Chapter 9

Daddy's Nightmare

Ravinder Hakim's ego is crudely shaken at the odd behavior of his father. He begs pardon of him and assures him of all possible personal service and attention. But to no purpose. Raja Hakim is adamant and refuses to yield.

Thus humiliated, Ravinder Hakim calls his brothers from far off places to help resolve the crisis. All the brothers rush to the spot in no time. They fall at the feet of their protesting father. They weep and wail. They appeal and entreat him to free them of the curse. At last, with the help of their kith and kin, they are able to bring him round to change his mind.

Elaborate foolproof arrangements are made to make him comfortable in every way. They make sure that Raja Hakim no longer refuses to take their substantial contributions as doles but as money sent with affection and love by his sons for their dear old daddy. All the sons of Raja Hakim remain at home, for a couple of months. So as to shower their love on him and bring their domestic affairs back of rails, they arrange picnic parties to almost all the beauty spots in the paradise valley. They do not leave any stone unturned to make him happy and comfortable in every way till they make sure that their dear old father's mood has been restored and that, he evinces the same interests in the welfare of his children and grand children as hither-to before. The family becomes as happy as usual. Love, faith and mutual good-will as well as happy healthy life return. Every member is blithe and mirthful. Daddy is fully satisfied. What is more, he makes his satisfaction known in clear terms.

Feeling convinced, Raja Hakim gladly permits them to go and attend their duties with his sincere blessings. Raja Hakim's progeny were wise enough not to entertain the entreaties and plea to depart and attend to their duties elsewhere in the country. They rightly thought that it would create a sudden gap between the long periods and that it would be difficult for him to find himself caught in a minuscule family of three members only.

They left in batches after small intervals to avoid Raja Hakim's suffering from sudden seclusion. The happy memories of his trips and merriments lasted long for quite a good time. He often told nostalgic tales to all his friends and relatives who paid him occasional visits. Such a habitual narration of telling tales became a sort of long poem of Ancient Mariner's of mirthful situations. Time passed by comfortably for Raja Hakim for long in such pleasantries. .

At last, in one long dreary winter night Raja Hakim slept a deep sleep, snoring and dreaming, about a Video film slowly and steadily, like a growing but Raja Hakim underwent Kaya Kalp (Rejuvenation) and opened out into fragrant smiling red rose that reflected in the ruddy cheeks of his children and grand children who rushed in from the remotest corners of the country to shower their love and affection on their protesting father and grandpa in grief.

Raja Hakims tenure as a head parent had been extended indefinitely and the small family of three, as it had been, had swelled into a veritable tiny-tot-cum-school­-cum college in the wise guidance of young parents under his mature stewardship. The chagrin childish pranks, youthful activities and the vigorous activities that followed invigorated his pleasant participation in the family affairs. Naturally, as time heals the wounds, such a warmth of hus­tle and bristle rein fused in Raja Hakim, the young spirit of youth combined with the parental love and concern for the welfare of his offspring". Trips to beauty spots, tourist resorts, trekking and mountain climbing and pilgrimages to holy places were re-enacted had in his mind the more film of his trips, pilgrimages, the aerial surveys of green Valleys lakes and rivers, pastures and glaciers, was released in his pleasant dreams. The aerial flights over snowy pinnacles were especially enjoyable and exhilarat­ing. He felt as if his mother had come to life to rock his moving cradle. He flew and flew in a plane and then all by himself using his arms as rudders to keep in right direction.

The loud snoring sounds during his deep, Kumbkaran's slumber vibrating in unison with roaring of his plane and in that ecstasy he enjoyed to emplane in a luxury helicopter. The helicopter quickly moved through and over tiers after tiers of rolling clouds that formed a cushioning comfortable slide over them. The helicopter re-­resumed its flight over the snowy girdle that guarded the beautiful valley. In this ecstatic dream, all of a sudden a crane hit the helicopter and the pilot. The helicopter crashed against the pinnacles causing and splitting the helicopter into pieces that scattered all over the green valley. Raja Hakim was terrified. He roared like a wounded lion and jumped out of his bed crying and shouting, "The plane has crashed and the inmates blown into pieces. How is it I am alive? Am I not wounded and bleeding?"

Ravinder Hakim and Rita Hakim were frightened as they heard the cries. They rushed in weeping and wailing and shivering in panic. The neighbor hood could not but be agog with wilderment and rushing in to see as to what had happened in that dark dreary mid-night.

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