Short Story- the Elder

The Elders

I have got two sons. The first was born after one year of my marriage and the second was born after ten years of my marriage. This gap helped me a lot because the elder had been keeping the Younger busy when I could finish my house work.

When both were in college and school, the elder was helping the younger in his study and thus we could save a lot which we spared for the elder and engaged a tutor for him.

When the elder was at work and starting earning for the family, the younger was wholly dependant upon him. The younger has also finished his study and has got his name registered with the local Employment Exchange. He had been submitting his applications to different organizations and employers, but in spite of all his efforts he was not getting a job. He had been spending the whole day outside and thus had developed a habit of living idle. In spite of repeated instructions and directions from our side, he was not learning something which could help him in getting a suitable job. We were also suggesting him to consider some scheme for self employment. We were informed that banks had started giving loans for people to establish their own units and we were informed that the interest rate was also low because government of India had started subsiding the interest. But our son was not listening to us nor he was listening to the advice of his elder brother.

One day I called the younger and said, “You know that your father has also retired and he is getting a very small amount as pension. The money we got has been spent on the marriage of your elder brother. Now he is earning and we all are dependant upon him. He has got a wife now. One day this new lady in the house may raise objection that they are not in a position to bear all this-She may demand separation. There fore, you should realize all this and do some work and start earning You should avoid all these insults. Let us avoid the opening of mouth of your elder brother. He is doing all this charity upon us including you. He had been helping you in your study. You would never be able to repay all this.”

My younger son had been listening to all this and very calmly said,

“Dear mother, you are talking about my elder brother. If he feels that he is doing something over and above to us, he should have waited. He should allowed me to come first in this world. Then I should have served the family. He could not wait and could not give his turn to me. He should suffer. The elders always suffer. You suffered because you came earlier. He suffered because he came earlier. I shall enjoy because I waited and has come late.”

I was surprised to note this answer from my younger son. What type of education he had been receiving in schools and colleges. This is the knowledge they gained from books. As and when my younger son came in front of me, sometimes I laughed and some times I wanted to rebuke him.

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