A Memorable Journey

Short Story with Moral Lesson – A Memorable Journey

A Memorable Journey – Short Story with Moral Lesson

I was travelling in a Mercedes-Benz. Yes, it was for the first time. My son was with me. I was wearing the overcoat which he had bought from U.S. and had gifted me, and which I had never worn so far. Before I got into the vehicle, many of my son’s friends were talking quietly with him and among themselves. All of them were wealthy and important looking, just like my son. They followed us in big cars. It was a long ride.

We went past the North Wood Public school.

I recollected the days I took my son there on my scooter. I dropped him at the gate. He used to walk just inside the gates and wave at me. Sometimes when I came early from work, I used to bring him back.

“Daddy, can’t you come daily to pick me up? Kumar’s father comes daily in the afternoons also,” he said once.

“No, Kenny. I have work till late in the evening,” and he looked disappointed at my reply.

The day my scooter came, Kenny was jumping with joy. He sat on it, made a show as if he was riding it and asked me a hundred times when I would take him for a ride on it. Though I had the licence, I was not so sure of my ability to ride well and if I could take Kenny and ride. I did not have that much of practice. When I explained it to him, he showed his disappointment by sitting in a corner, sulking. His mother had to use all her powers of pacifying to get him in the right mood that day.

We went past the engineering college where Kenny did his automobile engineering.

“Dad, I’ll find it difficult to travel when I go for industrial training. The place is far away,” he paused and looked at me.

“Jim, one of his friends wants to sell a motorcycle and Kenny wants to buy it,” Nancy made it easy for her son.

But when he started riding, she was scared.

“It’s better not to have bought this speedy thing,” she muttered.

Just like the time that Kenny grew up gained unbelievable momentum, in fast forward, our vehicle was gaining speed. We were nearing our destination.

I had retired and Nancy was not with me. She had left me in loneliness when Kenny was in the United States. He in his final steps of completing his M.S. I did not tell him that Nancy had breathed her last when he was receiving his degree. It was Nancy’s dying wish, not to inform him at that time. I could not inform him over the phone and just waited for him to come.

I had thought that Kenny would be inconsolable at the loss of his mother. He did feel sorry and was cross that I did not inform him over the phone.

But then he had married Priya who had been his fellow research student, just before he came to India and Priya filled up the vacuum created by Nancy. It was during that visit , he had gifted me that grey overcoat. I told him I had no use for it as our place was quite warm. But he wouldn’t listen. He said it would come in useful sometime or the other. So I kept it.

Kenny and Priya left for the States, with pressing invitations extended to me to visit them. But on Kenny’s reaching the States, his communications became rare.

All on a sudden life started moving in slow motion.

And now……

We had reached the church gates. Last time I was here with Kenny when he was about to leave for U.S. Nancy was with us, then. Just as this day, there was a group around us that day also. Now all were quiet, or talked in whispers. Then all were noisy and congratulating Kenny.

I could feel the jerk and movement when they carried my coffin and placed it inside the church. I felt warm and cosy inside the coat. After the prayers were over I was carried to the graveyard, the last part of my journey, for my burial. I was happy in a way that my boring life had come to an end, with one last memorable journey with my son.

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