Collecting Memories; Deep Condolence at the Sad Demise

A letter to my friend, who totally disturbed by the sad demise of the father and the nine-month old embryo of his friend once. It was by her, his life changed and made meaning to future. Though they loved each other and dreamt to live long together, it became impossible, being he was from a very humble background. The day her father commented "how can I imagine my daughter go with a person having a shattered family and without any sustenance in par with us” prompted him to kick start a new journey. When her parents plucked her away from his proximity, he decided to fight for a prosperous tomorrow by taking those words as a challenge. At last, he gave a tit for tat, though that not was enough to fulfill his dream. Even though the story is thrilling, it is heart breaking too........................................

Days were hard and nights were tiring for my friend. His father was a wholly drunkard person without any care and consideration for his family. It was difficult for him to find money for his education despite all the worries and perils. Being he had three elder sisters, the whole responsibility went in to his shoulders; their marriage, related expenses etc. became too heavy for him to afford.

He was not ready to give up. Working hard every day, he fought with all the challenges he forced to face at his tender age. In a short span of time he worked as news paper boy, chit fund agent, sales man, worker in hotels and bakery and many other possible options for earnings. Sadly, situations made him weak in his studies.  Being a hard working young man, his Master and his family cared him with special fondness. They had a chain of business and four ships.

While inching days, he happened to be in touch with the daughter of his Master that gradually deepened and became inseparable. To call a spade a spade, they became fell in a silent love. Though her parents found it as a friendship initially, they didn't like to progress this affair. As they wanted to deviate him from this, once commented;”how can I imagine my daughter go with a person having a humble family background and without any sustenance in par with us” prompted him to kick start a new journey. When her parents plucked her away from his proximity, he decided to fight for a prosperous tomorrow by taking these words as a challenge.

It was a few days after this incident I met him at my post graduation degree course. A lean long person with paled face! His hard experiences already made him harsh and short - tempered. He often found uncomfortable with many. However, we became closer day by day and thicker. Though he was not very intelligent, he striven hard and behaved very politely to teachers that also made him an acceptable student among the teaching fraternity. Behold and behold, he continued his part-time job till the end of the course. I clearly remember, he was very reluctant to move forward initially, but gradually he became an active contributor of our group. Beyond any second thought, I will say, he was honest, genuine, dedicated, pious and an individual with strong values and ethics. 

There was only one and last recruitment in that year where ten of us selected for the interview. The days where very crucial for us, being we were in a dire need of job. We prepared and prepared amid all limitations.  Desperately we dreamt for a job which can fetch at least ten or fifteen thousand that gradually reduced to eight thousand and finally a mere job. We were neither professional nor well groomed physically and mentally. Our communication was totally mundane which was not suitable for any corporate affairs. However, we uttered whatever came in our mind at the time of group discussion and interview, which we later realized nonsense. 

Days moved. We were in heels about the results and shared our apprehensions every day. At last, the results came. Adding agony to our tensions, none of us managed to enter in the main list and with luck I became listed as the last candidate in the waiting list. Being the job was not very promising; a few didn't turn out that helped me to be one among the choosers. The bidding of fare well was not very cherishing to us where we both kept away from celebrations being our mind and mood was in wilderness. 

I was deeply moved and pained by the poor fate of my friend and a little bit complained about the mercy of Almighty who blinded his eyes at a genuine disciple. The day, he back to his manual work and I moved to my professional job was totally painful.

I was with another close friend at the job and one among the three. With joy and aspirations, we spent days at the office. I was the weakest among them and performed very pathetically compared to my colleagues even though I boasted for many invaluable things. I and my friend weaved plans for future at the lodge a few kilometers from the office. He was very intelligent and organized but almost like another friend and very poor in all ways. We were find difficult to push days being our purse and belly were almost empty. Fortunately, among the two poorest people, I was rich and I helped him as much as possible. 

