A SHORT STORY ---" YOU ARE AN IDIOT! "

NOTE: We all know every story of fiction is based on some real life incident. So is true of this story,too. What I have done is the jugglery with the names, places, dates, professions and real qualifications of the characters. But the gist of the story is true, as also the characters. “YOU ARE AN IDIOT”-A REALLY TRUE SHORT STORY        "“This is Captain YONG MIN in command of SINGAPORE Airlines Flight No SQ-1065. I welcome on board all passengers for NEW DELHI. The flight time is five hours. We might encounter rough weather enroute; I would request all passengers to remain calm and composed. I expect you to strictly adhere to cabin crew instructions in an emergency. I, on behalf of my staff members, wish you all a happy journey. Thank you”, Captain’s voice so echoed into Vikky’s ears.        “Five hours, I will be in Delhi”, thought VIkky, an ex Major of Indian Army, with a full name as Vikram Sharma. It was five years back he had left India and a budding career in the army to make his future in USA-- the land of plenty--- a dream destination of every young man of his age. But a lot had changed over these five years.  His dreams had come to a naught.  His lofty plans for the future had been shattered. Vikky did not know how he would face his father ---whom he had called a man OUT OF SYNC with modern times.  He was really peeved at self for using strong words against his father. But past can not be undone. This is why WISE MEN say,” Look before you proceed; know what you speak.” Spoken words cause more serious an injury than a dagger.         His father was a renowned and a respected neuro- surgeon in the army in the rank of a Colonel. Last time when he had faced his father, he had wondered as to how such a man of liberal mind and high qualifications was behaving like a feudal lord. He had told his father, then, “Grow up dad! Times have changed. Kindly come out of the decades of the Sixties/ Seventies of the last century.”  His father, Colonel Tarsem Lal Sharma had retorted, “YOU ARE AN IDIOT. YOU WILL REPENT THIS DECISION, WHEN THE REALITY OF LIFE WILL HIT YOU IN THE FACE. YOU ARE BLINDED BY YOUR PHYSICAL INFATUATION FOR HER. GO! DROWN YOURSELF INTO A FUTURE OF MISERIES”.  Vikram had left the house without second thoughts. His crying mother kept on pleading with him, reminding him of how she had loved him; reared him and brought him up. “You couldn’t be so cruel to your mother for a girl –who had put  up so many conditions for marrying you”, Mrs. Shakuntala Sharma   had begged. But all this had fallen on the deaf ears and Major Vikram Sharma had left in a huff. It was on July 29, 2003. And he was returning to India on 20 July 2008---almost five years later.         As the flight stabilized and the pilot asked passengers to take off their seat belts, if they wished to, VIKRAM slumped into his seat and went into a FLASH BACK of his life. He could remember the days of Operation Vijay, when he was posted in the Signal Regiment of a Mountain Division engaged in the eviction of Pakistani intruders from the KARGIL-HEIGHTS. It was the month of June 1999. Vikram was posted as a SIGNAL OFFICER with one of the Mountain Brigade. His job was to ensure uninterrupted communications during the operations.  He had just two years service.        One day, a team of journalists visited his formation for a first hand knowledge of ongoing operations against the militants. The team of journalists was accompanied by Captain Sanjana as a Liaison officer (LO).  She too was from the same CORPS as Vikram i.e. SIGNALS. In fact, she had been posted to his REGIMENTAL HEADQUARTERS, co-located with Divisional Headquarters at NIMMO—some 30 kms away from Leh on road Leh-Kargil-Srinagar.           Sanjana was, then, under posting to MHOW (MP) when Kargil incident flared up. She had sought this posting as she had wanted to do a course in management after she left the army. She had been an electronics engineer before she joined the army. She was very happy when her prayers were answered and she got the posting.  But the ill-luck struck in the form of Kargil-incident.  As usual there was so much of confusion then in the army that all postings were held in abeyance and she was stuck up with the regiment at Nimmo. She cribbed and cried but no one had listened. She had hoped to seek   admission into MBA at IIM- Indore after her terms of engagement ended in the year 2000. She was hoping to prepare for the examination at Mhow.  Therefore, she was keen to go but THE WAR-LIKE STUATION, as Vajpayee had called the KARGIL INCIDENT, came in her way.          Lieutenant Vikram was detailed by the Brigade headquarters to be the formation LO. It is then that Captain Sanjana and Lieutenant Vikram met for the first time.  In the briefing of the team by the Brigade Major (BM), one of the journalists asked the BM as to HOW DID KARGIL HAPPEN? Before BM could say anything, Lieutenant Vikram said,” sir, may I take on this question?” Every one turned their head, in surprise and shock, to the last row where Vikram had planked himself. Brigadier Prem Bahuguna looked irritatingly at his deputy, Colonel Yavesh Kanwar.  