515-year-old Ravi Jagpal ran through the crowded streets of Delhi trying to beat home the rain. Though the monsoon season was long over, Delhi was still getting immense amounts of rain.
Lately the skies seemed be to be nothing but the shade of gray and the streets were almost always jammed packed with cars. Still, Ravi liked living in Delhi and wouldn't live anywhere else. Ravi's family was originally from the Punjab. That explained the name Jagpal.
They had moved to Delhi when his father Rajeev was granted a promotion, when Ravi and his sister Ojal were quite small. Rajeev was a computer engineer. A job every Indian wanted and tried to get. Both Ravi's parents were highly educated. Speaking nearly perfect English as well as Hindi, Punjabi, Bengali and Tamil.
Ravi spoke good English as well, but some of his teachers claimed his accent was too thick. Saying "He'd never get a job like his father if he didn't get rid of that accent.
What's the difference? Ravi thought. As long as they can understand you. Why do we have to sound exactly like the Americans?
Ravi's parents had always pushed him to do well in school. Rajeev pushed him more so then his mother Prembai did. Prembai was a very laid back sort of person, leading Rajeev to believe she had spoiled her son.
Rajeev was much more high strung and much more anxious. It was partly do to his job. He worked long stressful hours, giving him little sleep. But his job had allowed the Jagpals to live a very comfortable life compared to that of most Indians and he wouldn't have it any other way.
By the time Ravi had reached home it had begun to pour out. His Kurta and hair was wet by the time he was inside. Like many Indians, many but not all, The Jagpals still dressed in traditional Indian clothing, though they lived a relatively western lifestyle. It was a sort of reminder as to who you were.
Prembai and his sister Ojal were sitting on the sofa watching "Noorie" an old bollywood hit. Prembai turned and noticed her son's wet hair and Kurta. "Ravi, your soaking wet! You need to get out of those clothes before you catch cold." Prembai said. "I tried to beat the rain, but by the time I reached home, it was coming down so violently." Ravi replied pitifully. Ojal couuldn't help but snicker a bit. She had always thought her brother resembled a wet dog whenever he came in from the rain. But Ojal never said it to his face. They were close in age and got along well. Ojal and Ravi just liked to make occasional jokes that were common among siblings.
Actually though, Ravi was becoming quite a handsome young man. Whenever Prembai had visitors, their young daughters would be shyly eyeing him. He wasn't very tall, but He had a handsome face. His dark eyebrows were sleek and elegant, against his sand colored complexion. His features were soft and perfectly aliened. He had the typical dark soft Indian eyes. The kind that seemed to smile and give him a look of child like innocence that would always stay with him no matter how old he grew to be. His build was much like his father's, short and slender. Unlike his mother, who was a bit plump. His sister Ojal seemed to be built more like prembai. But that was okay; it was better for a girl to be a little bit plump then skinny. In India anyway, In America however, it was prized to be very thin, just bordering on anorexic.
Though 14-year-old Ojal was often reminded that a bit of plumpness was much better then being rail thin, She still would have rather had the looks of her lanky friend Chirtra . Though Ojal was really the beautiful one, she mistakenly believed Chirta was and Visa Versa. Ojal wanted to be thinner and Chirta wanted to be heavier. Only Time would teach the young girls that outward beauty was only skin deep.
Ravi came out of his room wearing a red Kurta with white embroidery. It was really his good Kurta that he was only suppose to wear on special occasions, but all his others were dirty. He was about to sit down and watch the rest of the movie, when lightning struck and the power went out. "It was just getting good!" Complained Ojal.
Prembai told Ravi to go get the matches and candles. Ravi hated power outages. It was sometimes days before the power lines were repaired. Ravi had always hated the dark, as a young child he had been terribly afraid to sleep without the lights on. Even now, he hated to admit it, He was still afraid of the dark. It made sense, his name meant sun. His sister's name Ojai also meant light, but she didn't seem to be frightened of the dark. Maybe in her case it was that she brought light into the darkness. Things sometimes had a strange way of working out.
Ravi lit two small candles and placed them on the table. Ojal, who never seemed to worry, now looked worried. "Is something wrong Ojal?" Ravi asked. "Ravi, don't you realize what time it is? It's half past 4:00. Bapu should have been two hours ago." Ojal replied worriedly. Ravi held the candle near the clock and his expression also turned worried. "Maybe he was held up because of the storm." Ravi said trying to be optimistic. "Maybe, or maybe something happened to him, he's never this late." Ojal said with nervousness.
"You two are being ridiculous. Your father is probably working over time, that happens at jobs sometimes you know." Prembai said. Trying to console her two anxious teens. But Ravi and Ojal could see the worried look on their mother's face, though she had tried to hide it.
Just then, there was a knock at the door. Ojal's face lit up. Could it be? Ravi took one of the candles from the table and went to the door. Sure enough when he opened the door it was Rajeev soaking wet. Ojal picked her sari and ran to the door. "Bapu! Were so glad to see you! She said ecstatically. We were worried about you! " "Ojal my girl, I'm just fine!" He said hugging his daughter." Business took a bit longer today then expected. Then of course there was the storm. Where's your mother? I have some very good news. But I want to tell her first." Ravi pointed to the small round table where Prembai was sitting. Ravi and Ojal left the room knowing it was a private conversation. Ravi breathed a sigh of relief as he went with Ojal to her room. There were only two candles so Ravi and Ojal went to the same room.
