After all .....

Two more days .. Thats it, thats all is there before his son turns 16. Its not just everyday that you turn 16 and the party on the birthday was definitely going to prove that point. He was unwilling to spend so much money on a birthday party at first, but his son's insistence made him give in. After all, his son reasoned, you don't turn 16 everyday...

His son .... he still remembered it clearly, the first time he held him in his hand, his tiny eyes closed in blissful sleep, his hands balled into tiny fists. It was all fresh in his mind, as if that day was just yesterday.

It was not smooth sailing for him during those days, he was the sole bread winner and the job didn't pay too well. His son came in as a ray of hope into his life. His smile seemed to wash away his worries. Even though the difficulties in life persisted, everything seemed manageable.

Every evening his son would wait for him to return home so that he could ask him for a ride on the scooter, the ride done the smile on his son's face was priceless. What wouldn't he do to see that smile.

Compromises were something he had learned to live with in his childhood, and something he continued to do. His son was growing up soon, and he had to ensure he got the best of everything. His income had stabilized to an extent and he was satisfied with the fact that he was able to provide for his family. His son had new needs, the reasonable ones had to be fulfilled. The unreasonable ones were not given into. He knew he wouldn't pamper his son and make him unworthy of a respectful living. The reasonable ones had to be fulfilled even if it was in lieu of his necessities.

"Dad", his son said, "I need new shoes for playing football, the ones with studs on them, all the others have them, I can't play well enough to get into the team otherwise !". He knew his own shoes could wait, they'd been with him for the past 4 years now, uncomplaining and sturdy, torn at some places, but nothing a trip to the mochi couldn't fix. He knew they could wait. His son's football ambitions however had to be nurtured.

His son looked up to him, he knew he couldn't afford to be slack anywhere. He knew he was his son's hero. He was in his most formative years now and discipline needs to be imparted. Care needs to be taken so that his son does not stray away from a good life.

His son was turning 16 day after and he was proud of him. He was doing well in college and played for the school team in soccer. The dreams he had seen were coming true.

The party was all set to begin, all his friends had arrived. Quite a popular lad his son was, he knew that and was proud of it. His son was flaunting his new cellphone, N-series or something, they had bought it in the afternoon as a birthday gift.

The cake was simple one, good one nevertheless, OK wouldn't do.

He was sitting on the couch watching the proceedings, smiling contently. His son came up to him, gave a quick one arm hug and sat down next to him.

"Dad, I've always wanted to ask you something ..."

"Go on... ", he smiled encouragingly.

"When is your birthday dad? why haven't we celebrated that ever?"

He smiled, patted his son's back and said nothing. The party din was all around, but he seemed to be unaffected by it.

He looked back at his life, the compromises he'd made, the sacrifices.

There were days when he had to live of rat infested rooms with five other people sharing the room. Days when he had to go without food or proper sleep. He knew what it meant to earn money. He had learnt it the hard way.

Merry occasions like birthdays never found a place in his life. Those were luxuries he couldn't waste hard earned money or valuable time on.
He had faint recollections of a date being scribbled in his birth certificate he had chanced to see once. But he had failed to associate any importance to that day. It was just another day, in which you have to work in order to get paid.

Life was a struggle and all he knew was that he had to come out on top.

He had kept everything aside, he had lived his life for his son, to make him a good person, a person he would feel proud to call his son.

He'd lost himself somewhere in the vagaries of life, he couldn't remember the last time he had given into one of his own fancies. Come to think of it he did not have any wishes anymore, it was for youngsters, not old men like himself he thought.

"Wishes ...."
A chuckle escaped his lips, as though taunting himself for even playing around with that thought.

"Dad, are you alright?"

He nodded and held his son's shoulder and they walked together towards the party.

It was his son's birthday after all ....