Deputy knew the capabilities of VIKRAM as he had known him since his younger days. He knew his father Colonel TL Sharma very well. They had been good friends after having been posted in four stations together. It was at the behest of Colonel Yavesh Kanwar that VIKRAM had been made the LO of the visiting team—normally a task assigned to senior officers.  Unmindful of his Commander’s irritation, Colonel Yavesh kanwar, who was himself a highly qualified and a reputed professional soldier, nodded his head to Vikram and beckoned him to come to front.        As soon as he got the green signal, he mesmerized every one with his eloquent speech and elegantly crafted phrases. He had counter questioned the questioner,” Sir, why did you ask HOW DID KARGIL HAPPEN? Didn’t you know? Should you not have asked the question: Why did it happen? Wasn’t it the more appropriate question? You should very well know---------” There was a thunderous applause by the journalist team when he had finished. In the bargain, he had won over the heart of Sanjana----or so it seemed. She met him after the lunch in the mess and they talked and talked for two hours. In the process she learnt that his father was a Neuro-surgeon posted at 92 Base Hospital, Srinagar. After she returned to Nimmo, she made it a point to talk to Vikram daily on the phone. She was growing intimately close to Vikram and he was no exception.  Thus, began a LOVE TALE which ended in a disaster in the foreign land.         Sanjana was youngest of the three daughters of a Military Engineering service (MES) clerk posted in Dehradun. She was brilliant in studies, all through out because she was always focused on her priorities in life. Sanjana always wanted to live in a posh bungalow and have a latest car to drive. But family could not afford all this. They couldn't even dream of this. Her parents had humble beginnings. Her two elder sisters were married, respectively, to a municipal clerk and a government school teacher of ordinary families. In fact, theirs was a family of refugees, who had migrated from Multan in Pakistan during the partition. Her grandfather was a railway employee, at Saharanpur, in UP. After his retirement the family shifted to a two room house in Dehradun. They could not afford anything bigger than this due to poor financial position. In fact till she joined engineering college, the family continued to live in this house. It is only after the marriage of her younger sister that financial position began to improve. The father-in-law of the younger sister was also an MES employee. His association with Sanjana's father gave new dimensions to financial health of the family.         In 1991, the family purchased a two bedroom house. A scooter was also added to family wealth in next two months. Her mother could now spend lavishly on purchase of jewellery. Sanjana knew the reason for the sudden jump in the family affluence. She had been a witness to her father's bulging pockets with wads of currency notes. She did not know the source but was circumspect of its origin. Definitely, she knew that it was not a sudden increase in the pay. But she did not care as long as she had been given enough pocket money by her father to spend on herself as an engineering college student.        Her father was a lowly MES employee, a mere clerk. He had begun to generate a lot of slush money after his association with the father-in-law of his second daughter---who was also a clerk like him. He had justified this to his family as a necessity to provide for the economic needs of the family. All the children found nothing wrong with this. Sanjana completed her BE in electronics and got selected as a woman commissioned officer in 1996. But she had soon realized that the army would not be able to cater for her dreams. This had galvanized her to do MBA from an IIM and quit army after five years. But VAJPAYEE’s WAR-LIKE SITUATION statement had put paid to her plans. She was looking for an opportunity to outwit the system, some how. She realized Vikram could be the channel.         One day in July 1999, she asked Vikram to help her go out on posting. A plan was worked out by the two.  Next day, according to the plan, she fainted in the unit lines and was evacuated to 92 Base Hospital, with the help of Major (Doctor) Sreenivas Rao, who was the Regimental Medical Officer (RMO) of the divisional MIR (Medical Inspection Room). There, she was referred to the neuro-physician. Vikram had already reached Srinagar to spend a weekend with his parents.  He broached up her case with his father. Colonel TL Sharma was influenced by the concocted story of family problems of Sanjana and her need to go away on posting. Colonel Sharma’s advice was enough to declare her low medical category (LMC). To cut the story short, before the KARGIL INCIDENT was over, she had gone out of the valley on sick leave. She could not have returned to the valley due to medical advice and she was posted to MCTE (Military College of Telecommunication) MHOW.         