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ONE BEDROOM FLAT... AN INDIAN SOFTWARE ENGINEER'S LIFE... - A Bitter Reality

As the dream of most parents I had acquired a degree in Software
Engineer
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 Rupeevalue 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 were 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 were 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................!!!!

===============================================================

SECRET CRUSH: Time for a laugh!!!

HAVE YOU BEEN GUILTY OF LOOKING AT OTHERS YOUR OWN
AGE AND THINKING, "SURELY I CAN'T LOOK THAT OLD?"
I WAS SITTING IN THE WAITING ROOM FOR MY FIRST
APPOINTMENT WITH A NEW DENTIST. I NOTICED HIS DDS DIPLOMA, WHICH BORE HIS FULLNAME.
SUDDENLY, I REMEMBERED A TALL, HANDSOME, DARK-HAIRED BOY
WITHTHE SAME NAME HAD BEEN IN MY HIGH SCHOOL CLASS
SOME 40-ODD YEARS AGO.

COULD HE BE THE SAME GUY THAT I HAD A SECRET CRUSH ON, WAY BACK THEN??

UPON SEEING HIM, HOWEVER, I QUICKLY DISCARDED ANY SUCH THOUGHT.

THIS BALDING, GRAY-HAIRED MAN WITH THE DEEPLY LINED FACE WAS
WAY TOO OLD TO HAVE BEEN MY CLASSMATE.
HMMM,...OR COULD HE???

AFTER HE EXAMINED MY TEETH, I ASKED HIM IF HE HAD ATTENDED
CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL.

"YES. YES, I DID. " HE GLEAMED WITH PRIDE.

"WHEN DID YOU GRADUATE?" I ASKED.

HE ANSWERED, "IN 1957. WHY DO YOU ASK?"

"YOU WERE IN MY CLASS!" I EXCLAIMED.

HE LOOKED AT ME CLOSELY

THEN, THAT UGLY, OLD, WRINKLED SON-OF-A-BITCH ASKED,
"WHAT DID YOU TEACH?"

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Review Book :Confessions of an Economic Hit Man

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