We shared and compared prospects of the job and salaries of the employees of the company and estimated a pay package of twenty five thousand. While days moved our dreams and aspirations also shrink and we were almost in a position of accepting a pay package of eight thousand. One day, as a bolt from the blue, we realized the truth - it was not a job; but only placement training. We were burnt out and cursed our teacher who pushed us to this trap. However, we hope to be a part of the organization as it had various projects. 

After a month, I was assigned for a field project and left the city. In between many things happened. Being I was very active in field projects I managed to bring their positive nod and became the only one who was in the final selection. The third among us was already decided to quit from there being it was not a cup of her tea.

It was another day of disappointment where I realized I should also leave my (another) friend in the mid way of despair. I am not capable to recollect the day and the withered face of my friend whom we together shared all our aspirations and apprehensions. Now both my friends are in misery and lead a lackluster life that made me restless. However, I enjoyed my job and proud of the admiration, despite I had only a very meager income. Both of my friends were wandering here and there for a job; but nothing happened. At last they found some jobs somewhere and moved as I cherished with my menial earnings. 

I still remember the day where my friend called - he wants to stay somewhere away from his house being he was disturbed by multiple issues. He attended some training programs and interview in Bangalore and returned without any job. In between, my job profile and salary improved to a modest level and I was about to shift to a new job. I helped my friends many ways possible within my limitations; but that was not enough to serve the purpose. He once said "It is my forty third exam and I have no money with me to apply any more. However, I have no option and I should". It cannot be faded from my memory where a day he returned a few sum of money which he brought from me a few months ago. He face looked lifeless and his eyes became welled - up. With despair and deeply excruciating agony he commented "we born in fire, live in fire and how we proceed.......can't give up". To an extent...... I was also about breaking down. As a last resort, I tried to position him in my position while I leave my company; but he failed to get through that too.

While I asked him about his girl friend, he maintained a cruel silence that was apparently portraying his wounded heart. "I never call her after that incident; but we meet rarely. I know she still loves me and me too........." He called me the day where she engaged with a rich business man. He found down and filled with haplessness. Amid this, he and his family exchanged their blessings.   

World moved and changed that also started to leave traces of change to me and my friends. After continuous search another friend found a job in an MNC; fortunately that was absolutely suitable for his interest. He is now the Country Head of Finance (an IT MNC based in UK)

It was a quiet calm evening around eight O' clock; my friend called me in rush. He was in jubilation and festivity. He said; "results are out; I am in the list. My rank is 72". It erupted and became an ecstasy. I was the first person to hear the glad news from him.  My friend is going to be a civil servant, one of the most prestigious posts in the Government of India.  

After years, we still continue as friends. We often share our past days and future plans and stay together once in a while. When I last met him at Trivandrum a few months ago and stayed with him for a couple of days; I understood; it will take more time to get a relief from injuries. He accepted frankly; “it often irks me deeply and not easy to obliterate from the walls of my heart”.

Very recently, I heard about the other side of the story. My friend only shared it with sadness. "Her father died in an accident after a few months of her marriage and a subsequent stroke made her mother a lifelong paralyzed. Adding salt to injuries, the baby she carried during this mourning period found lifeless after nine months".

I was stumbled and elusive. After a few days, I wrote a mail to my friend.......

"Deeply disturbed and upset over the pre-mature death of the infant of a already despaired lady in torturing fire of agony and anguish. After and introspect and ponder over the plight my fellow friend experienced for a long period, I am afraid to reasoning in to a probables and apprehend to blame my miffed friend. Though the sad state of developments became a bless in disguise to you, the repercussions cannot be afford by any human minds. 

The bad luck consistently haunt your friend may be curbed by a pious wish of yours. To grind a halt to her miseries and worries, let's pray for the poor girl for a while.

Certain things which are definitely beyond our control; she may be forced to follow the principle. But the truth alone will triumph at last, which proved right. 

Don't be mowed at any time. Be Resilent

With you at this sad moment.

Your friend in rain and rush

@P

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