Saturday, November 25, 2006
By the way, how does she looks like?
‘Hi’ Satish greeted as he returned home.
‘hi’ the unenthusiastic response did raise a note of concern in mind but did not sink in.
He looked at her, dropping himself on the sofa. The traffic was too much. This city has become too difficult to live in.
‘It took 40 minutes for me to cross one Km. Stretch from Balanagar junction to Sobhana’ he voiced his frustration.
She was busy in her daily dose of newspaper reading.
Satish did not think much and went to the bathroom.
After regular routine of bath and evening mediation as he entered the drawing room, he was surprised to find her immersed in the newspaper. This time he felt concerned. As per daily routine, by now she was supposed to be in kitchen preparing dinner. He tried to think. Did he do anything during the course of the day to create family crisis? A thorough brain washing also could not bring out any incidence. He looked at her. She looked serious also. The effect of mediation is getting washed away. He was getting the feeling of apprehension creeping in mind. Avi is not at home as he went for coaching class and expected to return after 10 p.m. only.
‘The control of mind is the key to peace and happiness, bring calmness in adverse surroundings,’ he recollected the words of Guruji. ‘And it is more needed at the time of crisis’ he reasoned, and closed his eyes, took a deep breath.
‘How long are you going to keep your eyes close?’ the sweet long waited words of the sweetheart startled him.
‘Guruji had the advantage of entering to Sanyas directly from Brahmacharya, how does he know the difficulties of Garhasthashram!’ He opened his eyes, the question mark in it.
Without answering she went to the phone and pressed a button.
‘Hi mom. I am going to Gurdip’s house for taking some notes and shall be late’ the voice of Avi came out from the recording message. Well, Satish could not figure out the meaning, the voice is of their only son Avi, Avinash. As the father, the son also has to give all details of his whereabouts in case of delay; that’s the rule of the house. As he tried to figure out the reason of concern, came another voice.
‘Goddam Avi, Come fast.’ The female voice followed in the background made him sit up.
‘After he came back home I asked him. He confirmed he went to Gurdip’s house. For your information Gurdip does not have any sister, and I am sure the sister would not have addressed Avi in similar way’. The cryptic voice gave the additional information.
Satish agreed.
The voice did concern him. No, he could not find out anything wrong in the voice, rather sweet voice only, the language might be called a little modern.
‘Am I becoming old?’ Satish thought.
No, he could not remember similar language spoken by any of his friend’s daughters.
‘But who knows? May be they behave extra ordinary way with us and use similar lingo with their peers?’ He reasoned.
Anyway matter looks serious enough. Avi is in his twelveth class. Otherwise he is good boy. Till now he did not cause any trouble for Satish. Rather Satish feels proud about his behavior. Both the parents are a bit over protective of their only son, which made them put him in a school instead of Junior college for 11th and 12th class. Satish feels that in schools the students are more disciplined. The school atmosphere retains the freshness in children.
Satish tried to take stock of the situation. He tried to recollect his childhood.
’16 is dangerous age’ he thought.
‘Adolescence is not an easy life, so many questions come in mind.’ He stifled the smile automatically came out remembering his own crushes. As a man he understands the mind of a boy of this age. But he cannot explain that to the wife. It will generate another family crisis, if he tells his tales.
‘Well leave it to me. I will handle. You don’t talk to him.
‘I don’t think there is anything to be worried about’. Satish tried to assure but but did not like the look she gave in answer. She left for kitchen, making Satish take a sigh of relief.
‘The situation is not that bad, At least we are not going to be deprived of dinner’. He felt relieved.
The dinner went off well.
‘Thank GOD, the curries did not get spoiled by the spoilt mood of my wife’! Satish thought.
After dinner they sat with their daily routine of sitting in front of the idiot box.
‘How are you faring up in coaching?’ His casual question got normal response from Avi. Now and then he has to withstand the parental enquiries on his studies. He has taken these parental enquiries as necessary nuisance of the process of growing up.
‘I believe you were late today from college?’
This question did startle him, Satish noticed.
‘Ya I had to go to Gurdip’s house for taking some notes’.
‘Where does Gurdip stay? Did I see him?’
‘No, They stay at Sainikpuri’.