In the year 2000, she chucked the army career and got MBA admission in IIM Indore. At the same time it must be remembered that she too had really got infatuated to VIKRAM.  The hitch was that she had been four years elder to Vikram. In addition to this, she was not as beautiful and fair complexioned as against the striking personality of Vikram.  Somehow, Vikram was always scared of these negative points coming in their way. But as a young man of PRINCIPLES, like his father, he had decided to fight all odds to attain his lady love.  Sanjana too loved him but remained focused on her own dreams. She completed her MBA in 2002 and picked up a job with HCL—as a marketing manager at New Delhi. Without the knowledge of Colonel Sharma, the SANJANA-VIKRAM love blossomed. Most of the time Vikram spent her leave with her.  Somehow, she started asking VIKRAM to leave the army and do his MBA like her. She told him that as an engineering graduate like her, he had a tremendous potential. This influenced Vikram—all ends up. He resigned.            It was 1300 hours on 23 January 2003 that Colonel TL Sharma, at Command hospital Chandigarh, got a call from Brigadier Yavesh Kanwar, now promoted and posted as Deputy Military Secretary at Army Headquarters.           “Tarsem, what have you done?” howled Brigadier Yavesh.           “Why, what happened, sir?’  Colonel Sharma extended the military courtesy to his old friend.            “Why have you allowed Vikram to resign?” Yavesh was enquiring.            “Vikram resigned? What are you talking, sir?” Tarsem questioned back.              “Not only resigned---It is also approved. He will be released on 31 July 2003.” Brigadier Yavesh had let go another missile.  Colonel Sharma was shocked. He did not know what has happened.              He could only say on the phone, “I have no idea—what has happened? Why has he resigned? Why didn’t he inform us?”  He was losing control of his nerves and phone kept yelling,” Hullo---Hullo---Hullo---Tarsem----Tarsem----Tarsem, do you hear me---do you, dammit?”  But Tarsem was speechless. Words did not come to his mouth.  He was fully under a severe NEURO SHOCK.    A neuro surgeon was helpless victim of his nerves.               In walks his assistant, Lt Col Sreenivas Rao, who finds Col TL Sharma sitting motionless in his chair with his head held in both arms. He surveys the scene and asks,” Sir, any problem". But he gets no reply. He shakes him and Col Sharma regains his senses. Sreenivas Rao repeats the question and Col Sharma lets out what his friend, Brigadier Yavesh Kanwar, had told him. It looked strange to Sreenivas Rao, too. Everyone knew what a brilliant career Vikram had in the army. He had been getting DISTINCTION on all courses. The question was why did he leave? Suddenly,  Rao remembered something. He shot,” Is it because of that girl?’                Now this was another shock for Col Sharma. “Which girl?” he retorted.                “Arre, sir, same girl---Sanjana –you remember—whom I had evacuated to 92 Base Hospital from KARGIL---don’t you remember----you had made her LMC---so that she gets posted out. I had requested you to help her out”, Sreenivas Rao spoke thus.                “But how is she connected with his leaving the army?” Colonel TL Sharma questioned back.                “Oh! Vikram didn’t tell you that he was in love with her? You see, it was VIKRAM only who had requested me then to evacuate her to 92 Base Hospital. He had assured that the rest he would manage through you. And definitely you did make her the category”, Sreenivas Rao was revealing.              “But he never talked to us about her over the last three years or so”, Colonel Sharma was astonished.               “You better check, sir. This girl had plans to do MBA and then quit the army. In fact, general impression of the people, then, was that both were madly in love. It was talk of the Signal Regiment. I don’t know how you didn’t come to know? Where is vikram posted now-a-days” RAO was inquisitive.               “He is in New Delhi. Yea, this girl Sanjana is also there. I remember I had met her in the DSOI at Dhaula kuan once. She was with some friends—she had told me. But Vikram behaved as if he didn’t know her. She came to thank me there for making her LMC and enabling her to quit so that she could pursue her higher studies. I had never remembered the episode. I know she claimed she was working for HCL. She had boasted that she would fly out to USA in next five six months. Hold on? Is this why Vikram-------.” It began to click now. Col Sharma was recollecting his last visit to New Delhi, when Vikram had urgently called him over. He had wanted to discuss something very very urgent but then backed out by saying that he had only tricked him to come and stay with him?            “Did Vikram develop cold feet at the last minute, when I had unknowingly remarked to Vikram to marry a girl from a good cultured family—not necessarily rich and affluent but decent family of some respectable name? To be frank, I had casually said that as and when he would select a girl for himself I would like to see four ingredients in her. One, she should be extremely beautiful matching his personality. Two, she should be tall with a minimum height of 5feet 7 inches. Three, she should be highly educated--a post graduate, I would prefer. Four, She must come from a decent, cultured family of good values. I had warned him that I would like his FATHER-IN-LAW to be a dignified person with whom one could sit and enjoy a drink gracefully in the evening.” It was now clear to Colonel TL Sharma. Everything was falling into place. Links were providing the clues. He had to just put two and two together.         “Oh, yea, he had asked me about Sanjana---my opinion –‘isn’t she decent enough to thank you, dad? What do you think of her’, he had said. And I had dismissed it saying,” She seems to me extra smart---a manipulating girl—and she is artificial in her conduct. I do not see her as a match for you. He had laughed it out saying, ‘ I had not said with that intention'. I thought the matter ended there. ” Colonel Sharma disclosed.           “That’s it, then, sir.  She is the key. Get in touch with Vikram----No, you go to Delhi and check” Sreenivasrao had suggested.            Next morning Colonel TL Sharma and his wife had reached New Delhi. They caught up with Major Vikram in the 'Battle Honours Mess '. He was surprised to find his mom and dad, so unannounced.            "You have surprised me dad" Vikram had just opened his mouth that Col Sharma burst out in anger," When have you become so big to make your own decisions". Vikram was flabbergasted. But he responded calmly," Relax Dad! What is the problem? "               “Have you resigned from the army?" the question was point blank.                "Yea, I am being released on  31 july  2003. Why are you so worked up? You only had told me to make my own decisions in my life. What is the hassle now?"  Vikram had shot back without any hesitation.                 “You could have consulted me. What was the urgency", Colonel Sharma asserted.                   “Look dad, I do not want to stagnate in this damn army like you--a highly qualified NEURO SURGEON ---Who has quiet a name all over India-----A SUPER --SUPER SPECIALIST but surviving on just Rs 20,000 a month--Can not afford more than a damn MARUTI-800. I want to grow and become big." Vikram answered.                 “But the money is not everything in life. It is the job satisfaction and dignity of work-------mental satisfaction, Vikram", Col Sharma discoursed.                   "Exactly dad---the mental satisfaction ---I do not have  it in this army. Look at outside the army. My Batch mates earning three times your pay--you--- who have put in 28 years service--15 years experience as a Neuro surgeon--extremely qualified--getting just peanuts.  Do you want me to rot here ", Vikram replied arrogantly. All this while Shakuntala Sharma was quietly listening to the father-son verbal dual. She suddenly intervened," Vikram, What will you do after you leave the army? Have you got the job with some company?"       " Mom, I am planning to do MBA from a university in USA. I have already got admission in University of Southern California (USC)--Los Angeles. The course starts in the Mid August 2003. I will be leaving in the First week of August 2003." , Vikram was very curt.       "So, this is news to us. You do not feel like informing us on anything", Col Sharma again butted in.       " I would have dad--at an appropriate time", Vikram responded.       "Any thing else you would like to tell us at an appropriate time" ,Col Sharma sounded sarcastic.         "I do not know what are you getting at Dad", Vikram lamented.         "You know, Vikram, you know what I am talking about ---You just do not want to tell us ", Col Sharma remarked.          " No riddles, dad--I do not understand anything---come to your point", Vikram had pleaded.           "Who is Sanjana?" Mrs. Shakuntala Sharma broke the ice.           "What is this? What Sanjana? I do not know anyone" ,vikram replied sheepishly.           "The same girl --whom you had got down categorized in 1999 to help her get out of the Valley" Col Sharma provided the inputs.            "Oh, she left the army---did her MBA from IIM Indore and currently working with a MNC. Dad, you met her last time, didn’t you", Vikram informed?            "IS she in new Delhi? How often do you meet her?" Mrs. Sharma asked.            "Yea, she is here and I keep meeting her. She is working with HCL. Why what is the problem?" Vikram was clarifying.             "Do you have an affair with her?" Shakuntala asked with great pain.            "No mom, she is just an old acquaintance from The KARGIL days. We are good friends---that’s all", Vikram was seemingly uncomfortable.             "Do not tell a lie, Vikram-- I have all the reports from your friends of those days" Colonel Sharma intervened.            "Dad, there is nothing like this what you think--you met her last time at the DSOI when you came last. Come on relax, I am not going to do anything without your blessings", Vikram was assuring.            "This is really like my son."  Shakuntala burst out with joy.             “Shaku, do not go by such statements" Col Sharma expressed doubts.             "Relax, dad! If you are so suspicious, start looking for a girl for me" Vikram had told his father. This really bought them over. They asked him to come home after he is released from the army in July 2003. It was a happy family again.           In the evening, all of them called on Brigadier Yavesh Kanwar and had dinner at his place. There, they learnt that Brigadier Yavesh's daughter and Son, both happily married, were in California, USA.  The daughter Akanksha was in San Francisco and the son Bhavender was in Los Angeles.  He asked Vikram to meet them when he goes to USA. There again Colonel Sharma and Vikram had a heated exchange on the plentitude of opportunities outside the army life for qualified people. “Why should a person of your caliber and standing be wasting time in the army”, Vikram had told his father. Brigadier Yavesh had merely shrugged his shoulders and said, “Times have changed. This is why my son did not join NDA after his selection---though I wanted him but his mother was a big De-motivator. I don’t know what will become of this army if we do not get the quality material. This is also the major cause of the virus of corruption spreading in the army.”  He further added with a sigh, “A lot of ‘undernourished and hungry’ gentry are now coming to the officer cadre of the army. They can only look after themselves. How can one expect them to look after their soldiers?”        Thus, fully satisfied, Col Sharma and Mrs. Shakuntala Sharma returned to Chandigarh next morning. All said and done, father was disturbed with the state of mind of his son.     That day in the evening, Vikram had got a call from his younger brother, SUKARAM, doing MBBS and in the final year at AFMC Pune. He had asked VIKRAM if he had told the truth of his marriage to 'Mummy-Papa'. Sukaram was four years younger to him. He told his brother if Vikram did not tell them now, then, in July 2003 when he goes on 'Term-Vacations' he would tell them. They had no sister. Sukaram had known SANJANA-VIKRAM court marriage in July 2002 at Indore. The marriage was attended by Sukaram and Sanjana’s parents and sisters. He had always advised his elder brother to inform the parents. But Vikram had only one reply," At the appropriate time". Sukaram was always critical of SANJANA's parents--who had been exploiting her emotionally and she instead did the same to Vikram. Sukaram hated this streak of emotional blackmail in the family. He tried to warn his elder brother but Vikram was so deeply in love that he refused to see this aspect of Sanjana's character. The only fault of SUKARAM was that he loved his elder brother and he always supported him to the extent that he too had hidden the vital fact from his parents. He knew that the day they learnt of truth it would be a Nuclear Explosion. But he could not help it.       Came 20 July 2003. Sukaram came on the term vacations to Chandigarh.  The day of his arrival some guests came to see his parents. Sukaram could make out that uncle was an IAS officer and secretary in the government of Haryana. But the conversation veered round to some marital proposal for Vikram. After the guests left, Sukaram spoke to his parents. He asked them as to how could they say yes without consulting Vikram. His mother told him that VIKRAM had only asked them to look for a girl before he went to USA. In fact, Sukaram learnt that marriage was being planned around second week of August 2003. He was shocked. That night after dinner, he spoke to his elder brother and chided him for keeping the parents in dark. What was worse, according to SUKARAM, that his brother had asked his parents to arrange his marriage? He could not sleep that night. He kept thinking as to how much was his fault in cheating his parents? Finally, he decided that whatever the consequences he would speak out the truth to his parents.       Next morning, Sukaram got up late. He learnt that his father had gone on Temporary duty to Srinagar for three weeks. He felt cheated by circumstances. He was tense when his mother came by with photos of two/three girls and asked his opinion. He became grim and speechless when his mother asked him as to what was his opinion of the girls?      This was too much for Sukaram.  He burst out, “Mom, Bhai (brother) is cheating you. He is already married to Sanjana”. Mrs. Shakuntala was shocked. She shouted, “What nonsense?”  Sukaram replied, “It is a fact, mama, Speak to Bhai. It is more than a year now since they got married.” With this all hell broke lose. Shakuntala lost control of self and started shouting around. Then she suddenly went quiet. She seemed to have had lost her mental balance. Sukaram rushed her to hospital.        