The saga of the retired Man

The  saga of  the  retired Man

Translated  from  Hindi by

P.R.Ramachander

(My friend posted it in Whatsapp  .He says he has copied from another  Whatsapp.It obviously deals with a  retired person , living in joint family  Such persons are  rare in South . That  person realized  that he was no more  “head of the family” and not even “A honorable member  of the family.” )

Retired  man   is  considered.

By every one   as useless ,

And they say

Even for small and small  things ,

He becomes sullen

And

And if you talk to him,

He  boasts of only  about  himself,

“I have done  like this, but  He did like that”

He  keeps  on telling

Wife says,

“All the day  , you break your chair,

And never take your  eyes from mobile ,

Go to the market,

And get    at least some things”

His daughter  in law   says to him,

“Child   is crying,

Please  take him for a walk”

Even for giving  a tea for  him,

She  puts  certain conditions,

“Take   baby for a walk”

Then I will give  you, your  tea.”

Why did you retire  ,she asks,

As if my government has fallen,

Even the wife   who was with me for seven lives,

Has joined   the  Ruling party along  with her.

He says 

When I  watch the TV,

The children snatch the remote from me ,

And watch   the Cartoon  Channel,

Afterwards they  switch on  to “aastha(religious)  “ channel,

Because   I am  only fit for  “ASthaa”,

How do they know it?

How did  they conclude,

That one of my  feet  is in the grave

If I watch  “Ladies  Gymnastics”

Then all people  strare at me,

And  they tell , “You have become old,

But   still you are  roaming your eyes”

“One day my sister in law was asking,

“ Uncle, in today’s news paper,

How many   advertisements have come?”

And then seeing about my ignorance   she told,

“Mother is telling me ,

That you completely survey the paper,

And even this  , you do not know ,

What you have  you learnt from there?’

If I try to do Yoga, they say,

“Why are  you afraid of death?”

Do you think   that no father,

Dies   ever in this world?”

I  tell , “Oh brother  ,

I have now retired,

Allow me yo enjoy my pension”

And then the son says,

“You have   already   enjoyed the capital,

Now please  let me enjoy  the  interest?”

I am thinking ,

“after  retiring,

What is   really happening

Has  the  boss of the office ,

Got  a  post   in our home ?”

His counsels   and advices  ,

Become  quite meaningless,

When he  talks ,The people of the home,

Look at is despicably,

I wish  I could tell,

“I am now  not the head of the home,

Okay , at least    allow me,

To  be a honorable  member.”

He says

If you  do not want to hear  , do not hear  ,

But at least   allow me to talk  ,

I have the   habit of talking,

Slowly and slowly , I would retire from that ,

Slowly and slowly   , I would lose the feeling ,

That  I know   everything”

After some more time  ,

Sitting on the balcony , silently,

I would  be always watching  the road,

I would search for   face, ,

In the crowd  which comes and goes,

Who even  after  seeing me sitting uselessly,

Would not think that I am useless,

For those   who always  chatter ,

Would not think that I am useless,