Sunday Story: Do they really care?

Meetha has just turned 18, and she wanted to treat her friends on her birthday. Her dad Shailesh gave her the money for it but said, "remember, you got to get back home before six. Make sure to finish the party and get home before it strikes six." Meetha was irritated and angry and couldn't stay out late on her birthday. She tried to coax his dad to change his mind but did not budge.

After all, it was her 18th birthday, and she had planned to celebrate it with her friends. But now the excitement had died, "It was Sarah's birthday a few days ago, and her dad threw a party for all her friends, and they got back home only in the wee hours of the morning." Meetha thought. "They missed classes the next day. But I couldn't attend the party because it started only at 8 pm, after my curfew! What a miserable life!" Meetha continued thinking as she felt hot tears slide down her cheeks. "Dad is so unreasonable. I cannot do things my friends do because of dad. Such a killjoy he is!"

She had just entered the college campus when a voice interrupted her thoughts. It was Shashi, someone she hoped to marry someday. He was walking towards her with a bouquet of red roses. " Happy birthday, Sweetheart," Shashi said as he gave her a peck on her forehead. "I have been watching you for a while. You seem upset. Whatsup?" Shashi asked. He was looking down at her face waiting for her to answer. "Nothing," Meetha said. "Come, let's get to class before the bell rings," said Meetha. She was blinking hard in a desperate attempt to stop the tears from falling. But she failed, and now tears flowed down her beautiful face.

Seizing the opportunity, Shashi moved closer to her and, giving her a one-armed hug, asked her, "my pretty birthday girl, what makes you cry?

Feeling the comfort of the one she hoped to marry someday, she opened her heart to him and expressed all her hurt as she continued to weep. When she had finished, Shashi grabbed her by her shoulders, looked her in the eyes and told her, "look, Miya." that's what he always called her. : You are not a baby to cry over such things." Meetha was surprised, and she looked at Shashi. 

"You are 18 years old today, a major." He looked at her for a reaction, and when he saw that she was intently listening to him, he continued, "your dad can't decide for you, and he has no hold over you." Shashi put his arm around her shoulders and gently nudged her to walk, talking all the time. 

He spoke of his days in a foreign land. He said his parents were still there, and he grew up with them. "but," he said when they were dominating me and were restricting my freedom, "I warned them not to."  

He stopped for a moment and looked at her, and they now faced each other. He then looked her in the eyes and said, "but they didn't, and one day, my dad gave me an ultimatum. Do you want to know what that was?" he asked Meetha.

"He told me I had to leave his house if I didn't follow the rules." Meetha gasped, remembering her dad had said the same to her on several occasions, especially when she tried arguing with him. Mustering courage, she asked, "what did you do then?" 

Shashi laughed as he said, "I walked out, and your should have seen my dad's face; he could only stare with his mouth open." It was now Meetha's turn to do the same. "Don't do that. You remind me of my dad." Shashi said as he threw back his head and laughed. 

"It was the best thing I did in my life." he said to Meetha, "during every call, my dad begs me to come back." He then continued to tell her that he studies by day, freelances by night, and doesn't need his father's support.

Over the days, he kept gently persuading Meetha to take a stance against her father. And one day, in a fit of anger, her father told her, "if you come home late tomorrow, I won't open the door for you." And that day, Meetha never returned home. 

Her dad loved her dearly, and he kept looking for her but in vain. And one day, someone told him, "we saw your daughter." He collected the address, and it was in a city almost 100kms from his.

He quickly drove to the city and past the area where she was spotted. But he did not find her. He parked his car at a safe distance and waited, hoping she would pass by. And when a shabbily clad young woman begged him for money, their eyes met, and he realised it was his Meetha. She too recognised her father and started running away from him. But he was faster, and he gathered her in his arms and told her, "I won't ask you why or what happened. I only want to tell you that you are my daughter, and I have come to take you home.

My Thoughts

We sometimes feel that our parents are too harsh and restrict our freedom. But when I met Meetha, this is what she told me, "I now tell the youth, no one can love you like your parents. If you leave them, you are alone, and anyone can harm you. Look for the love in their discipline, and life will be beautiful."

Check out the next part on Sunday, 6th November 2022, to know how Meetha landed on the streets.



Liked this story? Read another one-'It's Never Too Early!'.