INSURANCE

Carrying the file of documents, he had been wandering round the roads of the city for many months. After completing his post-graduate, just a good job could secure him as well as his whole family. The gleam of hopes in the parent’s eyes teased him while the wistful faces of brothers and sisters made him crazy. All past dreams of the university vanished. First, he had to support his parents as the eldest child among the big family. He was busy to materialize his dreams. With the passage of time, the disappointment surrounded him like a web. Sometimes there was no school fee of the brother and sometimes the sister had no books. He had lost his identity, seeking the solution of all these problems. At dawn, he used to go to fulfill his dreams and came back at the darkness of the night, so that the luminosity of the hopes in the parent’s eyes might not be dimmed to see him. He was fed up to appear in the tests and interviews. Everywhere the seats were already reserved. Now he began to feel as he had committed sin to get education. It would be much better that he would have worked in any workshop so that today he might be able to earn some pennies.  He often used to think that he might become a waiter in a hotel or a salesman at a shop. He was unable to fulfill the dreams of his parents who wanted to see him on high rank. He was tired of daily throttling of desires. When he faced his desperate parents then he abhorred himself. His heart frightened to see expectant faces of his brothers and sisters. Hatred created in his mind against the bundle of documents. He was waiting for any miracle, which might turn out his circumstances. He was trapping in the bog of poverty day by day and the hardships disguised like a dragon.

One day, he received a parcel by post. In the first glance, he was delighted that perhaps it was any call-letter for his job. Seeing the name of the father on the envelope, he handed over it to his father. The eyes of the father gleamed after reading it. He judged the hidden feelings in those eyes and asked courageously.

“Father, what’s the problem?”

 “Nothing, it’s a notice.”   

             “Notice, about what…?” He startled.

             “Some years before, I had deposited some money in an insurance scheme on your account. I had thought it would be helpful for a rainy day but who knew that in future we wouldn’t be able to pay its installments.” The pain in father’s voice ended up after crushing with his ears and a tremor ran through his spine. He felt himself guilty.

 “Father...! Don’t worry. I will meet them tomorrow that they may avail us some days.” He said with hopefulness. Next day, he took all information from insurance agent. Explaining the rules of policy, he said,

“You will have to pay five thousand as an installment up to five years constantly. After twenty installments, you will be paid half million. Yes, it is possible that you can take back your twenty five thousand after five years. Otherwise, if suddenly you…...” hearing the last option of the agent, he became conscious and his eyes glistened.

            With the break of the day, he got out of his home with an unknown joy. He was stepping along the road. The smile danced on his lips seeing a distant vehicle.  Suddenly, he spilt and fell down on the road. The crackling sound of brakes roared and he became a part of the road covered with the blood.

His sudden death was wailed for long. After some days, the agents of insurance company reached his home and according to rules, they put cash of two Lac on the fist of his father, which was the insurance of his life.