ONE BEDROOM FLAT………….. An Indian Software Engineer’s Life--- A bitter reality.

As the dream of most parents, I had acquired a degree in Software Engineering and joined a company based in USA, the land of braves and opportunity. When I arrived in the USA, it was a dream comes true.

Here at last, I was in a place where I wanted to be. I decided I would stay in this country for about five years in which time I would earn enough money to settle down in India.

My father was a Government employee and after his retirement, the only asset he would acquire was a decent one bedroom flat.

I wanted to do something more than him.

As time passed, I felt homesick and lonely. I would call up home and speak to my parents each week, using cheap international phone card. Years passed. Two years of Burgers at Mc Donald Pizza & Discos and two years watching the foreign exchange rate, getting happy whenever the rupee value went down.

Finally I decided to get married. Told my parents that everything had to be decided and finalized in ten days of holidays. Bought myself a ticket in the cheapest flight. I was jubilant and enjoyed shopping gifts for the family and friends back home.

Reaching home I spent a week going through the photographs of the prospective brides and short of time agreed, rather forced to select one candidate.

The marriage was hurriedly solemnized. After the marriage, it was time to return to USA. Having given some money to my parents, and requesting neighbours to look after them, we returned to USA.

My wife enjoyed this country for about two months and later started feeling lonely. The frequency of calling India increased to twice a week, sometimes three times a week. Our savings started depleting. After two more years, we started to have kids. Two lovely kids, a boy and a girl were gifted to us by the Almighty. Every time I spoke to my parents they asked me to come to India to enable them see their grand children.

Every year I decided to go to India. But work and monetary conditions prevented it. Years went by and visiting India was a distant dream.

One day I got a message that my parents were seriously sick. I tried but there was no leave allowed and thus could not go to India. The next message that I got was of their having passed away. As there was no one to do the last rites, the society members had done whatever was possible. I was depressed.

 My parents had passed away without seeing their children.

After couple of more years passed away, much to my children’s dislike and my wife’s joy, we returned to india to settle down. I started to look for a suitable property, but to my dismay, my savings were short and the property prices had gone up during all these years.

I had to return to the USA.

My wife refused to come back with me and the children refused to stay in India. My two children and I returned to the USA after promising my wife that we would be back for good after two years.

Time passed by. My daughter decided to get married to an American and the son was happy living in USA. I realized that I had enough and wound up everything to return to India. I had just enough money to buy a decent two bedroom flat in a so called clean society.

Now I am sixty years old and the only time that I got out of the flat was for the routine visit to the temple. My faithful wife has also left me and gone to the holy abode.

Sometimes I wonder if it was worth all this. My father, even after staying in India, had a house to his name. I too have one and nothing more.

I lost my parent and the children for just ONE EXTRA BEDROOM.

Looking out of this extra Bedroom window, I see a lot of children dancing. This damned cable TV has spoiled our new generation and these children are losing their values and culture because of it. I get occasional cards from my children asking if I were alright. Well, at least they remember me.

Perhaps after I die it will be the neighbours again who will be performing my last rites. God bless them. But the question still remains, was all this worth it?

I am still reaching for an answer………..!!!----- By AN INDIAN SOFTWARE ENGINEER who was in The USA.

- Bhaiya, Jagdeep Bhargava