Tit For Tat

Once in a village called Gandipur there lived a boy named Raju. Raju was a stubborn and lazy boy, his father worked in a bank while his mother was a teacher. Raju hated school, he hated it more than the hard idlis and the salty sambar his mother made for breakfast. Everyday Raju’s father dragged him to school whether he liked it or not! Raju’s examinations were over and it was time for the summer holidays. He had fun with his friends, ate ice-cream every day and always had a sleepover.

One day Raju was awakened by the screams of his parents which were coming from the kitchen. “Raju! Get up this instance! You’re going to be late for school!” came his mother’s voice from the kitchen. Raju pinched himself to see if he was dreaming, ‘School? Since when did that start?’ he thought. “Raju! If you don’t get up right now, I will pour a bucket full of ice water on you! Raju!” said his father “I’m coming, Papa!” said Raju. Raju quickly got dressed into his school uniform and ran down the stairs, “Papa, what day is it?” asked Raju “Raju, it’s the 20th of June, it’s the day your school reopens!

So get ready!” his father replied. Raju’s father dragged him to school, in spite of the begging and crying.

Years passed but Raju still didn’t understand the importance of going to school, he thought it was a waste of time. Raju’s board exams were coming up and he struggled to concentrate on any subject. His father’s constant beating didn’t help either, however, his only allies were his mother and his best friend Gaurav. A month passed and Raju’s board exams had finally arrived, he wrote his papers and eagerly waited for the results. Surprisingly, Raju passed his board exams with flying colours and had got admission in several colleges. He applied to a college in New York and in a few years had gotten a job offer from one of the biggest companies in California. He gladly accepted and soon became a business tycoon.

A few years passed and he got married to Myra, the daughter of a rich singer. Raju’s father, however, was getting very old and soon was too tired to be working in the house. So Raju made him retire and Raju’s father started taking care of Mira, who was Raju’s daughter. Years passed and Raju’s father was getting too old to stay in the house anymore, he never ate the food that was cooked in the house and forced Myra to make him some rice and dal, he never attended family outings and he always scolded Mira for the smallest of things! “Raju! Your father barely touched the meat I made for him today! He said that he only wanted rice and dal!” “I’m sorry Myra! I just don’t know what to do!” said Raju. “Papa!” came a call from the hallway “What’s wrong Mira?” “Grandpa has confiscated my phone and laptop! He said that he won’t give them back!”

Mira screamed. “Papa! Give Mira her phone and laptop!” Raju howled “She has to read me my newspaper first,” said Raju’s father. “Papa, my paper is due tomorrow and the document is on the laptop! And my list of events that I have to plan is on the phone! How will I be organized? Grandpa, I will read you the newspaper later” Mira sobbed “Papa! Give Mira her things this instance!” Raju roared “All right!” “Now I can nicely chat with my friends,” Mira muttered to herself.

A day passed and Raju knew that he had to do something. So he packed a suitcase full of his father’s clothes and told him that he had booked a holiday hotel for him. Feeling excited his father gladly jumped into the car and watched as Raju drove the car. When they arrived in front of an old age home Raju’s father was perplexed he asked him why. Raju cooly replied “Tit for Tat. The school was a vacation for me and old age home will be your vacation.

You are becoming a pain around the house, so I want you to look at this very clearly and remember it the next time you act up! I thought of taking you here and leaving you but I will not. I love you and I am going to take you on an actual vacation in Hawaii!”. Raju’s father realized his mistake and became a part of the family.