‘Why you had to take note from him? Are you bunking classes?’ Satish asked again casually tried to make it palatable sounding as humor.
‘Last Saturday I bunked class for the cricket match. I told you about the match, we gave good thrashing to KV Bolurum’ he reminded dad, in tolerant voice.
‘Dad is becoming real forgetful’ Avi thought.
‘You were alone or there were other people with you’.
This time Avi looked up seriously.
‘Why should I take someone with me to take note?’ A clear sign of indignation in the voice.
Satish got up seriously, the trace of smile vanished from his face, switched off the TV. He pressed the button of the voice recorder.
Pin drop silent ensued.
Satish kept his eyes on Avi’s face, which first shown the sign of incredulity. The face became black.
‘She is my classmate. We went out to Bakers’ corner after college along with other friends. Today we were celebrating our win in last Saturday’s match’. Avi blurted out angrily.
‘Why did you lie?
‘Definitely mummy would not have liked it’ Avi’s angry voice came out.
‘You are being unfair to mummy. How did you decide she would not have liked it? It’s a pre-conceived notion you have. The notion you might have got from the TV serials you watch or from the attitude of some other mother, may be your friends’ mothers or maybe from some one else. Without giving her any chance you have given the judgment. At least you should have tried once.’
Avi sat there without answering, anger in his face.
‘I am sorry Avi. I am very much disappointed. I never expected this from you. I know you are studying in co-ed school and it is expected that your list of friends shall include girls. I am feeling bad that you did not trust us. You know very well that I don’t like lie from my family members. It gives me a sense of failure. I feel it is failure on my part as I could not give the confidence in my son to trust me.’ Satish spoke in small voice, the hurt very pronounced in his voice.
Avi stormed out of the room to enter his bedroom.
Satish looked at his wife, assuring her with his eyes.
Half an hour or so passed. Nobody spoke anything.
Avi came out of his room and sat beside his dad.
‘I am sorry dad’.
Satish looked at his wife, who was glowing with satisfaction. Satish patted Avi on his shoulder. Smile broke out on each face. Avi switched on the TV.
‘By the way, how does she look like?’ Satish asked, making all of them to splinter in laughter.
‘hi’ the unenthusiastic response did raise a note of concern in mind but did not sink in.
He looked at her, dropping himself on the sofa. The traffic was too much. This city has become too difficult to live in.
‘It took 40 minutes for me to cross one Km. Stretch from Balanagar junction to Sobhana’ he voiced his frustration.
She was busy in her daily dose of newspaper reading.
Satish did not think much and went to the bathroom.
After regular routine of bath and evening mediation as he entered the drawing room, he was surprised to find her immersed in the newspaper. This time he felt concerned. As per daily routine, by now she was supposed to be in kitchen preparing dinner. He tried to think. Did he do anything during the course of the day to create family crisis? A thorough brain washing also could not bring out any incidence. He looked at her. She looked serious also. The effect of mediation is getting washed away. He was getting the feeling of apprehension creeping in mind. Avi is not at home as he went for coaching class and expected to return after 10 p.m. only.
‘The control of mind is the key to peace and happiness, bring calmness in adverse surroundings,’ he recollected the words of Guruji. ‘And it is more needed at the time of crisis’ he reasoned, and closed his eyes, took a deep breath.
‘How long are you going to keep your eyes close?’ the sweet long waited words of the sweetheart startled him.
‘Guruji had the advantage of entering to Sanyas directly from Brahmacharya, how does he know the difficulties of Garhasthashram!’ He opened his eyes, the question mark in it.
Without answering she went to the phone and pressed a button.
‘Hi mom. I am going to Gurdip’s house for taking some notes and shall be late’ the voice of Avi came out from the recording message. Well, Satish could not figure out the meaning, the voice is of their only son Avi, Avinash. As the father, the son also has to give all details of his whereabouts in case of delay; that’s the rule of the house. As he tried to figure out the reason of concern, came another voice.
‘Goddam Avi, Come fast.’ The female voice followed in the background made him sit up.
‘After he came back home I asked him. He confirmed he went to Gurdip’s house. For your information Gurdip does not have any sister, and I am sure the sister would not have addressed Avi in similar way’. The cryptic voice gave the additional information.
