My Wanderings - 13

Nowadays four C's are considered very essential for a person to live in this world comfortably. They are Computer, Credit card, Cellphone and Car. It is very difficult for any body to pull on with out these appliances. But priorities change with the passage of time.
This reminds me of  our priorities  in early nineties ,when we were just overcoming the woes of migration from our native land, leaving  behind all our home and hearth and I was adjusted in a rural branch of my bank in Punjab, somewhere near Pathankot. It was very difficult for me to adjust in the alien environs  and local  language was my main problem. They were speaking theth Punjabi which was beyond my comprehension. Therefore, I used to speak very less and listen  to their language attentively so as to understand my colleagues and customers in a better way.  One of  my colleagues in cash Department, while on work , would often murmur in ghostly tones 'Hun hor nahi' " Hun Hor Nahi.". One day I asked my another colleague to tell me the meaning of his  murmurs. He advised me that he is saying, "  Now he will not count any  more cash". Really counting of cash  was cumbersome process  during those days  because no cash counting machines  were available.  Later on this gentleman Mr Chambiyal, who was in habit of saying 'Hun Hor Nahi' became my fast friend and helped me in every possible way. Once he invited me to his village which was also very near to Pathankot. He had recently constructed a nice Bunglow on a large piece of land in his village, which was very conspicuous  in the whole village  because of its nice  architecture   and fine grandeur.
Soon he purchased a second hand car for the first time as otherwise, he was in habit of purchasing  second hand Scooters every year and also selling them consequently.
In the meantime, I read an article in the magazine about three K's I.e. Kudi, Kar te Kothi which means Wife, Motor Car and House. The author in the article had written that these three things are the signs of affluence in Punjab. The person who possesses these three things is considered as an  affluent  person. Therefore, we used to take dig at Mr Chambiyal that he is the most affluent man amongst all of us.
Then once he confided  to me  that he is going to purchase a high breed dog. I advised him to take one of the puppy's of my Landlord free of cost. Then he visited my house along with his wife in his newly purchased Car to escort one of the puppy's of my land lord. When we broke the news of new entrant in Mr Chambyal's family at office, every body was delighted to know that Mr Chambiyal has now  become the  member of most elite group by possessing four K's I.e. Kudi, Car, Kothi te Kuta, entailing more digs at him.
While I had begun to enjoy the life in new environs,  which had become quite familiar to me now,  destiny had stored something bitter for me, which I had to swallow.  My wife fell seriously ill and I lost all hopes of her recovery. But I immediately  moved her to AIIMS, New Delhi for treatment. I got very dejected with life. Sometimes I used to think that I lost my house at Srinagar, I am not in a position to purchase a car now and I am loosing my wife also. Perhaps, I was not aware of the graciousness of God at that time  or I had lost the sense of expressing Gratitude to him.  I had also  forgotten the  idea of "what men live by" expressed by Great Tolstoy in his short story with the same title.
But time is a great healer. With the passage of time my wife was cured of her ailment.  I got promotion and was transferred to some other place.
I again developed interest in life and I constructed a new House at Jammu and purchased a Car also. Then in routine I could possess all the C's also. But as a matter of fact all the K's and C's are not considered as the possessions of elite group now but the basic necessities of life like Roti, Kapda aur Makan.
Then I lost touch with Mr.Chambiyal and other colleagues , who helped me a lot at the time of distress and remained besides me always.