Chapter 5

Daddy's Coronation

As an affectionate, obedient, respectful and cultured daughter-in-law of the rarest of the rare qualities in domains of the negative chaotic in-law tussles, Reeta Rani has made it a matter of principle to consult with her mother-in-law in all affairs of domestic management and financial controls prior to their execution in practice.

Reeta Rani does this not because she is not capable of doing so quite independently with all the life long experience she has already gained at the hands of elders, but 'with a view to keeping the old couple in good humor and giving them a sense of sustained involvement in the affairs of the family unit.

Ravinder Hakim, on his part, spends good time with parents at breakfast after the morning bath and prayers. He touches their feet seeking their blessings before starting his clinical work. So do, the grand children spend free time before and after schooling, games and home task with their grand parents. Nothing is left for the old couple to complain of.

How one would wish everything continued "All-Well" on the Western front!

The twelfth standard results are out. In the meanwhile Grand children have passed with credit. They have fared better than their brothers and cousins. And so, are ensured of admissions in the best professional colleges of the top most universities of the country.

These grand children lose no time in settling the wheels of the prerequisite processes rolling. But no, they stop in the way brooding "What will happen to our decrepit grand parents after we leave for professional trainings? Who will keep them company in the mornings and evenings and keep them busy in cordial conversations in our absence? Won't it over burden our parents after we are gone, if they take our charge too when we leave home?"

Pondering over the problem and after weighing the pros and cons of the matter, they decide to renovate grand pa and grand ma's sitting-cum-bed room before they leave. Up-to-date sanitary fitted room with modern heating and cooling arrangements, cozy beds, up-to-date seating arrangement is built up. Adequately provided with all the necessary material, and paraphernalia in a mini-store for self-help is kept ready for them. The grand children see to it that their grandees are seated on an elevated gorgeously decorated seat with beautiful, bulky pillow to lean on and the side-pillow to rest their arms on in an elaborate, oriental style. Thus they see to it that the grand parents are enthroned, granddaddy as the king of the royal house and grand ma as his queen.

Thus is the granddaddy coroneted. Completing all these arrangements, the grand children leave with full blessings of the grand parents. They move off to their respective universities. Their load of work with grand parents is shared by Ravinder Hakim and Reeta Hakim. Things go on smoothly as usual as if nothing-extra ordinary had happened.

Ravinder Hakim having already retired, Reeta Hakim follows suit after a year or so causing a fifty percent yawning reduction of ensured monthly salaries. To add salt to the fresh wounds, there is great hike in University dues and hostel charges causing greater pressure on the domestic exchequer. Worst still, the hither-to regular monthly financial assistance for the grand parents from their rich offspring has also stopped forthcoming for quite sometime for some reason or the other.

This is too much for a hitherto fore one of the richest families rolling in wealth and used to lavish spending not only in the house but also giving financial aid to several organizations and helping the poor.

Ravinder Hakim and his wife are bewildered and puzzled for they had never so far faced such calamity due to paucity of funds. They could not help putting much more attention, to their clinic work. Lesser attention to older parents was' a natural consequence. But still the two and their old parents could meet only at tea and lunchtime. Raja Hakim often now couldn't but complain of lack of attention, paucity of pocket money and stark lack of supply of their necessities even for self-help. Their otherwise affectionate children were incapable of explaining the situation.

At last one fine sunny day, after lunchtime, Raja Hakim girded up his loins, put up his clothes and stepped out of the house to fend for himself and earn a living for his wife and for his own person.

The news spread like wild fire and engulfed the whole city like the bush fires of Australia. People all around were stunned and taken aback only to burst forth.

"What a strange sort of bolt from the blue has befallen this genius, socially, helpful family of a royal nature?"

(Read story No.9 entitled Daddy's nightmare.)

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