Papa ji!” Whatever is made, just eat it quietly. I’m not here to deal with your tantrums every day... Work all day, and then put up with his complaints... Kavita muttered as she stormed out of the room. It was breakfast time, and Kavita had served slightly burnt, hard rotis with dry vegetables.Kamlesh ji had only said, “Bahu, at this age, my teeth don’t cooperate. Make softer rotis, or just give me some milk to soak them in, and I’ll manage.” These incidents had become a daily routine. The food on his plate was rarely edible. With false teeth and a weak stomach at this age, if only something soft like porridge or upma was made, it would bring a change in taste and make eating easier. But the rotis served to him twice a day felt like they were given without any respect, as if food was being tossed in front of a mute animal. What could Kamlesh ji do? He had sold his village house at his son’s insistence, and with that money, his son had bought this house in the city. In the evenings, when Kamlesh ji went for a walk in the park, he would meet friends he had made, and they would chat. Old age conversations would sometimes drift to fond memories of the past or be pulled toward worries about the future. Today, Kamlesh ji seemed a bit down. Ranjan Babu could sense something was wrong.When Ranjan tried to probe, Kamlesh ji made an excuse about feeling unwell, because airing family issues at the crossroads would mean tarnishing his own household’s reputation. Who knows how people would twist and spread the story? It would also raise questions about his upbringing—how could he have raised a son who didn’t care for his father? His food, drink, and medicines depended on their mercy. Kamlesh ji returned from the park early that day.At dinner time, he tried to talk to his son, but his daughter-in-law cut him off, saying, “Papa ji, after running around all day, at least let him eat two rotis in peace. Talks can happen later.” With his head bowed, Kamlesh ji ate and went to his room. Memories of the past began to flood his mind—how Lalita ji used to feed the whole family hot rotis one by one, lovingly serving an extra one if someone wanted it. She had the blessings of Goddess Annapurna; the food was tasty, and she kept everyone’s preferences in mind. The same son, for whom she never tired of catering to his whims, would get a different dish made instantly if he didn’t like one.When your life partner leaves you at this age, they take all the colors of life with them. Like a shadow, she had taken care of everyone. Truly, none of them had appreciated her enough back then. His eyes welled up as he ran his hand over Lalita ji’s photo and said, “What kind of companionship was this? You should’ve taken me with you... Why don’t I die instead of eating this food of humiliation?” It felt as if Lalita ji was saying, “Go back to the village... Our servant Ramu would take better care of you. There’s no need to be sad; your hands and feet are still functional, and you have your land there.” When Kamlesh ji woke up, he realized, why die bit by bit every day? As long as there’s life, one should live with dignity until the last breath. When death comes, relationships fade instantly—called a “body” and laid on the floor.His dilemmas were resolved. The new morning filled him with renewed vigor. When his daughter-in-law brought breakfast, he touched the plate to his forehead and said, “Bahu, take this food back.” “What happened, Babu ji? If you didn’t want to eat, you could’ve said earlier. Such a waste of money, and who’ll eat this now?” Kavita rattled off in one breath.“Bahu, even a dry roti with respect is enough, but dishonorable delicacies are useless. Today, you take this food back and think about how your children might one day serve you a similar plate. And mark my words, everyone’s deeds catch up with them someday. Be prepared for that day. All I wanted was two meals with respect, but you serve food even an animal wouldn’t eat. I’ve decided I won’t stay here anymore. I’ve booked a ticket to the village, and I’m leaving this evening. As for food, I’ll eat something outside; you won’t have to bother about me from tomorrow.” Kavita was stunned, wondering what she’d tell her husband, Ravi. Until now, she hadn’t let Kamlesh ji talk much to Ravi, but if he told Ravi everything, she’d be in trouble.Kamlesh ji was wise; he knew his son would be upset and that it might cause unnecessary friction between husband and wife. A son’s responsibility isn’t just to give his father shelter but also to spend time with him and occasionally ask about his needs. But Ravi had trusted his wife too much. Well, as long as they’re happy, that’s all that matters, Kamlesh ji thought. He told Ravi, “Son, some urgent work regarding the fields has come up, so I have to leave for the village today. And one more thing—along with your job, make time for your father too.”Ravi couldn’t understand if his father had a complaint or if he was genuinely leaving for some work so suddenly. “Babu ji, where will you stay? We don’t have a house there anymore,” Ravi said, concerned. “Son, there’s still the ancestral house where your uncles live. I’ll stay there,” Kamlesh ji replied, packing his belongings. Ravi arranged a car to take him to the station.Kamlesh ji’s words shook Ravi. What could have troubled him so much that he made such a big decision without telling me? Living in the village isn’t bad, but what could be the reason for leaving so suddenly? He couldn’t focus on work all day and decided to take the morning train to the village to find out what was on his father’s mind. Had he become so busy that he hadn’t given his father any time? That evening, he told Kavita, “I have to go out for some office work for a few days.” “Ravi, how will I manage everything alone? Take me along; it’ll be a nice outing, and with Babu ji gone, there’s no restriction either.”“Restriction? What restriction was there when Babu ji was here, Kavita? Tell me honestly, did he leave because of you? How did you treat him behind my back?” A guilty conscience pricks. Kavita assumed Babu ji must have told Ravi about her behavior and burst out, “I was fed up with his daily tantrums. He always found fault with the food, and today, he even returned the plate!” It didn’t take Ravi long to realize that his father’s dignity had been hurt, which is why he didn’t eat.“Kavita, you didn’t think it necessary to call and tell me that Babu ji left without eating? I’m going to the village tomorrow and won’t return until he agrees to come back. And no, he hasn’t told me anything, but I’ll definitely find out what happened.” Kavita felt the ground slip from under her feet. Her only option was to apologize and make amends. “If I made a mistake, I’ll fix it. I’ll come along to bring Babu ji back,” she said. The next day, they all left for the village. Meanwhile, Kamlesh ji had already arranged to sell the land and was heading to the court when he saw Ravi and Kavita in the village.“Babu ji!” Kavita fell at his feet, pleading, “Please forgive me.” Ravi also apologized, “It’s all my fault for not taking proper care of you. Please forgive me too, Babu ji.” “It’s alright, son,” Kamlesh ji said. “Mistakes are those done unknowingly; what’s done deliberately isn’t a mistake. In old age, all a person wants is a meal with respect. The food served to me, along with Kavita’s taunts, I no longer have the strength to digest. I’ll sell all the land and go to an ashram, and yes, I’ll put all the money in your children’s names so they don’t treat you the same way in the future.”“Babu ji, I don’t want anything. If you’re willing to give me a chance, please come back home. I promise I won’t let your dignity as my father be compromised.” Kavita also promised, and no land was sold. Instead, they built a house in the village where everyone would come during holidays and live together lovingly. Kavita never let Kamlesh ji’s respect falter, and Ravi made time after work to spend with him, personally attending to his needs.“It’s true, you reap what you sow.” Whatever good or bad deeds we do, they always affect our family. They say, do such good deeds that even if someone speaks ill, the fruits of your actions will be good because your deeds are good. And yes “
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