SHATTERED DREAMS

Yesterday I met Prateek after almost 5 years. We used to stay in the same locality. His father was in high profile government job. He did not go beyond hello hello terms with anyone in the locality which I learnt later from someone that he felt others may seek favours due to his position. His mother was educated but did not mix much due to some complex of being from a small town. He and his year or so younger sister, Namrata, were in one of the top schools. They were friendly and paid due respect to everyone. He was a tall handsome boy and Namrata too was very good looking tall girl. They both excelled in studies as well as in other extra curricular activities. He was keen to be a fighter pilot in Air Force while she was keen on becoming a doctor and join Air Force. They used to be quite frank in talking to me. They were in 11^th and 10^th respectively when we shifted from there about five years ago. He was preparing for NDA.

I was surprised to run into him in our market. He is the one who recognized me and touched my feet. That is when I recollected him. When he straightened I saw a huge scar on his forehead. While we were walking I noticed he was limping. When I looked at him questioningly asking what was he doing here as I thought by now he would have been in Air Force. He told me that it was not so and it is a sad story. I told him to share it if he felt like it. This is what he told me.

After 12^th examinations were over, he joined classes to prepare for SSB interview as he had cleared written examination for NDA. There he came across a couple of boys of the same age who belonged to affluent families. They became close friends and spent a lot of time together. After a couple of weeks of their newly found closeness, he was invited for a party at house of one of them and told that as it will go on late, he should tell his parents that he would be staying over there for the night. On reaching there he found that there were no elders in the house. There was mixed group of about 20 odd youngsters with girls being almost as many as boys. Loud dance music was on with subdued lights and liquor was being consumed. He was compelled to have beer inspite of his saying that he had never had any alcoholic drink earlier. After some time he felt getting light headed and in mood for whatever be there. He mingled with girls and danced. He found himself getting excited as he saw a lot of couples getting cozy. The girl who was with him most of the time encouraged him to kiss and it lead to more cumulating in their making out in the bedroom. Next morning his friends pulled his leg at being such a fast lover. He told that this introduced him to new joys and his friends introduced him to a couple of more girls with whom he got physically close.

A month or so later when he and one of those friends got through SSB interview as well as medical, that friend threw a party to celebrate it. He was told that there will be a number of siblings so he should bring Namrata along. He was reluctant but thought that since he was going to be there and would try to avoid drinking, it would be safe for her. So they joined the party which was supposed to end by midnight. Parents of his friend after meeting the youngsters left for their own outing. So it was again only young lot which was there. However the number this time was just 6 boys and 5 girls including them. He was forced to have beer but he restricted it. One of the girls with whom he had been close stuck to him throughout. Even in that dim lit atmosphere and couples whirling around he tried to keep an eye for Namrata who seemed to be enjoying company of other girls as well as attention of some boys. She was having soft drink. He saw that the girl with whom he made out for first time was with her most of the time. After an hour or so he found her to be little more jovial than normal and frequently laughing loudly. He became cautious of this and tried to be as close to her as possible but the girl with him kept pulling him away while dancing. Little later he saw Namrata being lead by the girl who kept company with her towards upstairs where the bedrooms were. They were followed by two boys, one being his friend who did not succeed in SSB. Namrata was stumbling and giggling all the time. He rushed to her but found himself blocked by some boys. They told him not to be a spoilsport and let those boys have good time. He told them that she was his sister. They laughed and told him that the girls you made out with were also someone’s sisters. They pushed him back and that is when fight started. He yelled out loudly for Namrata and on seeing what was happening she rushed to him. He told her to get out of that place and contact home or police. The boys started hitting him all over. He fought back but was hit by whatever came handy to those boys. He was hit hard on forehead with something hard and before he lost consciousness he saw police persons entering the house. He suffered head injury apart from fractures of couple of ribs and leg. A steel rod had to be put into his leg to strengthen shattered bone which made the leg shorter leading to limp. That is why he could not join NDA shattering his dream of being fighter pilot in Air Force.

He completed graduation and MBA. He was with a MNC in sales side. Namrata was however safe and was undergoing MBBS. He ended his talk by saying that how sad it was that he never thought that those girls with whom he made out were also someone’s sisters.