Selfishness

Yasmin Jaldin

Anil was offspring of an affluent family. When he was little he was mollycoddled by his parents. When he desired something and was not given instantly, he would bang his head on the wall seeking attention.

His parents were deeply saddened by this act and feared for his life, that they pacified their son by giving into his wants. Thus, he grew up to be a very selfish boy.

While schooling too, Anil would organize secret jaunts along with his school mates and when reprimanded by the Principal, would put the entire blame on his friends, dodge a caning and walk off scot free; thus was his character. Even after reaching adolescence he did not mend his bad ways though being advised by many an elder. He always behaved outrageously was very mean, and showed no sympathy towards the less fortunate. He would usually comment that being born poor is their fate and they should suffer.

He lacked good habits and had an air of arrogance with no kind word to anyone he associated with and had a sarcastic and demeaning attitude towards them. Also, Anil became very jealous of his friends who were educated and led comfortable lives and plotted on many occasions to hinder their families. He was very unsuccessful in such attempts which antagonized him. By this, all his good friends dreaded his association and only a handful kept his company.

Due to his bad behaviour, he also became less sympathetic towards his aged parents not helping them at all. Buying his sick father's medicine was also an abhor to him. He depended on his father's earnings to gallivant and spend outings with his friends. The earnings he received was not adequate to supplement his extravagant spending and carefree life. He did not have a permanent job and never stuck onto one and thus was a ‘rolling stone'.

Amara implored with Anil to postpone his planned picnic to hills since his ailing father was very sick and she had no assistance to run errands. After a long and bitter argument with his mother, he was adamant that he join his friends and in a rage kicked his father's bed before his departure. ‘That was a very bad thing to do to your sick father’ screamed his mother, ‘you will repent’ said she.

The following day, his father's condition deteriorated and he was hospitalized. Amara had no rest without help since she had to be by his bedside morn and night. Fortunately, the nursing staff was very sympathetic which somewhat eased her woes. Meanwhile, Anil was enjoying his trip without little concern of the well-being of his parents and not making any inquiry of them.

After his five day picnic he decided that they all return by train instead of the bus. Having reached Fort very late in the evening, Anil was in no mood to return home but was idling at the railway station playing a game with his friends; that was, crossing over from platform to platform using the railway tracks.

In this melee, he slipped onto the railway track and hit his foot on a discarded half cut glass bottle. Being grievously hurt and bleeding profusely he was rushed to hospital and an immediate operation was performed. The damage was so severe that three of his toes of the right foot had to be amputated, the very foot he kicked his father's bed before his departure on the trip.