ONE BEDROOM FLAT... WRITTEN BY AN INDIAN SOFTWARE ENGINEER...

- A Bitter Reality
As the dream of most parents I had acquired a degree in SoftwareEngineering and joined a company based in USA, the land of bravesand opportunity. When I arrived in the USA, it was as if a dream hadcome true.
Here at last I was in the place where I want to be. I decided I wouldbe staying in this country for about Five years in which time I wouldhave earned enough money to settle down in India.
My father was a government employee and after his retirement, the onlyasset he could acquire was a decent one bedroom flat.
I wanted to do some thing more than him. I started feeling homesickand lonely as the time passed. I used to call home and speak to myparents every week using cheap international phone cards. Two yearspassed, two years of Burgers at McDonald's and pizzas and discos and2 years watching the foreign exchange rate getting happy whenever theRupee value went down.
Finally I decided to get married. Told my parents that I have only 10days of holidays and everything must be done within these 10 days. Igot my ticket booked in the cheapest flight. Was jubilant and wasactually enjoying hopping for gifts for all my friends back home. IfI miss anyone then there will be talks. After reaching home I spenthome one week going through all the photographs of girls and as thetime was getting shorter I was forced to select one candidate.
In-laws told me, to my surprise, that I would have to get married in2-3 days, as I will not get anymore holidays. After the marriage, itwas time to return to USA, after giving some money to my parents andtelling the neighbors to look after them, we returned to USA.
My wife enjoyed this country for about two months and then she startedfeeling lonely. The frequency of calling Indiaincreased to twice in aweek sometimes 3 times a week. Our savings started diminishing. Aftertwo more years we started to have kids. Two lovely kids, a boy and agirl, were gifted to us by the almighty. Every time I spoke to myparents, they asked me to come to Indiaso that they can see theirgrand-children.
Every year I decide to go to India.. But part work part monetaryconditions prevented it. Years went by and visiting Indiawas adistant dream. Then suddenly one day I got a message that my parentswere seriously sick. I tried but I couldn't get any holidays and thuscould not go to India.. The next message I got was my parents hadpassed away and as there was no one to do the last rights the societymembers had done whatever they could. I was depressed. My parents hadpassed away without seeing their grand children.
After couple more years passed away, much to my children's dislike andmy wife's joy we returned to Indiato settle down. I started to lookfor a suitable property, but to my dismay my savings were short andthe property prices had gone up during all these years. I had toreturn to the USA.
My wife refused to come back with me and my children refused to stayin India. My 2 children and I returned to USAafter promising mywife I would be back for good after two years.
Time passed by, my daughter decided to get married to an American andmy son was happy living in USA. I decided that had enough andwound-up every thing and returned to India. I had just enough moneyto 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 forthe routine visit to the nearby temple. My faithful wife has also leftme and gone to the holy abode.
Sometimes I wondered was it worth all this? My father, even afterstaying in India, had a house to his name and I too have the samenothing more.
I lost my parents and children for just ONE EXTRA BEDROOM.
Looking out from the window I see a lot of children dancing. Thisdamned cable TV has spoiled our new generation and these children arelosing their values and culture because of it. I get occasional cardsfrom 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 beperforming my last rights, God Bless them. But the question stillremains 'was all this worth it?'
I am still searching for an answer................!!!