Chapter 12: Dismay

                                    

                                          
" Where is Sohit?!" The old man had been awake for hours straight as he waited for a call. For hours, he had expectantly kept checking his phone ever other second in hopes that he would receive the call. So, all his frustration, he removed over the next best person that he could call. 
His other son. 
The father son bond was pretty typical. That old man wanted to be the deciding figure on every single decision that his sons were supposed to make and he wanted to be the one seeing his sons successful and happy in their lives. That's why, he got his first son to quit the "fever" of wanting to be a writer and forced him to be the youngest CEO of his own company only for his own good. And he got his second son to software engineering after which, he only naturally propelled the kid to continue doing an MBA. All for their own good. All he ever wished for was their good and all he ever wanted was to see both of them happy and successful in their lives. 
But success was different in his dictionary and different in his son's. Not the second one but the first, perfect son that he had didn't want the life he had and that was something that the old man knew very well about. 
He knew that if let, his son would much rather leave his 20 c job and write stupid stories. But he also knew that the job that his son so very dearly loved didn't pay enough and there was no sort of job security. He didn't know what it felt like being stuck doing a thing that you would never want to do but, he was sure that he was not letting his son waste his life doing something that might not get him anywhere. All he wanted was to see his son happy with money in hands and a good woman by his side with his grandkids playing around. He didn't know if the road that he had chosen was right or wrong and he knew that his son loathed him for everything but it was something he had a strong belief in. 
Because according to the world, there is no other way of living. Right? 
Study when you are kids. Get married when you are young. Have kids, get ahead in your career and eventually, everything will just be perfect by the time you eventually die. Be a good person. Do good. Love your wife. Be there for your kids. Be excellent in life. Excel in everything. That is the only way anyone should live if they really want to live, right? 
At least that is what his father thought. 
" Surya! Relax. He must be partying with Shaurya somewhere. It's Mayank's bachelor party. Can you please, just leave him for a second?" Said the only woman who really understood how the young man felt. That old woman who was only briskly knitting a sweater with no thought in her mind was the only one who wanted to and always did help her son. The old yet still beautiful woman was the only one who could stop his father from interfering too much and was also the only one who had tried her best to let him do what he wanted to do in life. Yet, her son had turned out exactly how she had feared he would turn out... A man incapable of making his own decisions. A dependent man. 
" What relax!? Listen Shubha! If that boy finds some hippie in that place and runs away na, it's all your problem!" Blame game. Isn't that every parent's favorite game? To blame the other one on the failures of their own children... It is. I know it. Every parent does it, subconsciously, unconsciously and sometimes, over each other's faces. 
" What?! How is that my problem!? He's a grown man! He can take decisions for himself!" When it came to fighting, the soft old lady was nowhere behind Mary Kom. Especially if she had to fight with her husband. People called it "cute bickering like a husband and wife" but till how long could they even cover up the fact that those two were not compatible with each other? One was a control freak and the other, a free, happy soul. It just didn't mix, not even after 28 years. All that had mixed was their emotions towards each other at that point. 
" That I don't know. But it's your problem! You were the one telling him na. Go beta. Live your dreams!" 
" Ha, so?! Did I say something wrong!?" 
" Oh ho ho! Did I say something wrong!? If he runs away right now, not only mine, but even your respect will be lost! I've fixed his marriage. Are you getting me?! His marriage!" 
" Ha! So what!? My son will marry whom he wants. And if you are talking about respect then let me remind you. You were the one who got the marriage fixed! I have nothing to do with it! Whether he runs away or not, I don't care. Ek toh, I birth three, 3 big kids, raise them. Cook matar paneer for you and then take responsibility for every bad and too! Ah ha ha. No. Let's do one thing. I'll do everything and you just sit and tell Sohit what he should not do in his life! Bolte ho. You know what? Get lost!" 
" Oh hello! All these diamonds over your neck. Who gave them? Ha! Your brother?! Because I don't think he ever gave anything more than a single set of fake earrings in the dowry!" 
Both were somewhere right in their own minds and both were somewhere wrong. For me though, the only wrong in their marriage was their marriage itself. Not their kids or their values. It was the fact that their parents thought that those two, different minded people could even blend together to provide anything good for the world. For now, all they were giving was confusing messages to their kids. 
" Baba. You called?" 
" Pch. Where is Sohit?!" 
" Bhai?... He's with that girl... Hmm. What was her name? Pari! Yes," 
" WHAT?! See! I told you that he'll find some hippie there! I don't get it! Why the hell does he have to be like your dumb self!? Why can't he be smart like me?!"
" WHAT DO YOU MEAN?! I'M DUMB!?" 
It's normal if couples fight. No marriage is perfect. 
That is probably the best line that I have ever heard older people tell me, till date because at least that way, I know that they are telling me the truth and not giving me stories on how everything in life should be perfect in order for you to be happy. 
There is nothing perfect in this world. Not even love.