Trust

  Ravi did not come home from college. It was raining cats and dogs. there was depression in the bay of Bengal leading to incessant rains in Hyderabad. Ravi’s father Raghu was restlessly pacing up and down the room and his mother Radha was helplessly watching him not knowing how to stop him. He was a heart patient and his health is at risk if he is under stress.

Suddenly Ravi’s friends came in and informed Raghu that he met with an accident and they had admitted him into a corporate hospital and his condition is critical and needs a surgery. Urgently money needs to be arranged. Raghu was dumb stuck he did not know what to do or where to go. He obviously did not have the required amount at home nor any source to get from. The banks had continuous holidays for the next four days and all the ATMs were out of cash to withdraw what ever money was available in the bank. Suddenly Radha reminded him about the amount he had given to his younger brother Hari some time back.

Raghu, Ramesh and Hari were three brothers living in Hyderabad , while the two elder brothers managed to some how manage to meet the ends, the last brother Hari earned well and his wife was also working. Together they had accumulated good amount of wealth. Two years ago they had disposed off a piece of joint property in the village and got some money. The eldest brother Raghu wanted to invest it such that he would get a regular amount that would supplement his meagre income. His younger brother Ramesh requested him to lend the money for a while and promised to pay the interest to tide over difficult times. Raghu had no trust on his younger brother and when his youngest brother Hari promised the same terms as Ramesh, he lent the money to him. That was the amount that Radha reminded him about. Incidentally, of late Hari has been irregular in paying back the interest amount.

As soon as Ramesh got the news about his nephew, he rushed to his brother’s house and together they rushed to Hari’s house. When asked to arrange for money, Hari feigned surprise and asked “which money you are talking about? I don’t owe you any money and where do I have need of borrowing money from you?” Raghu had no words to say and he was in a shock. Ramesh intervened and said,” Brother first things first. Ravi’s life is of utmost importance and I have money with me for the treatment. let us rush. We will come back after wards and deal with Hari and I know how to go about it, Don’t worry , your money will go no where. I know how to recover.”

Raghu was overwhelmed by emotions , guilt for having trusted the wrong person, joy that he got help and relief that his son got timely help. Before leaving he uttered only these words to Hari.” As the saying goes, trusting someone is hard. Knowing whom to trust is even harder. I trusted the wrong person and I failed.”