Bhatnagar ji was astonished. He just found out that there was a festival at his son's college, and they had been invited to attend with the family, but for some reason, he had felt like going there since morning. He had even taken leave from work and started preparing to go, as if he had some premonition. Surely, some metaphysical force was at play. However, the good thing was that this force hadn’t harmed him yet. Apart from some mental anxiety, he hadn't experienced any distress.
"Perhaps spending a few days away from home and office might help change my mood," he thought. His wife seemed even more excited than he was. Although they were to leave the next afternoon, she had already begun preparing the snacks to take for their son’s breakfast. For a brief moment, Bhatnagar ji forgot all about the haunting troubles, and his wife's happiness became his own. They had already informed their son over the phone. Their son, who was usually under pressure because of his studies, would now be so happy to see his parents in his college and city.
Since their son had enrolled in engineering college, it was as if his mother had started studying along with him. Nearly every day, mother and son would discuss each class activity on the phone. The habit of seeking help from his mother for homework had stuck with him since his school days. While choosing "Cognitive Mechanics" as a branch in engineering, both mother and son had thought that this new subject would provide some challenge. Otherwise, these days, a common trend between children and parents had emerged where the branch or course that offers the highest salary package was pursued, regardless of whether one enjoys studying it or not.
Bhatnagar ji thought, “If the son spends a few days with us, traveling and enjoying, it would do him good.” The next morning, Bhatnagar ji felt as relaxed as he would on a Sunday—no need to get up early, no rushing to bathe and get ready, and no hassle of leaving for the office. Seeing his wife busy in the kitchen, Bhatnagar ji thought, "Snacks like laddoos and mathri are already being prepared for our son; why not pack some rabri as well?"
He took out the car and drove off. Today, he ordered a full two kilograms of rabri. They were going to visit their son's hostel, and his friends would also be there. Who knows how many people would be around? At least 100–200 grams of rabri should come in each child's share! Today, a clay pot wouldn’t suffice, so the shopkeeper began weighing the rabri into a large container. After paying for the rabri, Bhatnagar ji hurried to his car, only to be startled by the sight in front of him. The same beggar woman was standing by his car, waiting for him. But today, her appearance had changed somewhat. Some generous woman had given her an old but bright red scarf, which she had draped over her filthy clothes. Perhaps she remembered that these "sahib" had given her two rupees the last time, so she stood waiting with double the hope this time.
Bhatnagar ji didn’t have any coins smaller than five rupees in his pocket. The beggar woman’s fortunes were shining today. The car sped away. Upon reaching home, he saw that their son had called, and his wife was talking to him. Seeing Bhatnagar ji, his wife put the phone on speaker. Now their son’s loud voice could be heard. He was saying that he had won the first prize for his "Cognitive Mechanics Project," which would be awarded during the same event. “You both must definitely come,” he urged.
Bhatnagar ji, being a man of commerce, congratulated his son but didn’t quite understand what his son had done or what he had won a prize for. His wife, while packing the rabri into their luggage, began explaining to him that cognitive mechanics is a science where a chip is created using information technology, which can be implanted in someone's brain. Whatever that person sees in their dreams gets recorded on the chip, and later it can be read using a computer.
Bhatnagar ji, scratching his head, realized he hadn’t trimmed his nails in days. He began searching for the nail cutter.
(The End)
