THE BONE OF CONTENTION

                                                    THE BONE OF CONTENTION



“You are such a selfish jerk!”

Samrat Sen’s ears were still hurting from his American wife’s stinging criticism that morning. He was sitting in his plush Manhattan office, but his mind was totally refusing to concentrate on his work. He started pacing in his office, going over the squabble he had with his wife.

This was a common fight the couple was having over the last 5 years of their marriage. The bone of contention was Samrat’s widower father Sagar Sen in Calcutta, India. The old man had been expressing his desire to visit his son in America. They couple was not able to come to an agreement on this issue.

Samrat looked at his accolades on the front wall of his office. They made for impressive viewing. His hard working, middle class parents had toiled hard to pay for his education. He had not disappointed them. He excelled in his studies and graduated from one of India’s premier engineering college. He earned a scholarship to Harvard, where he majored in Systems and Finance, again topping his class.

He bagged a job with a top notch investment banker in New York. He met Samantha at a friend’s birthday party and started wooing her. The two fell in love and got married. He did not fail to impress his employers either. He was on the fast track. In short, he was living the American dream to the hilt. A six figure salary, a luxury apartment, expensive car, green card and an American wife.

The only discontent in his life was his father. The smooth talking and articulate investment banker had failed totally when it came to convincing his wife on the matter. They fought frequently over the issue. But today was the last straw. He, a selfish jerk! After all that he had done for her!

Enough was enough, he decided. He picked up his cell phone and punched his father’s number.

The next few days were the happiest in Sagar Sen’s life. Ever since his wife had passed away, his life had turned into a drudge. He was retired and the government pension he earned was sufficient to meet his needs. What was killing him was loneliness. He looked forward to the day when his son would finally call him to America.

That day had finally arrived. Samrat had called him to say that he must start preparing for the voyage.

The old man was excited like a child. He relished each and every moment of the preparation. He looked at his World Atlas. His passion from his childhood was to travel and see the world; see the great cities, oceans, mountains and deserts; learn foreign languages and eat exotic food. His favorite pastime was to study the Atlas. He would read the names of distant, faraway places and touch them on the map. He dreamt that one day he would go to those places. At last, life had given him that opportunity and he was going to make the most out of it.



He was thankful that he had begun his preparations well in advance, much before his son had actually invited him. No last minutes rushes for him. He believed in meticulous planning. He opened his guide book of New York. He had already highlighted all the places he would visit. Statue of Liberty, Time Square, Broadway, and Empire State Building He made a special note of all the museums he would visit. The Natural History museum would be of special interest to him. He would see a show in Broadway and perhaps his son would also take him to Hollywood and Las Vegas. His plans were endless.

He studied the weather of New York.  He had to have the right wardrobe. He ordered for two suits, and bought matching shirts, trousers, shoes and ties. After all, he could not afford to be shabbily dressed when he met his American daughter-in-law and his grandchildren.

That reminded him. He had to buy gifts for all of them. He decided to buy some Indian artifacts and dresses for them. He went only to the best stores and bought only the expensive stuff. He had to create a good impression.

The D day finally dawned close. It was the time to bid farewell to his friends, neighbors and relatives. He felt proud when he informed all of them that he was leaving for America the next day. He was finally going to live his dream.

The following day, the maid discovered Sagar Sen’s lifeless body on his bed. He was clutching his copy of the World Atlas. The doctors declared that he had suffered a heart attack. Life did not give him the opportunity to live his dream.

It was 1 am in New York, when Samrat Sen was informed by his cousin in India of his father’s death. He was not sure how to react.

Samantha Sen was sleeping peacefully on his side. She was having pleasant dreams. Ever since her marriage with Samrat, she had insisted on meeting her husband’s family. Later when their children were born, she was keen that they meet their grandparents and know their father’s country better. But Samrat had been such a jerk. He had kept on postponing and she kept on fighting with him. He had reached such a position in his life that his middle class parents had become a liability for him. He was embarrassed to introduce them to his American wife and children. They would be a stigma on his American dream.

But finally she had won the argument, and her father-in-law would be coming the next day. She had trained her children to greet him in the Indian style by touching his feet. She looked forward to meeting him.

Samrat shook her out of her sleep. It was time to inform her that her children had missed the opportunity to meet their grandfather.

Word Count: 991