Just six months ago, when I went to store, where i live there arenot too many Indian stores. SO i go to this one, to buy spices and lentils and other items. I met the owner of the shop. She is lean and above 50years old and her walk is very slow and her eyes look strained and tired, her looks displays she is in a financial crisis. Well, there was no power supply at that time. So I dint have any other option, but to just wait. I sat on the wooden bench in the shop She sat on the floor and immediately started talking to me.
I've never met her before, this was the first time she told me that she is from a middle class family and her husband is not physically well and she is also not well. Actually she is a heart patient. But she is taking care of the shop (I wonder doesn't she have any kids). i dint asked her anything, just like that she read my mind, and told me she has a son but he is married and went to live with his in-laws .
What an irony. This lady got a loan from bank for that shop, the shop is for her son, and he even took care of it for sometime, after his marriage it went on fairly well for sometime. Her daughter in-law din't likes the job and she somehow pursued her hubby to move to her parent's house. She is not even worried that MIL is heart patient and FIL can't work.
This poor old lady doesn't have any choice but come to that shop. First she has to return her loan money. Whether she could or not is not a matter, she has to take care of that shop (I don't know how she puts up with that machine's sound, it is irritating and with her heart's condition God only knows, how she manages may be that's her destiny). I was just listening to her patiently. I asked her one question, "Why don't you sell the shop". She said, this is what gives them food. We don't have any money. If I shut down this, then we have to live in poverty.
Then she told, "please, don't take me wrongly, I am telling you this not because I am angry with my son or daughter in law I want them to be happy. I am not angry with them, at least there my son is happy, I hope. Ever since when she was with us, she always fought with my son for something or the other, because she didn't want to live with us. She wanted to go alone. Now they are alone and I believe they are happy. Once in a while she brings my grandson to our home, and I am really happy to be with him he is very cute". She spoke about her grandson for sometime
Finally she said, I am happy for them. I just want to tell this to someone that's why I am telling you…Please, don't take me seriously or wrong. And she talked about something about the loan and how she is managing with her heart problem, how the monthly medical bill cost them hers and her hubby's…She went on for some time (there was some innocence and lot of love in her talks. I think that is motherhood, you take any shit from your kids and still you love them). When I came back from that shop .
That day, lot of questions bothered me:
a)Why can't a woman treat MIL as her mother?
b) Is it ok for a son to go alone leaving their aged parents penniless?
c)Is it acceptable to be selfish in this world?
d) How would it be if our parents behave selfish with us?
e) Is there no moral value in this world?
f) Don't they ever think, this might happen to them in the future?
P.S. After that I saw her twice or thrice, we have some unwritten attachment, I ask her only one question, "How are you, how is your health?" .. She immediately responds "I am better now" with a real smile (she seems happy when I ask this question; I think it gives her some recognition). Last week I went there, but the shop was not there, I don't know what happened to her. There is no one to ask. I hope she is fine
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