RIGHT DECISION AND THE WORTH OF CERTAINTY

 

"RIGHT DECISION AND THE WORTH OF CERTAINTY"
BY IQRA RAUF

There was a small village across the other side of the river in which everyone was illiterate but owning diplomatic and cunning nature. There were three houses of landlords Mr. Abassi, Mr. Aziz and Mr. Azhar, they were brothers and respected by the villagers because of the good family backgrounds and owners of most of the land there.

Mr. Azhar was the younger of the two and he used to live in the village before he went to the city. Mr. Abassi had got twin sons Ahamd and Ahsan, they were very obedient and wise. Mr. and Mrs. Abassi were raising them very well, always guided them to stand for the right, don’t try to get anything by deception, and be a successful person in life.

Mr. Aziz and Mr. Azhar were not sincere and affectionate towards their brother Mr. Abbasi. Mr. Abassi held compassion and gentleness for them but the two brothers never wanted to saw him settled in his life therefore, used to conspire to cause him financial loss.

The children of Mr. Aziz and Mr. Azhar could not establish their place and status in the world due to lagging behind in education. Parents could not even train them morally that was the reason they were not only disobedient to the other people but to their parents also.

Mr. Aziz and Mr. Azhar were completely uneducated while Mr. Abassi was on job and he was also lucky to have a sensible or generous wife. These two husbands and wives had got the very good perception that a man’s identity is not based on wealth but on morality or his achievements in life.

Mr. Aziz was sitting at a table taking dinner with his family and before leaving he asked his wife to send him a cup of tea in his room. Mrs. Aziz went to the kitchen; she opened the fridge, took a jug of milk, and pours it into a kettle. She called her daughter Teena to come downstairs and prepare a tea for her father meanwhile I made the list of kitchen accessories to bring from the market. When Mrs. Aziz reached near the door of the kitchen, she moved back and asked her daughter “Isn’t today Amir’s result? It’s the 4^th of July”. Teena with an amused face replied, “Oh! Yes, where’s he? I think he’s still sleeping”.

Mrs. Aziz replied, Go wakes him up and told him it’s your result day. Ok Ma, said Teena. Tea is ready please serve it to pa and I am going to see Amir, saying this Teena went to Amir’s room. She pulled the handle and opened the door, Amir was sitting at the window watching the passersby from the street, and his head was leaned against the window curtains. “Look! You are awakening and we thought you were still asleep, said Teena.

You know today is your result, and it has been announced by now. Have you seen it”? (Amir was quiet). Why are you so non-serious, I am asking something? It’s not your result Teena then why are you so curious and shouting at me? Said Amir. Amir, you are already been failed two times. Remember? And it was your last chance and I am sure you have lost it too, said Teena. So, what!  it’s not a big issue, go out of my room.

Because I am not in a mood to listen to your nonsense Teena, said Amir. Ok fine then, saying this she left the room and went straight to her mother, she was talking with her sister on a call. When she said goodbye! and held down the phone, Teena angrily said “Ma, he has again failed his exams and when I asked him to check his result, he misbehaved with me, now I will not talk to him and not do any of his work. Ma! You will also not force me to do so”, said Teena. What! Are you sure, this time to he fails, asked Mrs. Aziz? Teena nodded her head. Oh my God! Why he is so careless, now what reason he has thought of to give his father when he asked him why is it so. Is he not aware of his anger?  Saying this Mrs. Aziz sat down on the sofa holding her head in disappointment.

At night, when they were sitting at the table having dinner, Mr. Aziz noticed his wife and children were very quiet, also he found them a little tense. At this, he asked, what happened? “Is everything all right. Why you are looking disturbed, Amir you are not taking your meal properly. Look! You are getting weak day by day”. “I am fine Pa”, replied Amir.

When they went to their rooms after the dinner, Mrs. Aziz said in a low voice to her husband “Today was Amir’s result” then she stopped.  “Then what? does he pass or not? Why you have not told me earlier and Amir also didn’t talk about it when we were on the table”, said Mr. Aziz. “Actually, he does not pass the exams” Mrs. Aziz replied. “You know what; I was expecting the same from him. I am busy working outside while you are at home so; it is your responsibility to take into account these matters. Didn’t he study”? This is your entire fault, said Mr. Aziz. She replied, “You can’t completely blame me for this; I remained busy in doing household tasks, you also own some responsibility for your children”.

