Rachna Vinod
“Deeply lost in their thoughts, Bansi and Geeta were as silent as the atmosphere outside the aeroplane which was flying at a height of more than 37000 feet. Nothing was visible outside. Now and then, flying through some turbulence, would shake them a little. Their inner turmoil had shaken them violent enough to make them immune towards any outer turbulence. “A typical middle class working couple, their world revolved around their only son Bikram to whom they had provided good education and upbringing. Bikram grew up to be a hardworking and intelligent person. Sheer on his merit, he got a scholarship to study in one of the prestigious universities in the USA. He proved his merit there too. He continued getting one scholarship or the other and on-campus assignments kept meeting his other expenditure. Hardworking as he was, he enjoyed his studies. Unaware of the pangs of separation that his parents had suffered, Bikram’s phone calls to his parents became rare. He wasn’t able to conceal his irritation if ever his parents called him. Crestfallen they would look at each other.
How can anyone be too busy to talk to parents? They were never that busy for their son! Perhaps they were never busy enough, they would reflect! Maybe they belonged to a generation when neither the parents nor the children had the facilities of modern means of communication. May be none of the sides is emotionally heavily invested or maybe emotional investment is satisfied by technology now. And the technology didn’t require much space to accommodate one another! Wow! What a concept! What an evolution! Relations and relationships have become abstract! They need not be visible physically because the physical presence requires physical space which somehow is not considered that important. Such is the law of evolution that one has to move on with it. Evolution doesn’t stop with criticism. This is a flow of current which takes you along without letting you feel its onset. Entangled in many ifs and buts, perhaps and maybes, the time kept on moving and Bansi and Geeta too, kept moving on with time.“Then one fine morning, Bikram called his parents. He had got himself a very good job and bought himself a good house. Now he wanted his parents to come and stay with him. Bansi and Geeta were still imbibing this happy turn of life when in the same virtual call, he introduced them to a colleague Priya whom he wanted to marry during their stay with him. He told them not to make any preparation for his marriage because he and Priya had planned every minute detail as per their liking. Priya was a US citizen of Indian origin. She had studied with Bisan in same college and helped him a lot during his initial years in USA.
Years of friendship had culminated in their decision to marry each other. Priya’s parents had no objection. Bisan also sought his parents’ blessings. There was enough time for marriage ceremony. Bikram arranged everything including passport, visa and tickets for his parents without bothering them. They were just to travel comfortably to be with him.“Quick turn of events put Bansi and Geeta on their alert which they had developed in this process of emotional evolution. Like typical average parents, they had different plans for their only son. Here he was telling them not to do anything as he was all set for big day in his life. Bikram hadn’t asked for any financial support from his parents ever since he had left for higher studies. It had not been an easy life for him. For Bansi and Geeta, this was their first ever trip abroad. With mixed feelings of excitement and happiness, they landed in USA. There was a scene of emotional outburst. Neither Bikram nor Geeta and Bansi tried to stop tears flowing unabashedly from their eyes.
The unabashed display of love and affection had washed away all the apprehensions of being neglected, uncared or forgotten.“On decided auspicious date, the wedding was solemnised following religious rituals. Bansi and Geeta were very happy to meet Bikram’s friends and Priya’s family. It had taken them almost ten years to meet and see their son well settled. They were happy to see Bikram’s group of friends sticking together like a big family away from their own families. Although most of them remained in touch with their roots yet none of the friends seemed to miss anything back enough to leave this country where they had found conducive environment to realise their potentiality and enjoy better quality life. Bikram also seemed to have blended well. Blessing him profusely, they decided for return journey after the wedding functions were over. During all these years of separation, Bikram had thought himself to be too busy to miss paternal touch in his life but now in their company, he realised what he had missed all these years. All his sentiments hitherto confined to himself and known to himself only, supressed so far had found a vent. Once again, he felt like a child secure under paternal care.
He didn’t want any more separation from them. “Overcoming their sentiments and taking a decision very objectively, Bansi and Geeta fixed the date for their return journey. Very objectively because Bikram too had realised that he couldn’t leave a country where he had studied, got a decent career, married and made home. Geeta and Bansi had also realised that they had always wanted their son to do well in his life. They didn’t want to impose or distract him from his goals ahead with their sentiments of seeking his attention giving logics of support in their middle age or old age. Both the sides were wise enough to comprehend each other’s sentimental constraints. Letting it go but wholeheartedly blessing the newly wedded and controlling their emotions with heavy heart, Bansi and Geeta boarded the flight back home on a mutually decided date. Evaluating the latest phase of their life, flying at a height of more than 37000 feet, lost in their thoughts, contemplating the current situation, they were flowing and moving on with this evolution of emotions.
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