Vihaan sitting on the stairs was trying to puzzle it out that who was fulfilling his wishes and also he was reminiscing his childhood memories, then Malvika ji came there with a glass of milk and sitting next to Vihaan holding the glass of milk said, "Do you remember Puttar ji how much fun you used to have with your sisters in childhood. You used to make paper boats out of the blank papers and float them in the water everyday. Those days of childhood were so alluring and filled with immense joy, tranquility and excitement."
"Yes! Buaji, but even today I could not make out that the paper boat on which I used to write my wish and set it afloat in the water, it used to get fulfilled only after a few days, why? Does it really happen?" vihaan said.
Malvika Buaji started laughing after listening to Vihaan's words, he once again said, "Aree Buaji, aree, really all my friends in school had a bicycle, I didn't have one. When I insisted in front of my mother, she said confidently, "write your wish on the paper boat and float it in the water your wish will be fulfilled."
And Daddy ji brought me a new cycle only after a week. After that every year I would make a boat, first write my wish on it and float it in the water and it would be fulfilled after a few days. Many of my wishes have been fulfilled by doing this, but now it does not happen. "You are really very gullible Vihaan, your mother lied to amuse you that day just like that and you understood her to be true", said the aunt laughingly. Vihaan said in utter surprise, "Then again all those wishes of mine. Who did it?""Your father had fulfilled your wish, in childhood as soon as you floated the boat, it used to turn from here to the other and pass near the window of your father's room. He used to take your boat out of the water and read your wish written on it and fulfill it, it used to take some time because he had to work twice as hard to raise the money.
One day when I asked your father to go straight and give him and why you were doing this boat play game with Vihaan? So he started saying that, "because of my harshness and angry nature which occured due to my hectic schedule of work pressure and that too I was unable to give plenty of time to my wife and children and I was getting strict due to the work load so I was consumed by rage. Thereafter, my dearest children were seeing the changes in me and they used to get sad and afraid of me so they are afraid to ask anything from me, they feel that I do not love them but it is not so, I love them, but with that love, I scold them because for their future it is important. My children should be happy, even if I have to work twice as hard for that, I will do anything for them. Your father was the one who fulfilled your each and every wish of yours in childhood, he never knew how to express his love by speaking." When the aunt said, Vihaan's eyes became moist, he cleaned the corners of his eyes and said, "Why did he never told me this?"
Malvika aunt smiled and said, "This is the only quality in these fathers, they love their children but never show it or you can say that they don't know how to express it but we mother's express our love by saying or by making child's favourite dish, but a father cannot do this, his love is in his scolding. It is hidden like a mystery. It is his love to repeatedly tell you to study because he want to see you moving forward in life. He has seen twice as many monsoons than you, Puttar ji he has more experience than you, just sometimes children do not understand the love of their father and start grudging against them, start hating them and leave them alone in the last phase of their life i.e old age, just like you have done." The last thing she said went straight and pierced Vihaan's heart like an arrow, he thought that what was wrong, Bua ji was right, Vihaan was also going to do the same, a drop of tears fell from his eyes, Bua ji got up and said , "I'm going Puttar ji, you also go to sleep."Vihaan sat there staring at the void, he was feeling very sad today. He was feeling very small in his own eyes and he was ashamed of the mischievous act which he had done with his father. He understood today that his father had a big heart which was filled with unconditional love,care, trust and everything. Tears of repentance started flowing from his eyes.
He woke up in the morning and came out on the verandah and saw Rajkamal ji was reading the newspaper. When Vihaan came to him, he left the newspaper and stood up and said, "Are you going son? Drive very carefully and slowly. There are many potholes on the village roads and they will be full of water because of the rain. Then Rajkamal ji told to Vihaan that Malvika ji has already prepared your breakfast for your way, please eat it. Don't worry about me, I am happy here, I will take good care of the glasses, then with a painful smile he said, moreover there is no shop nearby, who will get them made or bring me new glasses."
His throat choked while saying this, when Vihaan heard it, tears started flowing from his eyes, he went ahead and hugged Rajkamal ji and said, "I'm terribly sorry Daddy ji , I could never understand you. You were the one who fulfilled my wish in childhood and today at such a crucial time of your age I was leaving you alone, how much I had fallen, I became so mischief, mean and cheapskate, I had really done the heinous sin forgive me Daddy ji."
Tears started flowing from Rajkamal ji's eyes, he caressed Vihaan's back and said, "It is difficult for a father to show love towards his son, but it is more difficult for a son to hug his father. I want to be your pillar of strength, not a burden in your life.Vihaan took both of his hands in his hands and kissed them then said, "You are my pride father, not a burden." Rajkamal ji smiled, clouds gathered again in the sky and it started raining like cats and dogs. Vihaan looked at his aunt's countenance and said politely, "Bua ji please bring the paper."
And then said to Rajkamal ji, "Come, daddy ji he took him towards the verandah. Malvika Aunt brought the paper. Vihaan made a paper boat like he used to do in his childhood and handed it over to Rajkamal ji and said, "Take it daddy ji, let it flow in the water. Now it's my turn to fulfill all your wishes."
When Rajkamal ji heard this, his eyes were filled with tears of happiness. With moist eyes, he floated the boat in the water. After some time, when Vihaan started going inside with him, the spectacles fell from Rajkamal ji's hand and its glass broke.
Rajkamal ji looked at Vihaan and said, "It is broken again."
Vihaan smiled and said, "Let it be broken father, our relationship is intact, then what to worry about." Both of them hold their hands tightly and went inside smiling.
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My Dad- The Boat Of Childhood..!
NouvellesThe title "My Dad- The Boat Of Childhood" is a short tale and a mixture of fiction and non-fiction work. It's an emotional tale, especially on youth which is of today's era that how youth is harassing their parents when they turned old. When we were...