Just an Extra Bed Room............................?

Got this as a forward..


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................!!!

pathetic but true, these days life is like that a bird in hand is worth two in the bush is something we indians must realise...sunkan

Very true and touching post. it makes us think abt it.

a very touching post n makes us look in 2 ourseves 2 c where each one is heading?

Hi
Good post.It makes us realise that more than money and life in US there is something more that we can do being in our own country.
bye
sudharsini

Hello Ramya,
Really good post. Thanks for sharing.
Meenakshi Rajan

Thanks for the nice post.
This kind of realisation comes only through age, which canbe a lesson for the youngesters.
Sriniketan