TWO PARALLEL UNIVERSES WE LIVE IN

 

“I do not ask the wounded person how he feels;

I myself become the wounded person.”

Walt Whitman

 

This woman is a parent of my two students. They are twins and are in class 12. Her husband is a drunkard. He is chronically insecure and doesn’t go out to work, nor does he let his wife to go out and work. They live in a rented place in a chawl, from where she earns a small amount by taking tuitions for a few students. There have been constant fights at home, including physical abuse. Every day, the struggle is a new one... The need of money being the heaviest burden to carry...

Last morning, I received this message from the woman:

“Good morning Sir. As my husband is at home, I am unable to call you. So, I am texting you.

I have to pay you Rs. 2,500 towards kids’ PD classes. As you know, Sir, my financial situation is not good. I haven’t paid my rent and the landlord is putting pressure on me to vacate. I told my father, that I have to pay Rs.10,000 for kids’ fees,  and if he could arrange from somewhere on interest. I told him, that I would return it to him in 3 or 4 months, as kids will start working by then, so, they, too, will help me.

My father has agreed; but, he could arrange only Rs. 4,000 now, and said he would try to arrange the balance in next month.

So, Sir, is it ok if you take some of your amount now and some amount next month, and the balance amount you give it kids so I can pay the rent? Or, if you can wait till next month, then, you take the full Rs. 2,500 from the next month’s amount which my dad will arrange. Please let me know, Sir.”

I am not a man of wealth, if by ‘wealth’ one means money. I have different kind of wealth – my teaching skill, my training and writing skill. And through this wealth, I have been helping the needy kids in my own way. These two kids have been studying under me for two years and I have waived off their full fees for two years. But, then, one of my ex-students, whose family, too, had to go through similar kind of stress and embarrassment (when he was my student), knew, that for last few years, I have been taking a few students, and if I waived off the entire fees, it would affect my position. Thus, this ex-student of mine, now well-placed in life, has been quietly paying me the fees on  kids’ behalf...

The left hand would never come to know what the right hand had been giving!

The mother of these two kids, wanted her two kids to attend our PD course (Personality Development held during the summer) and insisted, that I should take at least some amount (Rs. 2,500 for two of them). I had asked her not to worry about it. She wasn’t able to pay that, and, her helplessness can be seen in the above message...

“Ma’am, you just don’t worry about my PD fees. I will pass on the entire Rs. 4,000 when dad sends me,”  I replied.

I was left a lot disturbed after reading this message. Back in my village, when I was studying, the situation was very much similar... Every day was a new challenge to my mother... She juggled with her challenges endlessly. And, as years rolled by, when we grew older, the situation did change...

But, did I forget those days?

Just  as I was getting over the impact of this message, I received another one. This one was from another ex-student of mine. Thirty years ago, when he was studying under me, he was of similar age as these two kids now are.  He has his own two teenagers, now. He, his wife and two kids have been living in Canada for some years. He messaged: “Sir, we have come on a Christmas vacation; Just landed last morning. Can we come to meet you today morning, if you are free? I want my young kids to meet you.”

In next one hour, all four of them were in my office. When these kids’ father was their age, he was my student. The situation at home was exactly similar as I have described above – everyday was a new challenge for parents, especially the mother. So, this student of mine – now a well-placed man – hasn’t forgotten those days. He knows the privileged life his two kids are now blessed with... He has been regularly talking to his kids about those days, about me, and my influence on him etc. So, he wanted them to meet me, yesterday...

“Do you know why daddy wanted you to meet me?” I asked the two young kids, tenderly.

The young kids, from every generation, have their own unique challenges. The times they live are different. These two kids are certainly shielded from the financial challenges. But, their father wants them to be sensitive to the subject...

During the course of our discussion, I read out to my guests the message from the mother of other two teenagers. Before they left my place, my ex-student transferred into my account a small donation for our activities. “Sir, I am adding additional Rs. 6,000 for the mother of those two kids. Please keep it anonymous.”

The two young kids were witnessing a spontaneous act of kindness coming from their father...

The night before, while watching the videos in which Lionel Messi and his associates being treated to the extravaganza at Anant Ambani’s ‘Vantara’, and at Rajasthan, reportedly 70-lakh being burnt in a few minutes of fireworks at the wedding of a local MLA's son – yes, while watching those videos,  I wondered, how kids inherit two parallel universes!

I was, also, remembering Late Dhirubhai Ambani, who, as a young man, struggled hard as an attendant at a faraway petrol pump...

But, then, they say, it is sacrilegious to tell your kids about your struggles in life...

Have you not heard some saying that?

Nora Roberts says: “Feeling too much is a hell of a lot better than feeling nothing.”

 

GERALD D’CUNHA 

Pic’s: Pixabay/AnnieSpratt

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