Oh to Save .. !!!

I was eighteen when i first had my own bank account. While handing me my passbook, my dad gave me a stern look. ‘Son’ he said, ‘this is the beginning of a new chapter. Use this wisely’. Well that was what his lips said , but his eyes said ‘Son , The number of digits on your account better remain at a explainable number , else Somebody’s going to get hurt’.

Well that was the beginning of the never ending cycle called Saving. Through the  four years of college , I saved and saved where ever I could. The blinders enforced upon me , by my dads threat, kept me many yards away from any restaurant that could even remotely be termed as fancy. For that fact it came me far away from anything that offered more than a ‘chai’. At the end of four years , my bank balance, though significantly lesser than my starting value , was quite explainable. I was happy , and felt a sense of accomplishment. College was done , and I carried in my hand a five figure appointment letter. Ladakh , Ooty , Hell Europe here I come !

And there I was smiling to all my glory , proud of my achievement, when my dad came upto me and said ‘Son , Not bad’, but his eyes said ‘You call that a saving , Son when I was your age , I made a living out of single digits. What are you so proud off!’. And there it was , the silent noise of my balloon bursting.

My starting salary , a 5 digit figure. Who needed savings now . After all I had managed to survive on a such a meagre amount in college. I would probably make tons. And there I was smitten by the arrogance that accompanied such ignorance. Six months later , the growth in bank balance , remains to be noted. It has not depreciated , but neither has it grown. Its quite confusing , as all my time is spend in the office. I silently found myself thinking of the places that I had dreamt of visiting . Hell , forget those places, I found myself wondering, when i could get some time off to rush to the toilet!

A few months later , comes the dreadful call from home. The rough coarse voice of experience reverberated through the phone. ‘Son , how are you doing ?’. Was it a rhetoric question ? A question aimed at proving a point. How was I supposed to answer it. ‘I’m doing fine Dad, pretty fine’. And that gave rise to the next. ‘Hmm… so now that everything is fine , you should be looking to get settled.’ And that was what the voice said, but the thought on the other side of the line, went ‘Hmm , so you say you know how to save. Well , its almost a year , how much , has that 5 digit salary helped your bank account’.  Pop , all dreams of a Ladakh trip vanish , hell, I think I have got to start skipping lunch.

A few years pass. I finally get myself a new top of the model Maruti car. I take my Dad out for a spin. He’s happy and perhaps proud of  his son. I’m happy. Hmm .. perhaps now I could drive down to Goa and have a blast for new years. I sit down on the dinner table . Mom comes and hands me the plate. On the plate were three photo’s of three beautiful girls. ‘Son , now that you are fine , and have a car. You should now get married. We are getting old too’. Well thats what her voice said, but her trembling hands said, ‘Son , we are getting old and we see you spending on things like a car. You probably will now want to party with your money. We wont be able to support you for ever. You have to get serious , you need to take up more responsibility’.

And there , the sight of those trembling hands , made me gulp down all my hopes of a Bacardi Blast on New Years eve.

That was a few years back. Now am settled. I’m half way through with my installments on the house. I’m earning a 6 digit salary. My Bank balance has grown. I’m expecting my first kid, and have planned in advance for the same. I think of buying myself a new Home theatre system. My wife walks after her UtraSound appointment. She’s ecstatic and more or less yelps ‘We’re having twins!’

Ýippeee’I yell . I’m happy and overjoyed , yet somewhere at the back of my mind , I cant help but think of the old TV in the attic.

Its twenty one years  since I had my twins. Family planning didnt work too great with us. Had one more kid , and she’s 19 years. The twins are finally getting out of university . Am happy. Now they will earn. I can peacefully retire. I’ve made enough for the younger one. The twins come up to me and say ‘Dad , we want to do our MBA’s aborad’. I go like uhh.. , but before I could say anything , my Daughter comes rushing in ‘Dad , I’ve finally decided what I want to do! I want to be a doctor, and I’ll do it only from states!’. My mouth opens. No words comes out. My kids just look at me and say ‘Happy Fathers day!

That was six years ago. My daughter got married to someone of her choice and left her MBBS . The twins , tried to set up their own venture, and now have totally outwitted themselves. They tell me, ‘Dad you got to chill’. But When I hear them I know they are saying ‘Dad , I really dont know what went wrong. i’m broke.

Well I’m past 60 . There can be no Ladakh trips, nor any Bacardi Blast. I have my house and a hot cup of coffee. My bank balance is huge , but what use is it to my broken body. I look to my kids and tell them  Í have lived for all of you . What is mine is yours? . So here take it.’But my voice says,’So here you go children, but remember you better take of your dads life savings. Or Somebody going to get hurt!’