I ever force it on you?..then what in hell is the problem?(voice amplitude increased by the end)
ME:I m sorry dad..it won't happen next time...for sure.
Mr.aggarwal : Its okay ...I know what caused this...do better next time...
ME: (confused but at peace)sure dad!
Shocked by what he meant by this ..shocked by the abrupt end of this much-feared discussion, I turned back ...with a sigh of relief..the brain calming down and the heart pumping less.
The husky voice then spoke which washed away all hopes all dreams..
Seema!
Make sure his badminton racquets are kept in the store and never touched till college ends.
The day ensured that Tarun's dream succumbed under the rocks of expectations and with a BROKEN HEART the journey to becoming the xerox of Mr. Aggarwal (an accomplished MBBS doctor-HEART surgeon) began.
Tarun's favorite dish was not made that day.
Let me ponder on the decisions
Let me think of what steps to take
You taught me how to watch those dreams
now teach me how to put them at stake
I am a fish that loves to swim and dive
Why force this fish to fly in the sky
I am a bird that loves to glide like a kite
Why force this bird to drown and die
let us teach this world, this 'literate crowd
That it's the fishes that swim and the birds that fly.
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