Sadiq bhai was my neighbor 12 years ago. We had a very good rapo and shared many evenings together in our neighborhood coffee shop. Later we both moved on with our lives. Neither of us made any effort ever to contact each other. We were like 2 passengers who were at platform for few hours for trains going in opposite directions. Sadiq bhai was 5 years older than me. He was an average Pakistani immigrant who came to this country empty handed but with honesty and hard work found true America as a land of opportunity. He worked as a handyman and a car mechanic and over years became an owner of cab company owning almost 100 cabs. Money brought more money and in true sense he became a multimillionaire, but always remained grounded to earth. (I learned some part of his story later). When last time, I met him 12 years ago he was a regular lean thin average Joe type person. Accidentally, few weeks ago we bumped each other in a desi restaurant. His body habitus was changed. He has become a very muscular man and was obvious that he is a body-builder. I asked: "Kiya Sadiq Bhai! Aik dam Salman Khan lag rahe ho? bari jaan-shaan banaa li. Ye body-building ke chakkar main kese par gaye?"
As we caught 12 years of our lives, he told me: "I finally married a very nice American white woman. We fall in love and remained in love till today. We quickly conceived a child. Unfortunately my daughter who is 10 now, was born with a very rare genetic problem, called lissencephaly, which made her physically and mentally challenged. Every night when she goes to sleep, I don't know if she will ever wake up to see the sun rise. She is the love of my life and if I have do it all over again I will have her the same exact way. Her life span is may be eighteen or nineteen years of age. It doesn't matter because, I live one day at a time with her and enjoy it. If she lived to be 18 or 19, I want to give her the best 19 years. In a way its a blessing that her life span is short, because I would like to take care of her in my life time. I wouldn't want to die with a burden of who is going to take care of my girl. And to stay healthy for her, I eat healthy, I exercise regularly and I try to keep myself fit. She is my princess and anything for her." As he showed picture of his princess to me on his wallet, instead of tears I saw a beautiful smile in his eyes.
Aur main sochta raha: "Allah ki sari aazmaishaiN sirf us ke sachhe aur khare bandoN ke liye kiun hoti hai?"
As we caught 12 years of our lives, he told me: "I finally married a very nice American white woman. We fall in love and remained in love till today. We quickly conceived a child. Unfortunately my daughter who is 10 now, was born with a very rare genetic problem, called lissencephaly, which made her physically and mentally challenged. Every night when she goes to sleep, I don't know if she will ever wake up to see the sun rise. She is the love of my life and if I have do it all over again I will have her the same exact way. Her life span is may be eighteen or nineteen years of age. It doesn't matter because, I live one day at a time with her and enjoy it. If she lived to be 18 or 19, I want to give her the best 19 years. In a way its a blessing that her life span is short, because I would like to take care of her in my life time. I wouldn't want to die with a burden of who is going to take care of my girl. And to stay healthy for her, I eat healthy, I exercise regularly and I try to keep myself fit. She is my princess and anything for her." As he showed picture of his princess to me on his wallet, instead of tears I saw a beautiful smile in his eyes.
Aur main sochta raha: "Allah ki sari aazmaishaiN sirf us ke sachhe aur khare bandoN ke liye kiun hoti hai?"
2 comments:
My only story that was published some years ago is related but I will have to make a copy and send it to you later, I had some experience but not my child
Please email me
Post a Comment