ALSphere Foundation
It was a sizzling afternoon with the sun up in flames. Raghav Bhatia, the business tycoon was wiping the perspiration from his forehead as he walked up to the car parking. His son had asked for some juices, fresh fruits, and snacks as he liked to munch on them while studying.
As he sat in his car, his phone rang.
Raghav irritably took the call.
“Papa I forgot to tell you that I also wanted a new CD for my game”
“No game… just concentrate on the forthcoming exams” he was already losing his temper
” But papa, you had promised…” his decibels were also raised and irritable.
Raghav accelerated and allowed the vehicle to speed up.He had not slept well the previous night as the AC was not cooling properly and he had to call the technician.
The office was no better.Stuffy with the mild noise of the generator, had become a norm with looming powercuts.
Back home, the son was irritable pestering his homemaker mother Sunila to either make something to eat, or give him the TV remote, or his favourite play station.
Sunila was exasperated and tired. She was not able to concentrate on her online rummy which she was playing with her poker friends.
.
.
Evening brought with it the sweltering heat and its torrid dryness.
“There was powecut and our DG set is also having some issues”,ranted sunila.
Raghav phoned the electricity department
“Sahab, the transformer has exploded.We are at work and dont think it would take more than a few hours”
Hours seemed to just freeze.
Heat and sweat were taking a toll on all of them.
Raghav suggested
Lets go to the terrace.Im sure therell be some respite.
But papa mosquitoes…
Oh Raghav ..the dust and those servant quarters would be visible.I detest seeing those clumpsy lot…..she cringed her face in contempt.
.
The terrace had a starry canopy of the blue sky.There was a cool breeze from somewhere even though the leaves stayed still.
Suddenly they were distracted by some voices below, probably from the servant quarters which could be seen clearly from the terrace.
Children were joyous, laying the charpai and sprinkling water for the cooling effect.
The boys were shirtless and throwing water on each other, giggling.
An old lady sat on the threshold swaying a manual fan made of palm leaves.
The next house had a group of women singing some folk song.
How long had it been since he talked to people or sang ? He was lost in thoughts.
There was joy and no sign of any irritability or complains.
Raghav stared at them and saw his family doing the same, with awe, with delight and with a sense of losing out on the essence of living.
The summer night had taught them all a lesson of contentment, endurance and gratitude.
