Credit Card at 72

I woke up in the morning, found my alarm snoozing. It was already 7:40. I pulled curtains off. Sunlight fall on face then my neurons determined that it was morning otherwise they are very lazy every time they make some excuses that there is some time left on which I can sleep. I opened the window the fresh breeze took all my laziness.

I had to reach my office at 9. I took a quick shower, grabbed some breads. I was finding it difficult to carry breads, coat, bag, mobile, keys etc. by only two hands. Somehow I managed and got down to the ground floor my driver was ready with shining Honda-city. I started for my office. It is 25 minutes from my apartment.

I entered in my cabin. I am manager in one of the reputed bank of India. My documents and files were scattered on the table. I arranged them properly and started my work. I had some meetings of which I made a short list in my diary.

Suddenly I heard some loud voice from the office, when I was going through the portfolio of my clients. I came out of my cabin and found that one of the service manager was trying to explain an old guy but he was not ready to listen anything. I went near to them asked my service manager to calm down and requested the old guy to come to my cabin and ordered for two coffees.

He was in the foreign for more than 25 years and had worked for more than multinational company. His name is Jagpreet Wadhwa. Basically he is from Pakistan. He came to India after separation.

He was facing the problem to get a credit card. I was shocked, when I heard that he wanted a credit card. Service manager was refusing him that he cannot get a credit card as he is not filing the income tax.

The most curios fact of his life I knew that he had not taken any kind of credit in his entire life, which even a 20 years of a boy wants these days.

“What will you do with the credit card”, I asked him.

“I buy movie tickets, restaurants offers for dayout with my wife. I go for the events organized by the artists and lot many things to enjoy my precious time of the remaining life.”  he replied

I suggested him to do some fixed deposit on the basis of which he can get his credit card. He agreed.

I came with him to the parking. He was having a new Toyota corolla. I was about to say him bye, he invited me for the lunch. I could not refuse his invitation. I called my secretary to get a fixed deposit and credit card form and cancel all the meetings for today and sat in his car.

“How do you spend your day, you don’t have your son and grandson with you, Don’t you get bored whole day” I asked him.

“No, I am enjoying my life like anything and everything. I never do the thing which reminds me that I am an old guy. In fact, I don’t have the time to get bored. I am not that type of person who does all the bad things in their life and when they will become old they starts chanting the mantras, praying and worshiping of God. I have not done anything wrong if anything wrong has happened that also God knows I was not the culprit.” He replied very confidently.

We reached his house. It was not a boring flat or apartment. Gatekeeper opened the door. A small garden was there in front of their house. Two dogs started barking rigorously. I moved behind to him a bad experience for the dogs.

We entered the house. He introduced me with his wife. I don’t know why I was not feeling that much comfortable in calling them sir or madam even I have a good habit to respect people in a professional way. I started calling them uncle and aunt.

I wished her good afternoon. She offered us coffee. Then they started telling about their life. They have two sons. Both of them are in foreign. One is in America and one is in Australia.

It was an Individual house of three floors. In the ground floor they live and rest two floors they have given on rent. This house they have donated to one child orphanage organization after their death.

We had lunch together. Then uncle went for rest. I and aunt were sitting on the sofa. I kept my head on the upper side of the sofa. She started (sahalana) my forehead, and started telling about her life.

I don’t have much knowledge. I was a housewife for whole of my life. I was not able to support the family financially but emotionally and morally I have tried my best to support my family.

“Life is like cutting onions. You will get tears if you will cut them in hot atmosphere. But cold atmosphere is not available to everyone. It depends on the person how he can make the onions cold if he is not in the cold atmosphere.” She said.

“You are like my son, but I don’t want you to call my son because no son listens to their parents these days”. She added.

“This is the main problem with women. For everything they want to cry” uncle said from his room and came out of the room.

“If they are not caring about us its ok I have the capability to live my life without them so I always ask her not to get so much emotional. We have to live like that they are our parents and we don’t have time to meet them” he said for their children.

Maid has served us evening tea and snacks. I gave him the fixed deposit firm and credit card form also. I have given him my pen to sign on the form, as he started to write the pen was not working properly. He stood up and took out his ink pen. It was looking old but it has written in a very good flow.

I said goodbye to them.  Uncle invited me for next time , aunty also nodded her head in yes. I could see the moisture in her eyes.

I entered in my flat kept my keys and bags on the table very silently. My mobile phone was ringing I made it into the silent mode and kept it silently.

I made myself to stand in front of the mirror. I could see myself as grown old guy.

Peripherally, I was looking young and charming on the image on mirror. But first time anyone has realized me that I have become old in my mind.

From morning to evening I had the same routine of life. I dint have even time to talk to my family members. I was so much busy in the work that I have not given the priorities to my family and growing old parents.

He was full of colors. He is spending a lavish life of which I dreamt for. His pen was writing so smoothly even it was old. The ink in that pen was ready to flow and eager to write. My pen was so new and looking bright but when it was about to write it main work it failed very badly.

He is 72 years old guy and I am a 27 years guy. We are the reciprocals in the digits of our ages. But it is also the truth we are the reciprocals in our hearts too.

He has got his credit card for enjoying his life. I have taken the credit card to fulfill my unnecessary hobbies which has made a bad habit of lending.

Within fifteen minutes a crowd of thoughts ran in mind. I took off my clothes and taken a long shower. Then I came to my living room and sat on the table written a transfer letter for my hometown, where I can also spend my life with them who has given this life to me.

I went to my bed. I could feel the loneliness of them. I was missing my parents. I had not even thought that they are also same as these old guys are there without their children. His smiling face was blinking in my eyes…..

__END__