An Indian Software Engineer's story

[Sai Krishnan]

A Bitter Reality

As the dream of most parents I had
acquired a degree in
Software Engineering and joined a
company based in USA, the
land of braves and opportunity. When I
arrived in the USA, it
was as if a dream had come true.
Here at last I was in the place where I
want to be. I decided I
would be staying in this country for
about Five years in which
time I would have earned enough
money to settle down in India.
My father was a government employee
and after his retirement,
the only asset he could acquire was a
decent one bedroom flat.
I wanted to do some thing more than
him. I started feeling
homesick and lonely as the time
passed. I used to call home and
speak to my parents every week using
cheap international phone
cards. Two years passed, two years of
Burgers at McDonald's and
pizzas and discos and 2 years watching
the foreign exchange
rate getting happy whenever the Rupee
value went down.
Finally I decided to get married. Told
my parents that I have
only 10 days of holidays and everything
must be done within
these 10 days. I got my ticket booked in
the cheapest flight.
Was jubilant and was actually enjoying
hopping for gifts for
all my friends back home. If I miss
anyone then there will be
talks. After reaching home I spent
home one week going through
all the photographs of girls and as the
time was getting
shorter I was forced to select one
candidate.
In-laws told me, to my surprise, that I
would have to get
married in 2-3 days, as I will not get
anymore holidays. After
the marriage, it was time to return to
USA, after giving some
money to my parents and telling the
neighbors to look after
them, we returned to USA.
My wife enjoyed this country for about
two months and then she
started feeling lonely. The frequency of
calling India
increased to twice in a week
sometimes 3 times a week. Our
savings started diminishing.
After two more years we started to
have kids. Two lovely kids, a boy and a
girl, were gifted to us
by the almighty. Every time I spoke to
my parents, they asked
me to come to India so that they can
see their grand-children.
Every year I decide to go to India… But
part work part
monetary conditions prevented it.
Years went by and visiting
India was a distant dream. Then
suddenly one day I got a
message that my parents were
seriously sick. I tried but I
couldn't get any holidays and thus
could not go to India ... The
next message I got was my parents
had passed away and as there
was no one to do the last rights the
society members had done
whatever they could. I was depressed.
My parents had passed
away without seeing their grand
children.
After couple more years passed away,
much to my children's
dislike and my wife's joy we returned
to India to settle down.
I started to look for a suitable property,
but to my dismay my
savings were short and the property
prices had gone up during
all these years. I had to return to the
USA...
My wife refused to come back with me
and my children refused to
stay in India... My 2 children and I
returned to USA after
promising my wife I would be back for
good after two years.
Time passed by, my daughter decided
to get married to an
American and my son was happy living
in USA... I decided that
had enough and wound-up every
thing and returned to India... I
had just enough money to buy a
decent 02 bedroom flat in a
well-developed locality.
Now I am 60 years old and the only
time I go out of the flat is
for the routine visit to the nearby
temple. My faithful wife
has also left me and gone to the holy
abode.
Sometimes
I wondered was it worth all this?
My father, even after staying in India,
Had a house to his name and I too
have
the same nothing more.
I lost my parents and children for just
ONE EXTRA BEDROOM.
Looking out from the window I see a
lot of children dancing.
This damned cable TV has spoiled our
new generation and these
children are losing their values and
culture because of it. I
get occasional cards from my children
asking I am alright. Well
at least they remember me.
Now perhaps after I die it will be the
neighbors again who will
be performing my last rights, God Bless
them.
But the question still
remains 'was all this worth it?'
I am still searching for an
answer.................!!!
START THINKING
IS IT JUST FOR ONE EXTRA
BEDROOM???
LIFE IS BEYOND THIS …..DON'T JUST
LEAVE YOUR LIFE ……..
START LIVING IT …….
LIVE IT AS YOU WANT IT TO BE ……

forwarded by
saiK