Sukaram,also, spoke to his brother from the hospital, who rushed home the next day. She was treated in the hospital---Colonel Sharma was informed but the real reason was not told by Sukaram and Vikram. He decided to come back by 27/28 July 2003.  It took her five days to regain her normal condition and she was discharged from the hospital on 26 July 2003. She was indifferent to Vikram but he also did not want to aggravate her condition by speaking to her. But both the brothers did have heated exchanges on the propriety of each other’s act. Mercifully, they did not fight in front of their mother.            At 1800 hours on 28 July, Colonel Sharma came back after his temporary duty was cut short due to his wife’s ailment. In the evening, he was nicely greeted by his both sons and the wife.  He too being tired slept early. Next morning, he started checking his wife’s medical reports. He was surprised as to what led to  the sudden shock. He did not want to ask her as it might cause relapse. So, he called Sukaram and asked him the reason. Sukaram only said,” Ask Bhai”           “Why Vikram? He was not here. It happened in your presence, Sukaram” Col Sharma was questioning.            “Yes, but the cause is Bhai----you call him and ask.” Sukaram insisted.            “Don’t you know? I will ask him, too. Tell me what is the matter” Col Sharma asserted himself.             “It is VIKRAM’s Marriage to Sanjana” Sukaram let the cat out of the bag.              “What---what—what-----What?” Col Sharma sounded confused.  Sukaram told his father the complete story of marriage. Sanjana was financially supported by Vikram during her MBA course. In fact, she had laid this condition for marriage. Also, she had laid another condition that Vikram’s parents should not attend the marriage, as they would not like her parents. Sukaram was also, an uninvited guest for the marriage.              “Vikram! ---Vikram----Vikram-----Vikram, where are you? Come here.” Col Sharma started shouting.             “Yes, dad! I am here.” Vikram had come into the room.               “What is this? What do I hear? You are married to Sanjana”, Col Sharma threw a volley of questions.              “It is true. I wanted to tell you so many times but could not muster up the courage”. Vikram clarified.               “It means you told us a lie in January this year” Col Sharma said.               “Yes, I did not have the courage. I wanted to tell you last time but you laid down four conditions” Vikram replied.               “So you don’t care what I tell you?” Col Sharma had said.               “It is not the question of caring---It is my life—therefore where is the need for CONDITIONS being laid down by you---Not necessarily every human being does have  your or my type upbringing . So, why go into family history”, Vikram argued.              “YOU ARE AN IDIOT. YOU HEARD ME, YOU ARE AN IDIOT—you will repent for this. You are blinded by your infatuation—what you call love. She is a girl of very low morals—I have seen her through. She will discard you for some other wealthy guy. You are an object of disposal for her. Such people of ‘shifting moralities’, they use you and throw you.  When you face the realities of life—you will cry, son.” Col Sharma had shouted.               “Enough Dad! Do not say a word more on Sanjana. She might not be beautiful but she is talented and brainy. She is in love with me”, Vikram had replied.              “Marriage, love or arranged, does not sustain and survive on TALENT and BRAINS but it is kept going by strong relationship founded on real honesty of love and trust. What you see in her as love is only a tinge of opportunism and sense of obligation towards you because you had supported her financially when she was doing MBA.” Col Sharma sermonized.             “Whatever, It is MY LIFE, DAD—IT IS MY CHOICE. I am leaving now.”               Having said this Vikram had started moving out of the house. Sukaram followed him. Shakuntala, when she learnt, ran to him and pleaded with him. But every effort was in vain. The storm, raging in Vikram, flew him out of the house.  Vikram had gone,discarding his parents as you throw out your old worn out suit. He didn't care what happens to his mother. He was in love and married to a girl of his choice. "What rubbish,my father talks", he had told himself in anger. ***********************************************************************************         “Gentlemen, we are over New Delhi. Soon we will land at the air port. You are requested to tighten your seat belts. Thank you.” The voice of the Captain of the flight SA-1065 pierced the ears of Vikram.         The flash back was over. He had expected his younger brother and his wife to receive him. He knew his parents would not come, though they were posted in Delhi. Sukaram was staying with his parents with his wife. Hehad joined the army as a medical officer, after completing his MBBS. His wife, his classmate from AFMC, too was in the army as a doctor. Both were serving in the same unit. The two brothers had somehow got in touch in 2007.         