Akmal's anger

"Dekho Akmal, mere dostoN ki aik lambi qatar hai - magar jitni takleef mujeh tumhe dekh ke hoti hai, kisi aur ko dekh ke nahi hoti. Tum aik achhe aur sachhe insaan ho, parhe likhe ho, professor level ke aadmi ho - magar zindagi se tum itne naraz ho! itne angry ho! kiya wajah hai?"

"I was not like that. I was born into a very loving family in Pakistan. I moved to the USA after finishing my master's in Pakistan. I have six very loving siblings in Pakistan. I worked hard in this country. I did Ph.D. I joined an academic institution. I start earning good money. I built a dream house. I always loved gardening. I put the best plants in my garden area. First time in my life, I drove a car. I start paying off my student loans. I brought my parents to the USA. I was a pleased man - an American success story. Then I got married. It was an arranged marriage within the community here. But I got married to the wrong person. She was a perpetual cheater. I caught her red-handed in my bedroom not once but three times. We divorced when my son was two years old. I lost my house and most of my savings. And that was OK. I accepted it as a part of life. But then things start moving south. I lost my job. I had to move to the east coast for a job that pays half of the previous one but many extra hours. My ex saw this as an opportunity. I lost joint custody. I was given only 2 Sundays a month to see my kid. I was sued again in court by her. My child support and alimony went through the roof. She found a younger gora boyfriend and made him move into that house. She destroyed my garden and built a gym area for her boyfriend in the backyard. Every time I go there, I barely get allowed to see my child for a few hours as she tries to keep the child away from me as much as she can. I don't have money to return to court and hire an attorney. I lost my father as he died of stress. My mother became a great support. She started catering from home to keep the household running, as it costs a lot of money to fly coast to coast and rent a car and hotel every other weekend. But nothing hurts me more than this: my son has been taught to call that gora boyfriend daddy, and I have been given the name purane abbu! I barely have $50 in my account. I can't even find another woman to marry because I neither have time nor money. Yes, I am angry because I feel the system is not fair, and despite hard work and sincerity, I am at the receiving end. It hurts a lot, yaar. I die every second inside without my son."

(silence on both side for a long moment)

"Akmal, I am not gonna say to you - what I usually say to everyone: Life is a bitch. Stop complaining. Suck it up. Get up and move on - but - yahi keh sakta hun ke -  agar ye sab sach hai, to khuda kare - kahin koi hisab zaroor hota ho."