________________
Vishwesh Ranjan Verma
ALL FOR A PHOTOGRAPH
things of luxury or items which were not essential for life, spoil the concentration needed for doing important works. "The fewer these items, the happier the person"- Mr. Raman always preached.
Mr. Raman always kept himself very busy in his job and the share market works. He had virtually no time to visit even his neighbours. Going out for work early and arriving home late was his daily routine.
One day Ms. Raman with Sonu and Monu went to Chawlas, who had joined as Appartment members only a few days ago. Mrs. Chawla was there to treat them well. Sonu and Monu were very happy to get Vicky and Monty as their friends. All were of the same age group, that's why impromptu companionship started. Chawlas were new enough to be fed with venomous rumours against Ramans.
What attracted Mrs. Raman and the children most was the colour photograph of Chawla family. Mrs. Chawla's drawing room was artistically arranged and it seemed to them that every thing in the room was in the best possible position. The attraction towards the photograph was obvious because Ramans had not been photographed for years. Owing to the too thrifty habits of Mr. Raman. They departed after taking a promise from Mrs. Chawla to visit them, too.
Mrs. Raman returned home with a planning shaping in her mind. The plan to have a photograph of her family to be beautifully placed on the refrigerator or on the showcase in their drawing room or on the mantle place so that whenever a visitor arrived he might have a clear glimpse of it. And Mrs. Chawla was due to visit them.
Came evening. Fatigued, Mr. Raman returned home. Wife was trying to be as normal as everyday and served him with usual snacks and tea but the added items were casein sweets. Mr. Raman at first took a glass of water and then proceeded with snacks, sweets and tea.
Mrs. Raman and children flocked near him. In a way they encircled him. By observing the ambience around him Mr. Raman's shrewdness sensed that some sort of new money bill was to be placed before him. His calculative mind had started to work silently...... Would it be a demand of a new saree........ a cooking range.........., a Cricket bat or a trip to some pleasant haven.
Mr. Jayraman was the perfect example of miserliness. In the whole of Nagma Apartment, he was a person who was quoted and often misquoted by the colony men and women as an axiom. Let alone elders, even the youngsters did not spare him from soft invectives and innuendoes. Even if Mr. Raman sometimes lovingly distributed chocolates and small gifts to the kids of the colony alongwith his sons, he was dumped as.." the guy is trying to show off" . as "me, too, don't care a fig about money"!
He had two sons. One was 13 years old and the second one was 12 years old. They too, had company of friends. Sometimes their friends cracked jokes..... "Hey I Sonu - Monu don't buy kites or buy ice creams, your father will hammer you down. "Sonu - Monu don't do this father will spank you." Their father's nature being what it was they used to find themselves at receiving ends. This problem had no easy proper solution. Any way, life was going on.
It was a fact that Mr. Jayraman was never acrimonious or had any ill will against any of the colony members. In spite of being an executive in a reputed firm and a lucky man to get so many prospective shares of good companies, he maintained a very simple living. Actually he was of view that
An uneasy calm prevailed. Everybody was to say something but at the same time each was keeping
हीरक जयन्ती स्मारिका
अध्यापक खण्ड/३४
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
