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Aradhana Sharma

Drama Tragedy

5.0  

Aradhana Sharma

Drama Tragedy

Whereabouts

Whereabouts

5 mins
715


She was startled. It was hard to cope with it. It had become a daily routine now. Every night, she saw her father in her dreams; he was looking weak, in bad health. He had in his eyes the deep desire to see his daughter. Every morning, she would think about the dream, the same dream. She was worried for her father. It was not easy for her to go and visit him, as her Manager was not allowing her to leave Chicago for another four months because of some important work that she had to finish. She wanted to talk to him, but in his village, there was almost no facility of telephone yet, so she used to write him a letter.

That morning, it was different. She saw the death of her father in her dreams. She was devastated. She somehow found out the only phone number that her village had in the village Post Office.

She called up the post office, luckily the person who picked up the phone knew her, or might be that everyone knew each other in that small village. She talked to him about her father. Moolchand Uncle replied, “Your father is not in good health. He is unwell for quite some time. He wants to meet you desperately. Beta, can you call again tomorrow same time, I will ask him to come here and wait for your call, so that both of you can talk to each other.”

But knowing that he was unwell, she said, “No Uncle, please don’t ask him to come here, it’s very far from his place, he is already unwell. It may impact his health more. Just tell him, that I had called him up. And ask him to take care of himself. Also, tell him that I will come soon.”

She was worried about her father’s health. But she was relieved to know that he was alive.

“After finishing the current assignment, I will definitely visit India to meet Papa”, she had made up her mind and booked the ticket.

That night, she dreamt of meeting her father.

And the door bell rang. She saw her father at the door. She was startled. Unexpected arrival of her father confused her to be happy or worried. She started asking him a series of questions, “How could you manage to come over, Papa? How about your Passport, Visa? Who made all these arrangements? Why did you not inform me before? And the travel, how could you travel, all alone, the very first time in your life? Why?”

 “Can I come in and take rest for some time? It was a long journey, better to say, the longest journey I ever had in my life. Your Moolchand Uncle of Post Office helped me in all these arrangements.”

“Oh, is it? That’s nice of him, but you should have informed me at least.” It was difficult for her to express, how she felt in that situation.

While she was still in awe of her father’s arrival, she answered immediately, when her phone rang. “Hello!”

“Hello beta, Moolchand Uncle here, wanted to talk to you about your father. Earlier I thought of not to tell you much about his health conditions, but today, I have to tell you, as you are his daughter, his only family and you have all rights to know about his whereabouts. He left us...”


“Don’t worry Uncle, I know that. Thank you so much for all that you have done for us.” she had hung up the phone already.

As it was the first time that her father came to US, she was very excited and wanted to show him all the places worth visiting.

Every weekend, they went out somewhere and enjoyed their quality time. At home, she used to cook food to his liking. And he appreciated that. How fast the three months rolled by, they didn’t realize. It was the best part of their lives; they both lived to the fullest in those three months. Her father wanted to go back, they both cried and then smiled for the best time, they had spent together for three months. They were aware that he couldn’t live with her forever, he would have to return back to his place eventually. But they were contented.

Moolchand Uncle had already made all the arrangements for his return too. She told him that she would visit him next month, as her current assignment would be done by then. With the promise to meet up again in village, they parted.

Then the day came, when she was at airport to go back India to see her father again. Excited, when she reached her home, she couldn’t find him, asked neighbors. The neighbors were surprised to see her there. “Why did you come now? When he died, you could not get time to come for his funeral even.”

“What are you saying? What happened to him, tell me please?” an unpleasant thinking in her mind, he was fine just a month ago, then what happened to him suddenly.

“It’s been four months that he died and you are arriving today?” they said harshly.

“What? What are you saying? You are lying. It’s not possible at all.” She screamed.

She rushed to Post Office, asked Moolchand Uncle “Uncle, where is Papa, did he not come back here, tell me please. Did you meet him, when he was back from US? Where is he, Uncle, please tell me.”

“What are you saying? Your father died four months ago. You remember, one day, you called up here and had a word with me. Next morning he died, and I called you up to inform the same. I told you that he left us. You said, you knew it already. We waited for you for the funeral ceremonies, but you had never shown up. The whole village is angry with you for that. So am I. Why did you come now?”

She had run out of words. She was startled.


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