March 2007
It
Is An Adjustment
a
short story
by Ashwini Ahuja
Copyright © 2007 Ashwini Ahuja. All rights reserved.
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Ashwini Ahuja writes in both English & Hindi. In English, his first short fiction book SORRY SIR is signed with an Indian publisher. In Hindi, he has to his credit three published fiction books. He is a lecturer in India. More than 100 of his articles and short stories on diverse subjects have been published in India as well abroad and presently his first novel, A Rebel Of Innocence, has been accepted for publication in serialized form in an online magazine. |
He stumbles into his bedroom and sinks into
Dunlop mattress. Finding him upset, Wife asks worriedly, "What happened, darling?" Silence
remains his companion.
"Do you feel sick, why?" She puts her soothing hand onto his forehead to check if he has fever. He smiles gloomily. Putting his hand into trouser pocket, he then derives a mutilated paper of dark sapphire colour and tosses it down before his nice, caring wife.
"What’s it?" Wife enquires.
"One more tension," He yells.
"Tension?" Wife shocks picking up the mutilated paper.
"Unwanted expenditure."
"For what?" She narrows her eyes as she shoots a look on the paper.
"Oh, a letter from mother." She heaves a sigh deeply and places the letter on ground.
"Yes, darling, I’m terribly confused over it." He strokes onto his forehead.
"Babuji (father) is ill. Mothers is asking us send them fifteen-twenty thousand."
"Oh my God." Wife’s head falls into her cupped palms.
"Your babuji is really stupid who falls ill again and again." She crosses her eyebrows in irritation. "You know this month too I might not be able to buy you an Activa Honda bike." Husband grumbles strangely.
"No, no, I would thrash you if you do so," Wife threatens.
"I want Activa Honda this month, come what may." She pulls the collars of his shirt.
"Then-tell, tell, what should we do now, darling? Any idea to handle the situation." Husband grows turbulent.
"It is bad if we do not go there to see babuji. People would say that son is irresponsible towards parents, does not respect them altogether," Wife suggests husband.
"We must go, darling, to see babuji but…what about fifteen-twenty thousand?"
"Say to them that your wife too is ill. She has recently a miscarriage and you have to spend on her hugely. Perhaps they would arrange elsewhere."
"Is it not a cheating to parents? No, I can not hoodwink them, they are my parents. They had spent very much on my education."
"Try to understand, dear. It is not a
cheating. It is an adjustment. You don’t know we have our own children. How
might we pursue their career without money? For how long we might put up with
the burden of your parents. Forget your parents. Remember your own kids."
He was silent. Wife’s idea no doubt appears to him marvelous.
Contact the Author - ashwiniahuja@rediffmail.com