Sukaram knew how Sanjana had cheated his brother. She just did not support him during his MBA studies. He had to take heavy loan. Worse was after doing his MBA, he did not get a job and Sanjana had started misbehaving---calling him all sorts of names. She used to roam around with her own American friends. Her character had become suspect. She never asked Vikram to accompany her for the social parties, she attended. She usually came back heavily drunk from these parties and social gatherings and invariably rebuked Vikram. She was now working for a UK based real Estate company, which was selling houses in India to NRIs. She was the California head of this real estate company. Vikram was reduced to a domestic servant and a cook.          So much so, when Sanjana’s parents came, he was kept confined to the house while they all went out sight -seeing on week ends. The real trouble started when his student visa expired in August 2006 and changed to spouse visa H-4. But he was without a job—heavy loan to be returned. Sanjana asked him to go back to India-----claim his share in the ancestral property—and repay the loan by selling his share in the parental property. They had regular fights on this. She had eyes on his ancestral and parental property---his share could be around Rs two crores---she had told him that  his share worked out to almost half a million dollars---he could repay his loan of some $83000—and they could buy a house in the suburbs of Los Angeles, CALIFORNIA. This led to serious clashes and the marriage was on the rocks. He was penniless.         As luck would have it, one day he met Bhavender at a shopping mall, uncle Yavesh’s son and narrated his tale of woe. They had earlier also met when he was doing MBA. Bhavender was doing well. He was a Vice president of a software company. Listening to Vikram's tale Bhavender was touched. And so the help came---Bhavender not only got him a job in his colleague’s company but also gave him some money to hire a separate house.  It was around March 2007. Sanjana went her own way. They were not divorced but stayed separately and Sanjana had no checks to pursue her pastimes. Life took a different turn.            It was in April 2008 on 17 0r 18 April that he got in touch with his younger brother somehow. He had his old mobile number. Two brothers had been in touch. Luckily, Sukaram was posted in Jalandhar (Punjab) with an infantry unit as a RMO. Sukaram was also surprised—it was after almost a year he had rung him up. That day Vikram had just cried and cried even making his younger brother also emotional. It was Sukaram who had suggested to him to come on leave for a few days.    “Gentleman, we have just landed on the New Delhi air port. You are requested to get down after the aircraft’s doors are opened and the ladder is placed. I hope you had a comfortable journey. For your information, the outside temperature is around 29 degrees Celsius—it is cloudy and drizzling. It is Captain Yong Min wishing you all the best and signing off. Thank you”. Vikram knew he had landed on the New Delhi, airport. It had changed many times over. It gave a classy look. He wondered if INDIA had really changed like this airport. It was to be seen. *********************************************************************       As soon as Vikram came out of the airport, he saw Sukaram and his wife Arti standing there to receive him. He embraced his brother, tightly. They hugged and hugged each other. Vikram asked, “How is mummy- papa?” Immediately,there is a tap on his shoulder from behind and a thundering sound, “YOU WERE AN IDIOT--- YOU WILL REMAIN AN IDIOT”. Vikram swung back and saw his father and mother standing behind. Vikram tightly embraced his father and began to cry.         Brigadier TL Sharma, who had been recently promoted and posted to R&R hospital at New Delhi, said, “Do not cry son. We know everything. Bhavender had rung up his father and told them everything. Brigadier Yavesh told me, in turn. We got your number from Bhavender and asked Sukaram to ring you up. Anyway, past is past. Forget it as a bad joke.”        “Dad, I am really a big idiot—no” Vikram asked his father.        “Yes, you are------ go meet your mother who has been crying since the day she had come to know about your condition. Thank god, it was only last week we told her about your coming and what had happened to you” Brigadier TL Sharma had said.        “Thank you, dad!” So saying Vikram embraced his mother and it carried on for some time. It was an emotional union between the doting mother and the wayward son. Vikram only wondered if all INDIAN parents are like this---he thought "What an Idiot he had been to have abandoned such lovely parents!", he cursed himself. But who can remove that page from his life. It remains stuck. © rajee kushwaha., all rights reserved.