Children Short Story – The Banyan Tree
Photo credit: diana_s from morguefile.com
One morning Swapnil was about to leave for the tea shop from his house, when he met Kunal also walking towards that side. Kunal was looking totally frustrated. They were a bit needy and it was quite obvious from his looks that an economic burden has just surrounded him from all directions. Kunal with a face of about 15 days old beard was looking downwards and coolly walking by, when Swapnil stopped him. Swapnil put his hands on Kunal’s shoulder and started continuing towards the tea shop with him. On the road itself Swapnil’s question for Kunal’s frustration was asked.
Kunal also instead of waiting further to reach the tea shop, thought the early he could get over a solution to this, it would be his benefit, and that Swapnil only could have a solution to this, said,
“Swapnil as you know that nothing going fine with my business. Poverty has almost engulfed me and I am unable to come out of it. I still at last thought of giving one last try, by selling our land to a promoter, so that he could demolish our current house and bring up one flat in there instead. Then after that we would be given quite a fair amount of money and portion of the flat. But it seems that there also my luck almost is not favouring.
The fact is that as you know that my dad has just passed away a couple of years ago. Now during his young age he planted one banyan tree. That has now grown big. We had a small house so didnt face problem with that. But its position is such that that to bring up a good proper building now, it needs to be cut down. But I dont want my last piece of memory of my dad to just let it go away like that. But also then again its position is not so bad also. A building good enough still could be managed well barring it and few metres around it, if its few branches are chopped off. And I dont have any problem with that. But I have spoken with two to three promoters and they are not at all ready to go for the work without chopping off the tree in whole. They say with the tree in its position, they could though bring up the building, but could not be able to sell anyone. Noone would like the inside and outside getup of the flat. Now say what to do?”
Swapnil in the meantime, taking a cup of tea from the shopkeeper, giving it to Kunal, then taking his, taking a sip from it, sitting down in the nearby bench continued, “I see. So this is the problem? I understand. Fine enough. Kunal, the problem is with the tree owned by you. You know right, people getting to eat always want to sleep. The more you give them, the more they would ask for. So better restrict their choice and option to a certain limit. Let them adjust in that. See, since they also have some interest how they manage within that only.”
Kunal a bit confused kept glaring at Swapnil with a big opened mouth.
Swapnil being able to understand Kunal’s query smiled and continued, “Dost, I mean to say that now for quite some time say till the building doesn’t get built up, though the tree is yours, you have to think and show others, specially the promoter, that it is not yours. Now just go and then give the contract to few labours to give a brick boundary on your land around your house, but just keep in mind to keep the tree outside the boundary and also a fair distance away.
Now contact one new promoter, whom you have not contacted before and then show him your land inside the boundary and tell your wish of bringing up a flat there instead. See how he having his interest, though might tell that if the tree would have been yours, could have cut it down and make a better building in a larger area, but would at last agree to your contract. The main thing is that the promoters whom you have shown before, has seen a better land without the tree, though you showed them with the tree and expectingly dreamt of a better building, better price and better buyers.
So when you told not to cut the tree they could not agree to that as they could not crash their dream and come out to a bit lower level dream. But now when you would show the land without the tree itself to another promoter, he would start weaving his dream on that small land only accordingly. He also might not be ready to dream less than the first time, but also then that also is not needed. People are like our five fingers with different visions, imaginations, culture etc etc from each other. Similarly as there would be buyers for a good flat, similarly there would be for a less good flat as well. It is afterall the interest and capacity of the promoter to get buyers according to his set price. How could he be willing to get buyers who are not ready to buy a high price flat when the promoter again is not ready to lessen it after his first time dream. So later when you are settled in your flats and done with all settlements with the promoter, just break the boundary near the tree and build it again in such a way that then it comes inside the boundary.”
After few days Kunal bought one big packet full of sweets and went to Swapnil’s house to thank him, as he was finally able to give his contract to a promoter following Swapnil’s instructions.
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