The Sunglasses

Verma family was still engulfed in the sweet caress of slumber in the wee hours of morning when a sudden movement on the staircase outside their house shook it up.Mr. Verma belonged to the upper middle class and was a bank employee. His job being transferable made it impossible for him to settle down permanently. After every three years he would pack up his belongings and would march to the new city and settled in a new rented accommodation. A year back his job had brought him to Una ,a small hill station in Himachal pradesh. It wasn't something very convenient for him to get a suitable rented house in Una. Somehow ,he got the ground floor of a three storey building. Often he would feel annoyed if people on the top floor made movement at the odd hours. He would often complain about migraine. He thanked the Almighty as the immediate middle floor over his head was so far unoccupied. That day things were going to change as when he stepped out to trace the reason of the commotion outside. He got to know that there were tenants like them who had come to stay on the middle floor.

" Who's there?"Mrs. Verma who was a very sober and serene wife enquired while handing over a hot cup of Masala tea to her husband.

"Some doctor is here. He has got posting in the Civil Hospital."Mr. Verma couldn't hide his irritation.

"Don't worry. Doctor's family means refined educated people. They won't disturb you."Mrs. Verma smiled as she felt relieved to have a doctor residing nearby. She felt it to be an assurance that there was someone to attend to her husband's deteriorating migraine. 

"Dad, can l ask you something?"Mr. Verma's eldest obstinate son Rajat spoke while holding brush and toothpaste in hand. He had just entered eleventh grade and his younger sister Ruhi was in ninth class.

"You can of course. But, Rajat it shouldn't be the same thing. I don't want to hear about bike or activa."Mr. Verma's volume became louder scaring Ruhi who had just came out of her bedroom to support her sibling.

"But dad all my friends have bikes. Are we so poor? No, we aren't. Then why can't you buy one for me."Rajat was unable to conceal his restlessness that day.

"Papa, please buy bike for brother. All my friends' elder siblings own one."Ruhi begged from her father.

"Both of you listen to me carefully. I am not refusing to buy bike for Rajat. I am just saying wait for another year . Next year he will be above seventeen. He will become a bit mature then only l will buy one. This chapter is closed till then". Mr. Verma being a responsible father wasn't ready to budge from his point of view. 

Rajat rushed in fuming looking disgustfully towards his parents.He and Ruhi didn't like to be spoon-fed . They wished their parents to discern that they were grown ups and that they should be let free in taking important decisions of their life.

"Why don't you buy bike for Rajat? I promise he will not ride daily."Mrs. Verma entreated her husband. She being an emotional mom was exhausted since last couple of years due to the constant demand of her son for bike and her husband's constant denial for the same.

"Now you don't start. Be sensible l am not enemy of my children." Mr. Verma had put the full stop on that issue for the day.

Soon Mrs. Verma became a close friend of the doctor's wife who had come to stay on their upper floor. The doctor couple had three sons. The eldest one was in army and the younger two were in college. All of the three were very charming. Ruhi and Rajat were especially mesmerized by the youngest brother who wore sunglasses whenever he would climb down to go anywhere.

"Aunty ,why one of your sons never removes sun glasses. Does he think himself to be a super star like Shahrukh?" Ruhi innocently asked the doctor's wife who was her mother's best friend.

The doctor's wife would always avoid talking about her son who had become centre of attraction of all the children in their new vicinity.

"Hi, brother. One day l will also ride on Enfield and wear glasses like you."Rajat had smiled towards his new role model.

"Don't you ever say that. Imitations are not good." The mystery boy with the sunglasses had left without looking back.

"How arrogant ! I think he is mad." Rajat had spoken loudly intentionally to make his annoyer listen to him.

After that day Rajat along with the rest of the children began to taunt and comment on the doctor's son with the sunglasses on visage.

"Do you remove these when you sleep ?" 

All  their.comments were completely ignored . It was Diwali eve when Mrs. Verma asked her children to take sweets for the doctor's family. That day Rajat and Ruhi were extremely excited to get a chance to peep into their upper floor neighbour's house to get a glimpse of the boy with the sunglasses.They wished to add more spice to their mocking spree directed towards him.

Noise of crackers was so loud that the doctor's family didn't hear the door bell. Therefore, both the siblings entered their house. They were looking for someone to handover the sweets sent by their mother when the door of the washroom opened. Ruhi and Rajat couldn't blink their eyes for a few seconds as in front of them was their handsome role model without sun glasses.

"Won't you laugh today Rajat and Ruhi?"He spoke while searching frantically for his sun glasses.

"Here brother." Rajat's hands were shaking when he picked up his glasses from a corner table.

"Rajat and Ruhi sit dear."the doctor spoke affectionately when he came out with the rest of the family members.

"What's wrong with you? You look shocked." Another son of the doctor spoke up.

"They have seen me without sunglasses. They are shocked to see my single eye ,the ball of dead skin that has replaced my eye has scared them. I hope now you know Rajat why l had said that never say you would wear glasses like me. For me these are essentials not  one of your favourite fashion accessories."

Then he told Rajat and Ruhi about his stubborn nature . He told that when he was in ninth or tenth he would always demand bike from his father. But his father like Mr. Verma had made it very much clear to him that till he would turn 18 he won't be entitled for one. Then he told that when his eldest brother was gifted  a bike he would often try to steal keys of his bike to drive. One day he got the key and was feeling extremely elated riding rashly on his brother's bike. On one turn he couldn't control his speed when a pick- up carrying iron rods had applied sudden brake. 

" We had received call from a stranger that he has met with an accident. With the grace of the Almighty he had survived with loss of one eye. The iron rod had pierced his eye damaging a part of his skull." The doctor's wife was in tears.

"I wish l had waited for a couple of years and had listened to my parents. Rajat l know you also want to ride on a bike. Then listen to me carefully you must wait for the day when your father will willingly get one for you. No one except for our parents can decide what's good or bad for us." The boy with the sunglasses had smiled.

Ruhi and Rajat with a heavy heart climbed down making up a resolution to never ever comment on anyone in future and to always tread on the path shown by their dear parents.

"Rajat and Ruhi what took you so long?" 

"Nothing papa. "Rajat hugged his father after months of annoyance realizing the care and concern his father had for him and his sister Ruhi.