Power not Pity… Family Short Story
“What’s wrong?” Pooja asked on seeing Santosh’s face.
Santosh didn’t reply her. Knowing him, Pooja was able to make out there will not be any response from him for some time. She prepared tea for him and carried on her own activities.
“What happened, Santosh?” Pooja asked him once again.
Pooja and Santosh are married almost for three years now. She knows well that Santosh goes to this silent mode whenever he has some problems.
“Some Problem again for Geeta…” Santosh replied breaking his silence.
That was not something new to her. Geeta is Santosh’s sister who is married and settled abroad. Her married life is not peaceful. She has found that her husband is cheating on her. On confronting, he has admitted the same and also continued doing the same. Her in-laws are not very supportive either.
“Oh! What happened again? “
“That bastard was not home for last two days…He came back today morning and went to sleep. She called me and was crying continuously. I don’t know why it should happen to her.”
“Hmmm….”
“Do you have any pity for her in the least?. After all she is my sister. Look at your reaction, as if it’s happening to some third person. “
This was Santosh’s usual statement when such a problem comes. He always used to say that Pooja is lucky as she is not facing any such problems. But this time she wasn’t able to take it anymore.
“Okay. So the solution to this problem is me feeling pity for her is it? Will everything be solved then?”
“You are such a cold hearted…”
“Stop it Santosh. She doesn’t need anyone to feel pity for her. You and your parents did the same for last two years. Did it help her?”
“She is my sister for heaven sake…”
“Don’t I know the affection you have for her? Why don’t you ask her to do something?”
“What can she do? She is living in a foreign country with no one around to support…”
“Well he is cheating on her and if she doesn’t take any action he will continue doing the same. ..”
“What action can she take poor ….”
“I told her many times. She needs to run away from him..”
“Do you know how badly it will make us look in the society? What she is will do after that?”
“There you are. You are more comfortable in the helpless situation. You are happy to stay where things are bad and blame on others. She is scared to take any action. You are just not helping her.”
“Pooja, she is not even earning. What she will do coming out of the marriage? What about her future?”
“Why don’t you help her creating some future instead of being helpless? She is educated and can’t you help her to come up in life till she finds what she can do about it. “ Pooja asked angrily.
“This is all good in talking, Pooja. Practically impossible. Who knows, tomorrow you might ask why are we spending on her?” countered Santosh
“Suit yourself Santosh. No one can help her except herself. You are in a position to guide her but you are more interested in blaming others, pitying her rather than giving her some power. I told you what I will do if she was my sister…” Bursted out Pooja
Santosh didn’t talk to her the whole week and Pooja knows that he will be the same for few days. Again the cycle will continue…
__END__