They have been arguing about this for a long time then Mr. Aziz called Amir to his room. Amir was a little nervous about how the father treats him, and when he went inside the room, Mr. Aziz was angry and this was clearly visible from his face. He asked Amir to sit down then he simply ordered him that “Now you don’t have any more chance left for study so, from tomorrow you will go to your fields and look at the matters of crops and their cultivation”. “Be careful! You will be answerable to me for everything”. Amir wanted to say something but Mr. Aziz stopped him with the gesture of his hand and said, that’s all sons, and you may leave now.

After some days, they got the news that Mr. Azhar passed away in a road accident when he was coming home, a huge truck hit his car. This news was a big shock for his family because he has two daughters and one son. The son was of only 8 years and can’t take the responsibility of the family. Mr. Aziz was the elder brother so; he took it for granted and in order to own Mr. Azhar’s property he took the responsibility of his family on his shoulders. Now, he used to cultivate their land and never let them know about the real income or the profit he gets from it. Mr. Abassi was well aware of the fact, that his elder brother was deceiving Mr. Azhar’s family but remained silent because he considers elder brother at his father’s place hence, didn’t want to argue with him.

Mrs. Aziz was a clever woman and did not want to see anyone more prosperous than their family. They already took control of one brothers’ property now were thinking that if Mr. Abassi goes ahead of them? As his children’s education was continued and they were doing well in it.

When Mr. Aziz came home for lunch, her wife shared a thought which was going through her mind and he too took it as a serious matter. After thinking for a while, Mr. Aziz arrived at the conclusion that he would not let his brother succeed in the race of life and would continue to create difficulties for him.

            The fields of these two brothers were side by side. Mr. Abassi had sown the wheat crop and it was ready to harvest. Mr. Azhar had already reaped his crop and was preparing the land for the new crop. During plowing, Mr. Aziz fired the unnecessary plants in his land, and using it as an excuse he set fire to their crops and claimed, it happened due to the intensity of heat.

When the villagers saw the fields are burning, they immediately informed Mr. Abassi but it was too late and the whole crop was burnt. Mr. Abassi was saddened by the loss of his yearlong work but he shows patience and doesn’t even question his brother for what he had done with him.

Mr. Abassi had a servant, who had been working for him a long time. At the beginning of winter, he became ill and went home on holidays. Instead of recovering, he became more ill. Mr. Abassi was in dire need of a servant but servants could not be found in their village, they had to be brought from some other place. On someone’s reference, Mr. Abassi brought a servant from some faraway place. Mr. Aziz hired him by offering a higher salary and he continued to create problems for Mr. Abassi.

After reviewing this situation, Mr. Abassi moved to the city with his family for their better future. When they got settled there, his two sons Ahmad and Ahsan got admissions in scholarship because of their intelligence and hard work, it was an honor for Mr. Abassi. He was sad to leave his village and often talked to his wife about whether he had made a mistake by leaving his homeland, and she used to console him by saying that you made the right decision.

There was a unity between Ahmad and Ahsan, they valued each other’s feelings and both of them were well aware of their parent’s worries and sacrifices for them. When they were sitting together, Ahmad and Ahsan told their father that they want to become government officers of a higher rank. At this, Mr. Abassi admired them for their perceptions or the goals they have set to achieve.  

The day has come when both the sons were saluting their father in their official uniforms standing in front of him. Mr. Abassi’s head was raised with pride and he was thanking God that finally, he has got a fruit of his labor. Mr. Abassi hugged them and said, “I am proud of you my sons, if you weren’t sincere with your targets, I wouldn’t be able to see this day. Thank you, my sons”! Ahmad and Ahsan thanked their parents for whatever they have done for them so far. Ahmad gently took the hand of his father in his hand, kissed him and said, “It has become possible because you made the right decision at the right time”.