Short story-'Working deliveries'

Rabi and Sanya were a working couple.They were holding good positions in their respective offices.They not only cherished the monetary benefit that it brought them but, also the power and respect it gave them.


Everything seemed fine till sanya got pregnant.It was an unexpected pregnancy and sanya did not want to have the child.


Both rabi and sanya's parents promised to help them in bringing up the child.Though, half-heartedly, Sanya agreed to have the kid , she was concerned about her career .She managed to attend office till the due date.Finally, she delivered the baby.


It was a baby boy and they named him Kalil.


Sanya was back to office once her maternity holidays were over and Kalil was handed over to Sanya's parents.

Kalil grew up with his parents' parents-sometimes Sanya's sometimes Rabi's.Though Kalil was not lonely,he always missed his parents.But, his parents were very busy with their careers and were left with no energy for him in the evenings.


Days rolled by and Kalil grew up .


Rabi and Sanya had always bought him the finest of toys and clothes.He studied in the best school in town.
So, as usual they admitted him into one of the finest colleges.


By the time Kalil finished college, his grandparents had passed away one after the other.


It was time for Rabi's retirment too.He thought,"I can relax now,after all the years of toiling."


But, we cannot decide our fate.


Kalil fell in love with a girl named Banu,in college, and soon they got married.


Both Kalil and Banu were top ranking students so, they were selected into prime companies for employment.Their offices were close to each other,so Kalil dropped her at office everyday.


By this time,Sanya had retired from service.She was at home and so, she took it upon herself to run the house.Rabi also pitched in,now and then, to help her.


One night when Rabi and Sanya were alone,Rabi asked,"What about our world trip plans?We have retired,our son earns well and we have a sound finance now.Why don't we talk about this to Kalil?"


To this Sanya retorted,"How can we go?Both of them go for jobs and we are left to do all the care- taking of the house.Sometimes, I think we should move out and stay alone.Then we can go ahead with all our plans."


Meanwhile,Banu became pregnant and she delivered a beautiful baby girl on the due date .Three months flew away so fast and again it was time for Banu to join office.


Sanya and Rabi were more worried than happy,about their grand-daughter.


 Sanya told Rabi," If Banu joins office, bringing up the child will become our responsibility.We are weak now and taking care of an infant calls for lot of work.I am scared that Kalil will expect us to help them grow the child."Saying so, Sanya began to cry.


Rabi was scared too but, they were defenceless against their son.They had left him with Sanya's parents when he was just an infant.Sanya or Rabi had not shown interest in playing or talking to Kalil.


They were more into driving their careers up the charts and had not bothered about their relationship with their son, which was going down the drain.


With these thoughts Sanya and Rabi went to sleep.


It was the next day and all of them were having their breakfast.
Kalil began to speak."Mom and Dad,we wanted to tell you both about a decision we have taken."


Just as Kalil said this, all the thoughts of the previous night rushed through the minds of Sanya and Rabi.


Kalil continued,"Banu and I think it is more important that she takes care of the child, than earn money, at this juncture. If she joins office now,she will have to sacrifice all her precious time with the child.
I don't want my child to suffer like how I did.I missed dad and you in all the confusing and difficult stages as a child.


                         Secondly,dad and you are old now.You sometimes find it difficult to manage the household.We don't want to burden you additionally by asking you both to attend to our child.
I have seen how many difficulties my grandparents went through to take care of me. I don't want you to suffer in the same way."


Sanya and Rabi felt very guilty for having been very selfish in their life and for having been indifferent to the hardships of their parents and of Kalil.They realized their mistake ,when they are at the same threshold of life as their parents had been, years back.


They were very proud of their son for being sensitive of their plight.But, they cannot give back all the yester years in his life ,which he has lost,missing them.


But, they can surely do something and thats what they did.
They decided to stall all plans for their world trip.


They will stay with Kalil and his family and give them all the time and support that they had missed to give him before.


Medical note:

 According to developmental neurology(a science that studies the growth of a child), a mother should  take care of her child till it is 5 years old or atleast till it is 3 years old.This helps to give a strong physical and mental basis for the child for the rest of its life.It will also give a strong bonding between the mother and child.


The emotional component of a child is as important as its body.So,spending time to help the child grow emotionally is equally important spending time to help him grow physically. It is not very difficult-just listen to the child and believe in him.

Oedipus and Electra

I went for a stroll in the park.There I eavesdropped on a conversation between three friends.

