My Wanderings 106
Short Story No. 59
The Greater Scheme of things
Ashok wattal popularly known as Dr.wattal was a senior scientist in one of the famous laboratories at jammu. He had his own principles and convictions, which he had acquired in due course and finally adopted them in his life. Therefore, his responses and reactions to some particular stimuli appeared very ridiculous to strangers but his acquaintances like friends and relatives were well versed with his mannerism and attiquates and felt homely with him. Actually only after graduating in science ,he had joined his department on the post of an assistant and after improving his qualifications and by the dent of his hard work, he reached to the post of senior scientist.
In the mean time he also acquired some vices like drinking and smoking which effected his life substantially . It was believed in his friend circle that Dr.wattal drinks like a fish and only after drinking gives vent to his philosophies and feelings . In such state he also gives advices to others which sometimes help them. One day Dr Wattal, fully drunk , was driving a scooter and met his friend and colleague Dr.Kaul in the market and gave him a lift . Only after few minutes of pillion riding on the scooter Dr Kaul could guess the state of his mind as Dr.wattal was driving scooter in a very rash manner and hitting the other vehicles so often.
Please drive slowly , implored Dr Kaul
Please don't do backside driving, it is so strange that you treat me like an amateur, I am an expert driver, replied Dr.Wattal .
Only after sometime Dr.wattal had a close brush with some other vehicle from the opposite side and Dr. Kaul could not stop a wild shreik from his mouth.
Oh Dr kaul ! I can not understand why do you wake me up, whenever I try to have a little sleep. You are such an educated person , it is not expected of you, said Dr.Wattal . Then after moving the scooter heltor skelter and having a narrow escapes Scooter reached to the destination and both scientists alighted from the scooter and Dr. Kaul thanked his stars for reaching home safely.
Dr. Wattal had also one good quality that he was very social. He used to pay visits to his friends and relatives often to enquire about their welfare. It was his straight forward and extrovert nature that was liked by all. He used to wish all his acquaintances loudly and start conversation with each person, he met, himself . He opinioned that one should wish others voluntarily with out waiting for them to start conversation. One can lose friendship and relations in waiting for others response even if he is a celebrity.
Dr. Wattal was always short of funds due to his habit of drinking and he frequently borrowed from his friends and colleagues. Sometimes they obliged him and sometimes not because of his habit of returning the money in the same fashion.
If some of his friends or well wishers advised him regarding thrift , investment or constructing his own house for providence as presently he was living in official accommodation. He would usually reply philosophically that there is always a greater scheme of things in nature which minimise the effect of such needs.
One day his friend Dr.Kaul visited his residence and advised him about investments etc. Dr.wattal reiterated his reply of greater scheme of things and wanted to shut the matter. But Dr.Kaul asked him to explain his philosophy of greater scheme of things elaborately.
On the insistence of Dr.Kaul , Dr. Wattal said, " Dr.kaul, the way things are organised or happen in a particular situation or the way some one wants them to be organised . It may be disappointment for not getting a job or not getting a plot for constructing a house . It is not so important in great grand scheme of things when all things are considered in totality".
" Then how can we assess the progress of an individual" , asked Dr.Kaul vehemently?
" A supposed or apparent overall system within which everything has a place and situation to which individual details are ultimately assessed . In the overall scheme of things we did not do badly", replied Dr. Wattal.
"What is the importance of money then in your scheme ", asked Dr.Kaul again?
"Considering everything in the scheme in general way , things having lot of money is not important as having good friends and relations.
After sometime Dr.Wattal reached superannuation and he retierd from his services comfortably. But it was only few days after his retirement he gave a great shock to his family and friends by his sudden demise due to heart attack even before receiving his suppernuation benefits.
Then after sometime a substantial amount of superannuation benifits and good amount of family pension was released to his family by the efforts of his friends and relatives . His wife purchased a flat and shifted there and his children also got settled nicely.
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