(AI translated version of जिंदगी नहीं मिलेगी दोबारा! )

Chapter – 1

Papa, papa! It’s my birthday in four days. What will you get me as a gift this time? Teenager Mukesh asked, putting his arms around his father Prashant Dev. Like every time, Mukesh was waiting for his birthday this time too. After all, why not? He considered this day to be the best day of the year! Like every time, he hoped that on this day he would get to eat and drink his favourite things, his father would throw a grand party in a luxurious hotel and the guests coming to the party would bring him many gifts.

Mukesh was studying MBA at BBS College and his father held the post of Head Clerk in the Agriculture Department. Seeing his son’s happiness, a long smile appeared on Dev’s face. He said – Son, you have grown up now. You know more about your needs than I do. You tell me what you want.

Hearing this, Mukesh was elated. He felt that he had got his wish. He said chirpingly – Papa, you had given me a good high-quality mobile phone on my last birthday. This solved my big problem. I search for the material I need for studies from the internet. I remain in touch with my friends and remain in touch with you all even when I go out of home for college, coaching etc. Papa, in my busy schedule, sometimes I feel like listening to songs. I want this hobby of mine not to cause any disturbance to anyone else. So, if you want, please get me some good-brand headphones.

Dev Saheb was surprised to know about his son’s small wish. He said – That’s it, such a simple thing? The headphones from whatever company you want will be provided tomorrow. Now I feel that my son is becoming wiser as he grows older.

Mukesh became very happy as soon as his father approved his request. During this happy conversation, he didn’t even realize when it was time for him to go to coaching. Meanwhile, Dev Saheb’s eyes fell on the clock. He said – Son, it is time for your coaching. Now, reach coaching quickly. Otherwise, you will be late.

After listening to his father, Mukesh seemed to wake up from sleep and started coaching. His coaching institute was just one kilometre away from home. He used to go there on foot every day. Yes, there was only one problem in this kilometre-long route, while going to coaching, the train might not come at the railway crossing between home and coaching. Otherwise, about fifteen minutes would have been wasted waiting for the train to pass at that crossing. well. Mukesh was lucky that day that no train came to the crossing and he reached the coaching institute just five minutes late.

The next day was Dev Saheb’s holiday. He reached Sunshine Mall in the evening with his wife Suhasini and Mukesh and got him the Made in China headphones of his choice and two nice dresses. Then they roamed around there for a long time and enjoyed Naveen’s famous Chole-Kulchas and came home around 10 pm.

Now ever since Mukesh got headphones, he used to keep them on his ears continuously. As soon as he put it in his ears, he would be completely cut off from the outside world and would listen to his favourite songs at high volume. He had become crazy about the sound of that headphone and its features. He would not feel at ease until he listened to ten-fifteen songs on it. After getting the headphones, neither did he feel like studying in college, nor did he have the desire to go to coaching.

Dev and his wife remained extremely worried after seeing their son’s condition. Many times Suhasini would call Mukesh when she needed him or to eat food, but he could not hear anything due to the noise of the songs playing on the headphones. Dev Saheb would also scold Mukesh every day as to why he was becoming such a fan of headphones. Many times his temper would become so high due to the repeated screams that he would feel like removing the headphones from Mukesh’s head and slapping him a few times, but he would control his anger by thinking that the child’s Birthday is coming a day later. Why should his happiness be taken away by beating him?

The next day was Mukesh’s birthday. He had been dancing since morning wearing a new dress and playing the birthday songs on headphones. That day the headphones did not come off his ears. Even during the evening party at Hotel Neelkamal, he kept wearing headphones in his ears. He neither attended the guests properly nor could he enjoy the party. Dev and Suhasini were also left heartbroken after seeing this behaviour of Mukesh. They just kept staring at him with angry eyes but Mukesh was not bothered by it. He knew that he was the only one, and since today was his birthday, his parents would not say anything to him.

The party continued till 11 pm. After bidding farewell to the guests etc., Dev Saheb returned home with his family. Both Dev Saheb and Suhasini were very angry and did not talk to Mukesh at all on the way. After reaching home, all three of them went to their respective rooms to sleep.

That night was a restless night for Dev Saheb. He was wondering what had happened to Mukesh. How a good and hardworking boy is getting ruined because of headphones. Who knows what will happen next? While thinking all this, he did not realize when his eyes closed.

As soon as the eyes were closed, bad scenes started appearing on the screen of the eyelids through the projector of the mind. He dreamed that Mukesh was going for coaching with headphones in his ears. A train is about to arrive at the crossing between home and coaching and Mukesh is moving ahead without caring about it. The signal for the arrival of the train has been given and Mukesh has come out from under the crossing and has come near the tracks. Meanwhile, a train is blowing its horn rapidly and Mukesh is not able to hear the sound of that horn. He steps onto the track, listening to music and hanging his bag, and is just about to hit the iron grate in front of the engine. It seems as if that train is about to board Mukesh like a Yamdoot to kill him, to test him.

Seeing such a bad dream, Dev Saheb’s eyes opened in panic. He became drenched in sweat lit the night lamp nearby and started calling out – Suhasini! Mukesh!! Is there someone, hey is anyone listening to me? Is my son okay?

(Imagenary story)

To be contd….