The Debt

Yeah. That's me over there. Walking the last few steps of my life. I didn't always walk with a limp though. There was a time when I walked with a spring in my step. It was a long long time ago - more than half a century ago! I was all of 21 then....

Just out of engineering college with a good job in hand. Everything looked beautiful and I felt great - felt that I had the potential to do anything that I could dream of. In a few years time I married my college sweetheart, Anjali, and we moved together into a pretty little house. She was my best friend, my source of strength and everything else that I could ever ask for. Together we made that pretty little house our pretty little home.

My hard work at the office was paying off and I was beginning to climb up the ladder to the higher echelons of the organisation. Work was good. I liked what I was doing and I was good at it. Things couldn't have been any better. And then they got better. Anjali gave me the most beautiful gift that anybody could ever give me - our daughter - Muskaan. What a little bundle of joy she was! A perfect balance of her mommy and daddy.

Time went by. I had risen to the level of vice president at work. Both Anjali and I were getting older. I was more gray than black now and Anjali was a little better off! My little bundle of joy had grown up. She was now a confident, young lady - just the right mix of traditional and modern - quite like her mommy. And just like her mommy she fell in love and was going to marry the man of her dreams. We were both very happy for her but at the same time we were also a little anxious hoping that things would work out fine for her. She wasn't going to stay with us forever. She had to pursue her dreams and she had to do it her way. But despite being prepared it wasn't so easy.....

Soon thereafter I came to head the firm. After a very successful seven years of record growth and profits for the firm I finally retired. Anjali and I spent some great years together. Now we had time for everything that we had ever wanted to do. We went to the theatres, new restaurants and even a photography workshop. All these small things added up to a great deal for us. We were really happy. The maximum satisfaction that I have experienced is whenever I have seen Anjali smiling. I am glad that I could keep her smiling though those last few years. Atleast, I'll always remember her that way.....

She had seen some really difficult times when she was young. I, on the other hand, had none. And she would often ask me why some people are always lucky. Why is it always her that has to face the bad times. I'd tell her that everybody has to see their share of ups and downs. Sooner or later everybody has to go through their share of difficulties. Sooner or LATER.....

Its been twenty years since she has gone. And I live all alone. The same structure which was our pretty little home now feels no more than a cold, dark building. Every corner brings back memories which hurt more than they heal. Haunting memories of the happier times past. And there is no getting away from this for the debt has to be paid..... sooner or later........