Thursday, June 18, 2009

The Blank "Face" (Part I)


It takes me few steps to reach the Club Aqua, it is just two blocks away from my building. And remaining busy for the five days of the week, Aqua is the perfect place to wash away my tiredness. I have many friends here and we make it a point to meet every Friday evening to share life. And today, it is even more important because it is a fortnight I visited the bar. It was closed last Friday.
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“Drunkard”, that’s the first thought that comes in my mind when my friends ask about my Father, A.Malhotra. Not because of his drinking but the incidents which followed after he was not in his senses that made me abhor him. Many of the times he used to take his whip and blast on his wife, my mother. Many a time, I was on the receiving end. And the scars still burn on my chest and my back. “Businessman, my father has his own business.” I tell them after giving second thoughts.
This is the third time I am changing my school in this session. I am used to it as this has been a routine in my life. Earlier I used to hate this because I had to make new friends whenever I changed my school but now it has become a routine in my life. I never understand what kind of business my father does. And nor I asked him ever as he is a short tempered bloody being who treats the others like shit. I sometimes tried to ask my mother, when she was alive, but she was rather rhetoric than candid. What I was able to learn was that my grandfather used to own a big business spread over various countries. After his death, it was divided equally among his three sons. My father was the youngest and a spoilt brat of his parents. No doubt how he grew out of a human being. But what surprised me was that we change our dwelling faster than normal. Nowadays we are in Manchester.
“How did your first day go?” a hoarse voice enquired as I entered the room.
“Who cares?”
“What kind of answer is that? And who taught you to speak to your father like that.”
I pretended not to listen and slipped into my room and shut the door behind me. I heard my father clamoring but I inserted the earplugs of my Ipod to listen the soothing music of Beethoven.

It is Sunday Morning and my mind is filled with some peace. My uncle, Aadesh Malhotra was visiting us. He is a good human being unlike my father. Nicely built, six feet tall, he had all the nicest manners possible in a human being. He always visited with a gift in his hand for me, and it didn’t even stop later till now as he more often comes to our place. His son also comes to our place but he is no less than my father. He used to bully me when we were kids since he was always healthier than me. As we grew older, he stopped doing pranks with me as he grew mature, I think. But his detest for me is still alive in his mind since we rarely talk.
That day, Uncle came to me to give me a packet of chocolates, as I still loved them even if growing of age. His son also came but moved away in other room without greeting me. My uncle asked about my studies and my life and then went away wishing me luck for my exams. He never liked to disturb students busy in studies. I asked him about his plans for today and he confirmed that he will be here the whole day. I smiled because that gave me a relief. My father never showed his berserk nature in front of his elder brother. But his brother was totally aware of his scorning nature. Many times, he saw the scars of my face but never said anything.

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