“It is great to hear from you. When are you planning to come back to us? It’s been a year. You went to the city to study and now you have a job for yourself. What about us? Come soon,” the wife, says as she talks to her husband who lives in the city.
“I came here to make money so that I can give a good live to you and to our kids. It’s been a year I know but I have collected a lot of money. I will come to the village for good and buy some land and we can be together again,” the husband says.
Wife insists, “Tell me you are coming next month.”
“I will try if you say so,” husband says as he hangs up the phone.
After one week, the husband calls back again so that he can talk to his wife and kids.
Husband sounds excited as he talks to his wife, “How are you? How are kids? Are they studying hard? What do their teachers say about their performance at school?”
Wife says, “Everything is all right. Kids are also good. When are you coming back to see us? I miss you so much. Kids ask about you all the time. You said you would come next month. Are you coming?”
“I will try to come. Take care of kids. I will send you the money next week,” the husband says.
“Don’t worry about money. You just resign from your job and come back to your family. We have a lot of work . You can get some work easily here in the village,” says wife.
“I know we have a lot of money now but it is never enough. Anyways, I wanted to ask you something. I am planning to bring a friend along with me. I met him in the city. He helped me get a job. It is all because of him,” husband says.
Wife did not want to talk about anything else. She says,” Do what you want to do. He can come here and stay with us for a few days. It hardly matters. I just want you to come back soon. He could help you start a small business here in the village itself.”
“No, you do not understand, he will come and stay with us for good. Actually, he has a terrible disease. He cannot work or take care of himself. I thought we should take care of him, as he is really a nice man. He has no one in his family,” the husband says.
Wife gets angry and says ,“No, you cannot do that. We have enough money but not to spend on someone who cannot take care of himself. He will find himself some other place. We have kids. We cannot afford to waste a single penny on someone else. He will be a burden on all of us. Kids don’t have time to take care of anyone and I am always busy with household work. Even you will have a lot of work here in the village.”
“All right, I understand that. I will find some other way out. Take care of yourself and kids. Give my love to kids. You don’t worry, I have saved a lot of money for them,” husband says as he hangs up the phone.
The wife received a letter a few days later informing her that her husband had cancer and had passed away that morning leaving her a good amount of money.
It is strange but we usually forget that someone who we consider a burden means everything to his/her family.
