This time i have got a little story to tell, unfortunately a true one. I don't want to give any message out of it or any criticism. It was just an incident I came across and found worth telling-
The Great Indian Middle Class- the phrase which makes 80% of Indian hearts beat with pride but little do they know that the so called “Great Indian Middle Class” has little to do with financial status or rented homes or second hand cars. It is more about the way people think- Middle class or we better call them a group of people sharing similar thoughts and this is what is reflected in their behavior, their work place and their homes. Home we can call it the perfect reflection of their thoughts, everything that occupies a volume in here, from the Feng Shui bells on the front door to the darkest and deepest thoughts in their heart has got a hint of middle class in it. But never by all this do i mean to defame the glorious tradition of which I am a proud member of and so was Mr. Mathur.
Mr. Mathur was average at what ever he did and thought himself fortunate enough to land in a government sector job. He was a good son and a good brother, fulfilled all his responsibilities towards his parents and siblings. Only after he turned 28 did he marry a beautiful woman his mother chose for him. For now he is a proud father of a lovely 6 year old girl – Nalini. It had been 6 years but still pictures of that fateful day and the happiest moment of his life, when he first time took Nalini into his arms were crystal clear in his mind. As a matter of fact it is always said that parents are important for the vital existance of a child but neithr can we deny the fact that the child is the centre of universe for them.
Working in a PSU life was overtly simple for him and he never felt too preoccupied for giving time to his wife and “only” child. Mr. Mathur was middle class man and so were his dreams. From a long time he dreamt of having a car, not because he needed one badly but just because his colleagues have got one. Savings were insufficient to fulfill the wish of his Dream Car (by this in no way I mean a “Ferrari” a simple “Santro” would suffice) and only after the arrears of 6th Pay Commission, he could turn his dreams to reality. Mr. Mathur was an amateur driver and a friend of him had to take the driver's seat when it came to driving after the coconut breaking on the first day. He took the family for a drive around the township which took no more than half an hour. After this there were only rare occasions when car came out of its cover only to get washed and get neatly back in the parking lot.
“Daddy won't we go to Chennai for Ice-Cream today also!!!” Nalini has been constantly nagging for it for over a week now.
“Oh Darling I told you for now we are not going Chennai for Ice-Cream, may be some other day” Mr. Mathur told while having a look at company's Performance Index in current fiscal year.
“Ok then we can go somewhere near by, you have been avoiding it for over a week now. Daddy Please! Please! Please!”. Nalini insisted.
“Ok Ok!!!! Stop crying........... we will go. You go tell your mother to be ready while I take out the car”. An employee was overpowered by a father.
It has been days he had not driven. So to just brush up his skills as a driver he decided to have a few rounds around the park. Practice session was over and now with full confidence he drove towards the home only to see Nalini standing in her best dress. What a beautiful smile she had, lest did he thought he was seeing it for the last time and it was late enough to realise he was pushing accelerator instead of breaks. Collision took place right in the middle of road. Blow was fatal not only for the young girl but also for her mother as she saw her only child being crashed by a car in-front of her eyes. Strong heart attacks due to sudden shock can be fatal, everyone knows.
The Hospital was frequented by near and dear ones but Mr. Mathur was no where to be found. In-fact no one has noticed him half hour after his “Precious” was declared brought dead.
At 9:00 PM Police tried to stop an over-speeding red Santro.
“Daddy why don't you slow down” a sweet little voice came from somewhere close to his ears.
“Oh no, dear I got to get you an Ice-Cream otherwise your mother will be mad at me”. A hallucinated voice of Mr. Mathur came out of his throat.
“No daddy she won't. Just slow down!!!”
“No she will, I know she will. In-fact she is angry with me right now, hadn't it been she would have come along with you.” He pushed the accelerator hard.
TN- 9082 was the number of car found crashed against the backwater bridge railings. Driver was dead on the spot. People say he was driving just fast enough to get her daughter an ..........Ice-Cream.
Thanks to Mr. Soutrik Ghosh for helping me compile it.