Sorry ,but the topic was scandalous!This is what I heard:

"Oedipus and electra?
Who are they?
Lovers?
Brother and sister?"asked 'A' in total curiosity.

"Well, all you said are almost right"said 'C'

How can that be?lovers and siblings?any new sex club?asked 'B'

'C' was already laughing heartily hearing 'A' and 'B' guessing.
He could hear no more.
"Come on guys,give me a break.These are names of a boy and a girl, from ancient Greece."

'A' was intrigued,"from when have you started relishing history books?I thought you were into medicine."

'A' said ,"This is science.Now, listen:

Oedipus is the name of a boy who, according to Greek mythology, unknowingly killed his father and married his mother. "

A real freak,said 'B'.

"According to science, each young boy in his adolescence, symbolically relives the Oedipus drama. He has cravings for his mother and views his father as a hated rival."

"Hey,don't say that. I love my parents." intruded 'A'

"Yes,your are right. But , all these feelings occur because of certain necessary chemicals in our body called hormones."

"So, the hormone guy is the villain?"said 'A'.It gave him some relief.

"Even though the father is considered a rival, the boy also fears his father , as a result he represses his sexual desire for his mother .Eventually if all goes well, the boy identifies with the father and comes to have harmless affection for the mother."

Both 'A' and 'B' let out a big sigh of relief.

'B' was quick to ask,"Does all this happen to only we boys?Do girls go scott-free?"

"No.The Electra complex is the female counterpart. It is based on the view that each girl wants to possess her father and replace her mother."

"Real bitches!"they sang in chorus.

Felt like seeing an aborigine movie.I could not hear anymore.I was sweating profusely.so, I left the place silently.

There is so much I have to know about my body,I thought.

Go to think of it, like 'C' said ,this is a normal growing process.It happens to all, knowingly or unknowingly ,in different degrees.

It happens mainly in a person's adolescence but, it may extend beyond that phase ,for a few.So, a bit of caution has to be applied.

My God!They don't say adolescence is a difficult period for nothing.

Thank goodness, I have grown up now.

Short story-Memories

James and Rani were a beautiful pair.It seemed they were 'made for each other'.

They had loved each other in college and had got married, against many odds.They have lived happily for a year now.

It was their first wedding anniversary and they wanted to celebrate it pompously.

They had called all their friends.Since both of them were working on full-time jobs,they had a huge crowd to welcome.

James and Rani had a great time with their friends ; till James saw Raj.

Raj was a handsome and smart , young bachelor who worked in Rani's office.He is a good friend of her's too.

Rani used to mention about Raj occasionally, to James, whenever he had helped her out with problems in office.

James had not thought much about him till then.

Raj's striking looks and sharp intellect created an inferiority complex in James.

The function was over and all the friends had left.

But, Raj had not left James thoughts.He was here to stay.

James started asking his wife periodcaly about Raj and as to what she felt about him.Rani did not take these questions seriously in the beginning.But, slowly she started to sense changes in James' behavior.

James was falling a prey to suspicion day by day.

This affected his normal life and his relationship with his wife worsened.

At one point, James' fear reached fever pitch and he could not hold it back any longer.

He burst out at his wife with all animosity and allegations.

Rani was totally shattered and did not know how to respond.

She cried her heart out, but to no avail.Then, she thought going out to office would ease her nerves.She started to office.

Even then ,she could not bear to think that her husband could suspect her with someone else.

With all her mind clogged with these thoughts, she forgot to check the signals before crossing the lane.Fortune did not favor Rani that day.

She had a bad accident on her way, close to office and her head was injured.

She was admitted into the intensive care unit of a nearby hospital by her erstwhile friend Raj.

James rushed to see his dear wife, on hearing the news.

Rani took a few weeks to regain consciousness.

Rani's parents and James 'parents had come over to see her.

The doctor took Rani through a series of tests and declared that all her senses were back to normal.

But, that he cannot say anything about her memories.

All her friends and relatives came to see her.There was a big crowd at the hospital.

But, she remembered none.

She did not remember james too.

She only remembered the person who carried her to the hospital ,immediately after the accident -her friend- her friend Raj.

So, Raj, Rani and James live in the same flat now-a-days.James and Raj have decided on this arrangement till Rani remembers James.

All this on James request.

Note:

Today is James' and Rani's second wedding anniversary.But, she knows nothing of it.

James never had the guts to tell Raj what he had thought about him.Staying with Raj for one year made him realize what a fool he had been to think so.