I had to shift from New Delhi to Hyderabad
I had seen some really huge buildings, all under one compound wall, they call it as some ‘township’. Hoping to find my home, I went inside those buildings, but all in vain, and then I for a whole day I was in search of a roof. Then, from one to the other and then to another, I ended up literally searching for over a 10km radius, then at last, I found a to-let board. It was small but it was very beautiful from the outside. It was an independent house. I wanted to talk to the owner, I went inside and I rang the bell.
“Hi sir, this is Gurinder Chadda”, I started the introduction.
“Hi, is it the tolet board? Ha! Come in, come in”, it was a voice of a person who would normally be in his mid sixties, there was certain warmth in his voice.
“Yes Sir”.
“Where are you from?”
“New Delhi
“But are you not a Punjabi?”
“Yes, but due to professional reasons, I had to shift there some 3 years back”.
“Emoy, vintunnava? Tolet kosam evaro vacharu, tindaniki gaani tagadaniki gaani amaina taiyi, juice lantidi” (“ wife dear, if you are listening then get some juice kinda things to eat or drink, some one came by to see our other portion for a rent”)
“No sir, don’t wanna eat or drink anything right now”.
“Will you see the house then?”
“Yes Sir”.
Room was large enough for my family or two kids and my wife to stay. A couple of bed rooms, hall and a kitchen, it was spacious and there was a garden to play for my children.
“Are you a Bachelor?”
“No sir, my wife will come along with me but she will come here on Friday and I on Monday.”
“Any sons or daughters you have?”
“An elder son and a younger daughter”/
“Studying?”
“No sir, both are very little to be going to school, son is 4 and daughter is 3 “.
“You took your wife right after your daughter was born?”
“Well no Sir, you see she has come to stay with me after 6 months, till then she was with her family.”
“Do you have a company ID card?”
“Yes, here it is.”
“Oh you are from FCF Company, the software one I suppose?”
“Yes”
“So you are going to come on Monday?”
“Not the one that is coming, but the after this one.”
“How’s Delhi? My friends stays in Pushp Vihar.”
“Oh is it? That’s very near from where we presently stay.”
“How’s Hyderabad
“Very cool.”
“You get a hospital, a hotel, a bakery and almost all your multiplexes are pretty close to this area.”
“Yes Sir, I had seen all of them on my way here.”
“Pay, how much is your pay?”
“It’s 30”.
“Okay then your pay would be 5”.
“How about a lunch with us?”
“Thank you but I need to take a train in about 2hrs.”
“My wife is really a very good cook, it beats biryani at paradise too.”
I agreed and it was indeed very tasty. I gave him 2 months advance as it was customary in here.
“Sir, the rent receipt?”
“Not important.”
“Your Phone No?”
“Not important.”
“Your e-mail id?”
“Not important.”
“How do I talk to you on the day I arrive here?”
“Come here directly, I don’t work so its not important to have any of my details, I am a retired govt employee.”
“what if you are not here on the day I arrive here?”
“I am a retired govt employee, I don’t hang out much with my friends, I will not go anywhere except the temple and the hospital, I is really not important to ask for my permission for going into your house, its yours till the rent amount exceeds your stay.”
“If you give away your house to another then what will happen to me?”
“Silly boy, even I know the value of a family, go ahead, don’t worry, I will let you stay in my room if that happens.”
“I don’t want that to happen sir, you seem to be so good that you might go and stay somewhere and leave your portion to us.”
“Good, now when is your train?”
”Not important sir.”
“You want me to drop you in your car?”
“No sir, not at all important”
“Want something to eat on your way?”
“No sir, not important.”
“Good day Gurinder!”
“Good day sir!”
I came back after a 5 min drive from their place as I forgot my phone there. I entered their house and saw that my phone had its video cam on, though blank, it still had voices to listen to, the entire conversation was recorded. That was still a proof that I was there and I gave him the money as an advance at the end i heard that they were speaking something in Telugu that I couldn’t get it, when I reached Delhi
Old man said,” Poor guy, he’s really worried.”
His lady,“ Yes he reminds me of our son.”
“Don’t even talk about him in front of me.”
“Then why did you ask so many details, he really looks like our son, you really wanted to confirm if its our son or not right?”
“That’s not the point.”
“ ‘THAT’ itself is the point, I know you for the past 60 years of my life, you can’t deceive me”, I could feel that her voice was shaking, she might be crying.
“Now stop crying, he is not our son, he’s not at all important to me, there is a difference between our son and him, he is just our tenant.”
“Why did you charge him only 5k per month when it should have been 7.5k per month?”
“Please keep your mouth shut, it is not at all important”
“It is!”
After a silence interval of 2min, the old man says, “Yes, it is, he really looked like our son, but he’ not him. Hope he comes back even before Monday at least once, I wanted to see him again!”
Door bell rings and I enter.
It was not important for me to go there but something really took me there, call it fate or destiny, yeah, it did mean a lot to the old guy. I decided to take care of them as long as possible as my own father and mother, it is not important still….
mama, jus read da 1st para. caught my attention!
ReplyDeletewill finish when i find da time:)