Respect

Father:
U know son said he to me-
one gets a mark of respect
But not me - Not his father
I don't deserve that
At least from him.

The day of the year last
Evening time at his in-law's
His two uncles were there
My wife's elder and on younger
The father-in-law sat in corner
There was the next door neighbour
And there was I
Sitting next to the man unknown
-the outsider, at least to me he was.

My beloved son comes in
And the new father introduces
The man unknown
He touches his feet in reverence
Elderly he was - it's good teaching
I was a proud father

Sitting next were the uncles
Courtesy he touched theirs as well
But right next was I
He failed to see as if i didn't exist.
He didn't touch mine
Looked the other way
Slipped away busy with his phone
Me - the very fortunate father!
I don't even deserve a token of respect
From the seed that I harvested
That's my luck!
Even a man unknown and outsider
Gets more respect then his own father today
What more shall I say...


Mother:
The two never went along well
Son was naughty
Father was haughty
He was a child and that was his thing
But the man of the house my husband was!
Beat his skin red
The marks went thereafter to black
Who listens to me!
My son was with his cousins
He loved roadside ice-cream
A thing the father despised
He had recently grown
He was now tall like his dad
Muscular shoulders broadening out
The man had escorted them
- he lagged behind the young feet
jumping, hopping, jostling there
The Ice-cream man!
Lets buy and lick, I'll make dad agree
Moments weren't spent many
After he had uttered the words
His ear ranged with a thunderous slap
The cousins quiet in fear
Hiding behind thin air as it were opaque.
What did you say you scoundrel.. Repeat!!
The ice-cream man tried saving him
Actually I requested him to take them Sahib
Words fell on deaf ears.
The son was quiet
Tears welling up from deep inside
'I say look at me and answer
If you can then hold your ears
And do ten sit-ups
Let this be a lesson for children
Who never listen' -
And quietly he obliged
A guy of 16 in front of the whole Bazaar.
No he didn't cry
Quietly they walked the length
And soon was home where I lay
Waiting for the children
I had cooked their favorites
But he rushed in
Hugged me tight
A grasp that felt he would never release
And cried and cried and cried.

See time turns around
My son didn't say anything
Didn't even insult
But till today from what he got
And many such more after again
It's difficult
To Act out the scene of Respect.


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