Delayed Dreams

19 years back... the day of Diwali.

Lucknow.

“Aaj chotu ne gubbare ke liye zidd ki, aur main use dila nahi paya...” (today, chhotu was crying for a balloon, but i could not afford to buy for him)

papa was saying to Mummy in balcony after dinner in our single room house...

i was unhappy with papa because i did not get the balloon. My Papa never brings anything for us whenever he comes home from office. Rachna Didi’s papa got a doll for her, chiku’s papa got a toy car for him, they also burn lots of crackers on Diwali, but we do not get anything...

i did not care... and slept after crying.




9 years back... the day of Diwali.

Faridabad.

“No my Son, that is not a good one, i will bring a bigger one for you from Delhi...” i saw a father, unsuccessfully, trying to convince his son for not buying a balloon, for which he was crying. I could see the pain in the eyes of father. That reminded me of 10 years old similar incident...

I can never forget that...




Today, a week before Holi.

Kaiserslautern.

“Your father has bought Water Guns worth Rs. 400 for Mannu... see, this one is even bigger than Mannu...” Mummy was telling me during our Video Chat over skype. That again reminded me of that 19 years old incident, but this time in a different way.

Papa also could never forget that...

He was sitting next to mummy, I could see the satisfaction in his eyes, smile on his face... now he could afford to realize his parental dreams on his grandson, which he could not do for his own kids...