"I'm glad to see you." Prembai said as her husband sat down. "Were you worried?" Rajeev asked. "A bit." Prembai admitted. "What was the news?" she asked eagerly. "The reason I was so late is because I've been offered a promotion! They're tripling my salary!" Rajeev replied excitedly. "That's wonderful!" Prembai said with a large smile. Even though you were late and I was a bit worried, I'm thrilled for you!" "But there is one catch, so to speak. Rajeev began hesitantly. "The job, it's in the states."Prembai's smile quickly faded. "That's a lot to think about." She said frowning." What did you tell the company?" Prembai asked, fearing the answer. "I told them we'd move as soon as possible, the company has already paid for an apartment for us in Michigan." Rajeev answered quickly but reluctantly. "What?! Rajeev! How could you?" Prembai asked in disbelief. "I thought you'd be happy. Rajeev replied disappointed that his wife had rejected the idea." we always talked about going to the states." Rajeev said puzzled. "To visit not to live!" Prembai replied angrily. "How do you think the children are going to take this?" Prembai asked. "I should think they'd be excited." Rajeev replied oblivious to his children's feelings. "Rajeev! They've hardly been out of Delhi! and you want to drag them them half way across the world?! Have you gone mad?!" Prembai asked even more angrily. "Prembai you're blowing this way out of proportion, this could be a great opportunity for us. We could really make a life for ourselves, Ravi and Ojal could have all the opportunities in the world!"
"Rajeev! We've already made a life for ourselves! Look around you! What do you see outside on those streets every time you leave and come home?" Prembai asked demandingly. "Prembai..." Rajeev protested. "What do you see?" She asked even more demandingly. "Rajeev sighed, feeling like a child being scolded by his mother. "Poverty, illness, starvation, a lot of misery." Rajeev admitted. "And do we have any of that? We eat good food, drink clean water, and wear decent clothes. I can go and buy a new sari just because I feel like it. Do you realize how few people have that? We have everything we need and more." Prembai said firmly. Rajeev looked at his wife pleadingly. He knew how stubborn she could be. "I know we have great life and I realize we live better then most of the people here, but this could be our peak Prembai, moving to the states could mean a life time of security, I could retire earlier and I'd be able to work less and be paid three times as much. We could spend so much more time together as a family. And Ravi, there are so many collages and so many different job opportunities, he'd have twice the chance of getting a good job then he would here." Rajeev looked his wife straight in the eye. "I wouldn't even be suggesting this if I didn't think the entire family wasn't going to benefit." Prembai's expression softened. Letting Rajeev know there something else bothering her. "I know, it's just it's so far away and I hate to admit, me a grown women is afraid to leave. You, you've been to the states before, you know the western dress and customs. Even though I have an education and speak English, I still know very little about western culture."
"Change is never an easy thing, but I promise you, it'll be worth it." Rajeev said putting his hands on his wife's shoulders. Prembai nodded. She didn't like it, but Rajeev was the head of the family and she wanted to make him happy. "Where ever life takes us, we go to together and as your wife I should and will support any decision you make even if I am unsure. After all what isn't a risk?" Rajeev smiled, kissed his wife and they went to tell Ravi and Ojal.
Rajeev knocked on Ojal's door. "Come in." Ojal called. Rajeev and Prembai sat on the two old straw chairs Ojal had in her room. Rajeev had a big smile and Prembai was smiling to, but her smile looked more like a frown. Some how Ravi knew the coming news would make him anxious.
"As I told you earlier, Rajeev began "I have some very wonderful news, I been offered a large promotion, but we would have to move to the west." "You mean like Amristar?" Ravi asked. Rajeev's smile dropped to a frown probably knowing how his son would take the news. "No, I mean west like the United states of America." Rajeev replied. More shock struck Ravi and Ojal then ever in there lives." "What ?! We can't move, I- I - have school." Ravi stammered. "There are plenty of schools in the west. You and your sister both read and write in English well enough." Rajeev replied. "Bapu, I don't want to leave." Ojal pleaded. "I don't want to leave Chirta!" She said tearfully "You can write letters back and forth and talk on the phone and Internet." Rajeev replied. "I'm not leaving!" Ravi said with conviction in his voice.
"Ravi you're a member of this family and you'll go wear ever we go." Rajeev said calmly but firmly. "You can't and won't do this! I won't stand for it!" Ravi yelled. He left and went to his room. "Ravi!" Rajeev yelled. Ravi only slammed his door.
Prembai could see Ojal looking at her father with disappointment. "Ojal..." Prembai was about to console her. "It's alright, bapu is only doing what he thinks is best." Ojal said with tears in her eyes. She left the room. Rajeev sighed. "That went well." Prembai said sarcastically. "Ojal seemed fine with it." Rajeev said completely clueless. Prembai looked at her husband displeased and shook her head. "Sometimes it amazes me how little you know our own children." Prembai said with disappointment in her voice. With that she left the room. K5