Satish agreed.
The voice did concern him. No, he could not find out anything wrong in the voice, rather sweet voice only, the language might be called a little modern.
‘Am I becoming old?’ Satish thought.
No, he could not remember similar language spoken by any of his friend’s daughters.
‘But who knows? May be they behave extra ordinary way with us and use similar lingo with their peers?’ He reasoned.
Anyway matter looks serious enough. Avi is in his twelveth class. Otherwise he is good boy. Till now he did not cause any trouble for Satish. Rather Satish feels proud about his behavior. Both the parents are a bit over protective of their only son, which made them put him in a school instead of Junior college for 11th and 12th class. Satish feels that in schools the students are more disciplined. The school atmosphere retains the freshness in children.
Satish tried to take stock of the situation. He tried to recollect his childhood.
’16 is dangerous age’ he thought.
‘Adolescence is not an easy life, so many questions come in mind.’ He stifled the smile automatically came out remembering his own crushes. As a man he understands the mind of a boy of this age. But he cannot explain that to the wife. It will generate another family crisis, if he tells his tales.
‘Well leave it to me. I will handle. You don’t talk to him.
‘I don’t think there is anything to be worried about’. Satish tried to assure but but did not like the look she gave in answer. She left for kitchen, making Satish take a sigh of relief.
‘The situation is not that bad, At least we are not going to be deprived of dinner’. He felt relieved.
The dinner went off well.
‘Thank GOD, the curries did not get spoiled by the spoilt mood of my wife’! Satish thought.
After dinner they sat with their daily routine of sitting in front of the idiot box.
‘How are you faring up in coaching?’ His casual question got normal response from Avi. Now and then he has to withstand the parental enquiries on his studies. He has taken these parental enquiries as necessary nuisance of the process of growing up.
‘I believe you were late today from college?’
This question did startle him, Satish noticed.
‘Ya I had to go to Gurdip’s house for taking some notes’.
‘Where does Gurdip stay? Did I see him?’
‘No, They stay at Sainikpuri’.
‘Why you had to take note from him? Are you bunking classes?’ Satish asked again casually tried to make it palatable sounding as humor.
‘Last Saturday I bunked class for the cricket match. I told you about the match, we gave good thrashing to KV Bolurum’ he reminded dad, in tolerant voice.
‘Dad is becoming real forgetful’ Avi thought.
‘You were alone or there were other people with you’.
This time Avi looked up seriously.
‘Why should I take someone with me to take note?’ A clear sign of indignation in the voice.
Satish got up seriously, the trace of smile vanished from his face, switched off the TV. He pressed the button of the voice recorder.
Pin drop silent ensued.
Satish kept his eyes on Avi’s face, which first shown the sign of incredulity. The face became black.
‘She is my classmate. We went out to Bakers’ corner after college along with other friends. Today we were celebrating our win in last Saturday’s match’. Avi blurted out angrily.
‘Why did you lie?
‘Definitely mummy would not have liked it’ Avi’s angry voice came out.
‘You are being unfair to mummy. How did you decide she would not have liked it? It’s a pre-conceived notion you have. The notion you might have got from the TV serials you watch or from the attitude of some other mother, may be your friends’ mothers or maybe from some one else. Without giving her any chance you have given the judgment. At least you should have tried once.’
Avi sat there without answering, anger in his face.
‘I am sorry Avi. I am very much disappointed. I never expected this from you. I know you are studying in co-ed school and it is expected that your list of friends shall include girls. I am feeling bad that you did not trust us. You know very well that I don’t like lie from my family members. It gives me a sense of failure. I feel it is failure on my part as I could not give the confidence in my son to trust me.’ Satish spoke in small voice, the hurt very pronounced in his voice.
Avi stormed out of the room to enter his bedroom.
Satish looked at his wife, assuring her with his eyes.
Half an hour or so passed. Nobody spoke anything.
Avi came out of his room and sat beside his dad.
‘I am sorry dad’.
Satish looked at his wife, who was glowing with satisfaction. Satish patted Avi on his shoulder. Smile broke out on each face. Avi switched on the TV.
‘By the way, how does she look like?’ Satish asked, making all of them to splinter in laughter.
Labels: adolescence, girls
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