Rich, A Condition for Distrust

Binod, Shankar, and Rani were all childhood friends. In childhood there is no discrimination about anything: be it caste, wealth, or appearance. But the society around you makes the disparity obvious. 

Binod came from an upper middle class family and their family prospered in the times to come and became very rich. Rani was from an ordinary middle-class background. But Shankar's family was poor for many generations.

As the times had changed children from all backgrounds attended school irrespective of their financial status. So at the school, the three met and became very close friends. Binod's family at that time was not so well off so they didn't have any prejudice about the company he was keeping. Shankar's family considered themselves lucky to have been sending him to school. He was their first-generation learner.

But as years passed and Binod's family fortunes were changing so their outlook towards life differed. Binod was also now learning the pattern as he was an adolescent and would become an adult in a few years.

Shankar knew that if he wanted to pull his family out of the clutches of poverty then he must have to get a quality education and then get a well-paying job. As this awareness dawned on him, he started to see less and less of Rani and Binod and focussed fully on his career.

But Shankar had to hear a lot of jeers and ridicule because of the attire he wore. His family could just afford the cost of his education. So he could not flaunt any fancy clothes and shoes.

Rani however never did taunt Shankar but always openly sympathised with his condition. For this attitude of hers, she also had to bear a lot of cold behavior and ridicule from her friends. But she faced all of it stoically. Binod, at first was beside Shankar and gave his support for him.

Shankar was now doing very well academically. Rani was proud of him and had a secret liking for him although Shankar was unaware of it. She didn't want to disturb Shankar then but thought of letting him know her wish later on. Binod had grown enough to know which way the wind was blowing and had harbored feelings of jealousy. He slowly developed a possessive right over Rani as he was rich. His academic performance remained just mediocre and because of this, he had fears that Rani would not choose him over Shankar. His only concern was that Rani should not have any crush on Shankar. Because he thought he had the sole right over Rani as he was rich and according to him girls liked rich people as their boyfriends or later on as husbands.

Binod knew that he neededn't work too hard and excel academically as his family was now growing rich by the day and could employ many people under their roles. So instead of being an employment seeker, Binod would be an employment giver.

After completing their education the three friends parted ways. Shankar was the first to leave to acquire a good-paying job at a different location. Binod stayed back to manage his family business empire. Rani wished to follow Shankar as she liked him very much. But she could not follow her wishes as her family put a brake on her dreams. 

Rani even had no freedom to select her partner. Just her education over her family was hell-bent on seeing her get married and lead a settled life. So despite her wanting to be with Shankar, she was married away to Binod. Rani knew that as Binod was rich so her family had succumbed to this desire of this marriage union. 

But Shankar remained single and committed to his life's goals. Marriage and family not being any of them. 

He had this mission on his mind that he would pull each member of his family out of the bear hug of poverty. He knew marriage meant a diversion for him from his goals. Shankar remained very active with a nongovernment philanthropy group besides his regular work as a senior government administrator. After fulfilling his official duties he tended to this socially active group. His NGO was involved in helping sick people in hospitals who needed various types of help like donors for body organs and supply of costly medicine etc. 

Then one day Shankar got a message that a patient had been admitted to hospital in a serious condition and wanted a kidney to be replaced. Shankar called the hospital and at the hospital when he checked with the antecedents of the patient he was surprised to know it was Binod. 

Shankar met Rani in the waiting area and was moved to see her in a sea of emotion. Rani was feeling bad to see Shankar after so many years with whom she once had a crush. Shankar was feeling sad for Rani who now being Binod's wife had to bear all his trials and tribulations. 

Then Shankar on noting down the case history of Binod came to know that he had become a victim to his many vices. His liver badly damaged had stopped functioning many years ago and was dependant on dialysis. The doctors had advised him to get at least one kidney replaced to increase life expectancy. 

'We have checked the length and breadth of the country through various advertisements but we have failed to get a donor of kidney for Binod,' lamented Rani. 'So now we have admitted him in this hospital hoping against hope that God would somehow provide for him,' Rani said suppressing her tears. 'Let's hope for the best,' Shankar comforted her. 

Even uncounted riches could not salvage Binod. There is a limitation even of being rich, perhaps mused Shankar. 

Then Shankar thought of giving it a try and help his old friend. He volunteered for the conduction of tests for becoming a donor of kidney if his criteria matched and if the doctors gave the 'go ahead'. Surprisingly, he matched. Rani was very happy and hugged Shankar in joy. 

The kidney transplant went off successfully and Binod slowly recovered to lead a normal life. He expressed his 'deepest' gratitude to Shankar for giving him a new life. 

Shankar also became fully fit and began his life. Now he had a frequent visitor in the form of Rani who could not forget Shankar's sacrifice. Even he did not charge a single paisa whereas a kidney donor is given lakhs of rupees as parting prize money. Shankar said that he was giving a new life to his friend and that was his biggest gift. 

Now fully recovered, Binod did not like his wife going over to Shankar so frequently without any reason. The old jealous nature of his resurfaced again. He first warned her then started ill-treating her. One day Rani came to Shankar crying and complaining about Binod. 

Binod got to know about it through his henchmen. He put Rani in her room and locked her up. Then directed his henchmen to threaten Shankar. 

A virtuous man was Shankar and not to be easily deterred. He took up an assignment in a different city and went there for a few days. But he kept on worrying about the safety of Rani. Even Binod had kept her phone tapped. The troubles were not over for Rani. Because Binod was so rich he could do anything. He had all the power. Binod was suspicious that Rani was thinking of leaving him for good and going over to Shankar. This thought made Binod restless and overtly jealous. He even tried to send goons to trace Shankar and assault him. But his efforts back tracked on him. 

Always thinking of harming Rani and Shankar, Binod began to drink again. In the next six months, his only kidney given to him by Shankar called it a day. Binod collapsed and died on the way to the hospital. Rani now a grieving widow completed all the last rites of her husband. As they had no child of theirs, Rani was now the sole owner of the vast riches. She formed a trust and gifted all of it to the philanthropic society run by Shankar although she remained at the helm to oversee the day-to-day affairs. The welfare society was named in honor of Binod. 

Shankar, however, maintained a cordial relationship only with Rani and never took any advantage of any erstwhile friendship and remained in cold distance. Because he distrusted people who were rich.